Did you know that more than one-third of heart attacks and almost half of heart failures can be traced back to high blood pressure? Or that one out of every six adult deaths in the U.S. is believed to be triggered by hypertension? Hypertension is easy to ignore as there are usually no side effects, but the consequences of neglecting this disease can be deadly.

At the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Institute of Medicine wrote a major report highlighting key areas that should be focused on to reduce hypertension on a broad scale. Many of their suggestions revolved around improving lifestyle and behavioral factors, as well as suggested improvements for health care providers.

Lowering your blood pressure can be a tedious venture, but it is well worth the effort.  If you struggle with hypertension, there are a several simple and affordable things you can do that lower blood pressure naturally for many people, such as:

• Exercising regularly
• Achieving a diet with optimum sodium to potassium ratio and intake
• Eating a healthy overall diet
• Maintaining a good body weight

As always, consult your Doctor before beginning any exercise program.

For more information, please visit:

“High Blood Pressure a Neglected Disease, Report Declares” ScienceDaily Feb. 22, 2010. Can be viewed online at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100222121622.htm.

“A Population-Based Policy and Systems Change Approach to Prevent and Control Hypertension” Institute of Medicine of the National Academies 2/22/2010. Can be viewed online at

http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/A-Population-Based-Policy-and-Systems-Change-Approach-to-Prevent-and-Control-Hypertension.aspx.