To help prevent and control hypertension, Hypertension Canada has introduced new guidelines that direct Canadian doctors to use “out of office” blood pressure measurements by having patients regularly monitor their blood pressure at home. The new protocol is intended to help physicians confirm a diagnosis of hypertension and rule out the possibility of “white coat” or masked hypertension. According to the Hypertension Canada Guidelines to Physicians, patients should record their numbers four times daily over a seven-day period when monitoring blood pressure at home.

If you think you might have high blood pressure, it’s vital that you work to lower the numbers!

How to Lower your Blood Pressure

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Lose weight. Monitor your waistline and aim to keep it less than 40 inches for men, 35 inches for women. Did you know that losing as little as five to 10 pounds may help lower your blood pressure?

Get active. Exercise can help to reduce stress and keep your blood flowing properly. Make sure you are doing some activity regularly. Try taking walks everyday to enjoy the fresh air. Walking is one of the best exercises to get healthier and it is also one of the cheapest.

Avoid sodium. Be aware of the foods you consume each day. The more salt you eat, the higher your blood pressure will be. Shoot for less than 1,500 mg of sodium a day.

Lower stress levels. Stress can have a detrimental effect on your blood pressure. It’s vital that you pinpoint the causes of your stress, anxiety, and worry, and develop a plan to reduce the amount of stress in your life. When I feel stressed I like to doodle, it’s a great way to relax.

Monitor your blood pressure. The best way to lower your blood pressure is to record and track the measurement regularly at home. You will need a quality blood pressure monitor in order to do this. I would recommend the BIOS Diagnostics Protocol® 7D . This blood pressure monitoring system automatically takes a reading twice in the morning and twice at night during the initial 7-day test. There is a reminder alarm so you never forget to check your blood pressure! It is very easy to use and allows for two different users to check their blood pressure. It can also help detect irregular heartbeat, which can be a dangerous symptom in some cases. The cuff fits comfortably on your arm and can be adjusted to fit a variety of sizes. It works great for both men and women due to the fact it can be adjusted.

The BIOS Diagnostics Protocol^® 7D line is  available at pharmacies nationally, including London Drugs, Shoppers Drug Mart, IDA, Rexall, Guardian, Pharmasave, Pharmachoice, Shoppers Home Health Care, Super Thrifty, The Medicine Shoppe, Pharmaprix, Remedy Rx, Proxim, Jean Coutu, Uniprix, Familiprix and Brunet.

To learn more about hypertension and for a complimentary trial of a BIOS Diagnostics Protocol® home blood pressure monitor, stop by one of 1,000 participating pharmacies nationally on World Hypertension Day, May 17. For more information, visit www.biosmedical.com.

Disclosure: This post was written in collaboration with Bios Medical. All opinions are mine.