Hypertension affects over 20% of the population and more and more people are now looking to high blood pressure alternative treatments and lifestyle changes to improve their health. In fact, if you read about the side-effects of your current medication, Im sure you will be tempted to take a look at alternative treatments as well.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is determined by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the resistance the blood encounters as it is pumped through the arteries. Blood pressure is represented as the systolic pressure (when the heart is contracting) over the diastolic pressure (the pause before the next beat).

If your resting blood pressure is consistently over 140/80, you have high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is not actually a disease but is an indicator of increased risk of stroke, heart failure, heart attack and kidney failure. It is also associated with coronary heart disease, arteriosclerosis, kidney problems, obesity, diabetes, food allergies and endocrine gland problems which cause hormone imbalances.

According to health and longevity expert, Dr Joel Wallach, when considering a high blood pressure alternative treatment the most common reason for high blood pressure is a calcium deficiency. As a result, people suffering calcium deficiency diseases - such as osteoporosis, arthritis, kidney stones, muscle cramps and twitches etc also suffer from high blood pressure.

It can be a silent disease, however other symptoms can include dizziness, a red face, headaches, fatigue and ringing in the ears.

Diet and Lifestyle for High Blood Pressure Alternative Treatment

There are some lifestyle and dietary changes you can make, starting immediately:

Drink approximately eight glasses of water per day.

Quit smoking and avoid caffeinated drinks.

Consume a high fibre, low fat diet with plenty of vegetables.

Avoid sugar, refined flour, fried foods and margarine.

Reduce your intake of red meat.

If you're overweight - you need to lose weight and finally,

Stress management can also have a dramatic affect and is being used by a number of medical practitioners.

Health Supplements for High Blood Pressure Alternative Treatment

Natural health supplements for helping high blood pressure should include:

Plant derived colloidal minerals - which contain a highly absorbable form of calcium and other minerals and

Calcium and magnesium supplements can work well make sure you buy something high quality because these two minerals are in fact very hard for the body to absorb

Essential fatty acids as fish oil may reduce the 'stickiness' of the blood and help by reducing levels of 'bad cholesterol'.

A good multivitamin complex is useful as a high blood pressure alternative treatment and should contain Coenzyme Q-10, antioxidant vitamins A, C & E and the herb Hawthorne Berry. These provide nutritional support for the cardiovascular system.

When combined with a sensible diet, weight loss and some exercise, you will be amazed at the results you can achieve without the use of heavy drugs. Of course, we always recommend you work with your health care professional - in fact tell him or her you would like to start with a high blood pressure alternative treatment program. That way your medication can be monitored and reduced as the effects of lifestyle and nutrition begin to assist you on your way to better health.