Read out health and wellness information. Also know about alternative health care and health food plan.
If you thought that drugs with their unwanted side effects were the only way to control high blood pressure, think again. Studies show that a sizable number of people with mild hypertension can get their pressure dropped with out drugs. At an American College of Cardiology meeting, two separate studies reported that non drug therapy achieved control equal to drugs for people with mildly elevated blood pressure. In some cases, the nondrug techniques worked even better than drugs.
More Exercise, Less Stress, Better Nutrition
One of those studies, conducted at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, involved 86 men (average age, 57) whose resting diastolic blood pressure (the second number of your blood pressure reading; like the 70 part of a 120/70) was 95 to 105 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). The men were assigned to two groups for three months of different treatments. In one group, the men were given either 80 milligrams of the blood pressure dropping drug propranolol twice daily or two placebo pills that looked like propranolol but contained no active drug. The men in the other group got no pills at all. Instead, they exercised, modified their intake of salt, fat, and alcoholic beverages, and attended weekly stress management sessions. (The men in the drug or placebo group received no such counseling and made no changes in their diet or exercise habits.) By the study's end, the men who had exercised, improved their diet, and reduced their stress had an average blood pressure reduction of nearly 13 mmHg, compared with only 8 mmHg for those on drug therapy.
Drugs Plus Exercise No Better Than Exercise Alone.
The other study, which caused quite a buzz in medical circles, was conducted at Johns Hopkins University. It looked at the effects of exercise alone and came up with a surprising finding. Men who simply participated in an exercise program controlled their blood pressure just as well as men who worked out and took drugs to control their hypertension. The study involved 52 men aged 25 to 59, all with resting diastolic blood pressures between 90 and 105 mmHg. The men were divided into three groups. Men in the first group were given a beta blocking drug to lower their blood pressure. Men in the second group took another type of antihypertension drug, a calcium channel blocker. The men in the third group got placebo pills that contained no active drug. All of the men, however, took part in a ten week exercise regimen that included weight training, walking, jogging, or cycling. At the end of the study, the men taking the placebos had an average blood pressure of 131/84. Those taking the drugs didn't do any better. In fact, their averages of 138/88 and 132/88 were just a bit higher than the exercise alone group. These results certainly suggest that some mild hyper tensives are able to control their blood pressure simply by enrolling in a good excercise program. Johns Hopkins rehabilitation specialist Kerry Stewart, Ed.D., coinvestigator (with a cardiologist) on the study, adds that it may be possible for some men v/ho are already taking drugs to gradually (under their doctor's supervision, of course) "wean" themselves off those drugs or at least get by on lower doses.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- Health and Fitness Articles
- 25 Life Saving Health Secrets
- Article Marketing - Article Marketing Advice for Healthcare Service Providers
- Take Responsibility For Your Health And Fitness Before Illness Takes Responsibility For You 2 Of 2
- Our Mission at Alternative Health Supplements
- What You Should Know About Buying Texas Health Insurance
- Making Good Health Care Choices
- How to get more Traffic and Sales from your Articles




Getting Back into Shape with Effective Weight Loss Training
By: Steven Magill | 10/11/2009Weight loss training isn't easy. It isn't about the weight training, the running, the eating or dieting but it's about the daily commitment to make you a better person.
Why You Should Take Fish Oil
By: Emile A. Jarreau | 10/11/2009You have probably heard people talk ad nauseam about why you should take fish oil. Even though fish oil really is a highly beneficial supplement, many people are wary of anything that is given so much hype…
Explore less The Traveled Paths in Camping Comfort
By: as | 10/11/2009Innovations provide the power to enjoy RV amenities miles beyond the last electrical hookup. ARA If you have already experienced the serenity and fun of camping with your to wable recreational vehicle RV
Exercise is important for the health
By: as | 10/11/2009Exercise is any type of physical exertion we perform in an effort to improve our health, shape our bodies and boost performance. Obviously that covers a broad range of activities and, luckily, there are plenty to go around whether you want to lose weight, get healthy or train for a sport.
How Much Fish Oil Should I Take: Tips To Help You Decide
By: V K Rajagopalan | 10/11/2009How much fish oil should I take? It depends really. Oil from fish has a number of health benefits and the doses you should take daily depend on your goal. There are recommended doses for fish based oil as an anti-inflammatory, lowering cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart attacks, strokes and cancer.
Synopsis on Facial Skin Care Products
By: Danny | 10/11/2009Many facial skin care products are available today and it is one of the more booming businesses of our time- as numerous people are beauty conscious and like to take good care of their skin.
Explaining Ephedra
By: Michael T. Stone | 10/11/2009Ephedra has been used for centuries, and is most commonly a remedy for asthma, allergies, arthritis, and breathing problems in general. It's actually a plant that is found in dry, rocky places across the globe. There are three different kinds of the plant, of which the stems are taken and...
Lose Weight At Home
By: Danny | 10/11/2009Are you fed up of trying different ways to lose weight? Have you wasted a lot of money on market products that claim to lose weight?
Earlier Study Lends Support
By: Robert Baird | 06/05/2008 | WellnessEarlier research supports this positive outlook. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that 40 percent of people studied (who had been taking drugs for years to keep their numbers down) were able to control their blood pressure with dietary changes and moderate exercise alone.
Cut Your Cholesterol a New and Simple Plan
By: Robert Baird | 06/05/2008 | HealthMirror, mirror on the wall, What risks heart disease most of all-high blood pressure or high cholesterol, lack of exercise or too much stress, Type A behavior or a fatty diet, family history or cigarettes? If scientists had the answer, heart disease might not still be our number one killer. In fact, heart disease comes at us from many directions
Countdown to Lower Blood Pressure
By: Robert Baird | 06/05/2008 | HealthIf you thought that drugs with their unwanted side effects were the only way to control high blood pressure, think again. Studies show that a sizable number of people with mild hypertension can get their pressure dropped with out drugs.
Margarine Takes the Lead
By: Robert Baird | 02/05/2008 | Diseases & ConditionsNow that's been reversed. U. S. Department of Agriculture statistics cited by Ehrhart show that in 1987, Americans averaged 10.5 pounds of margarine and 4.6 pounds of butter.
Halibut With Roasted Garlic and Wild Mushrooms
By: Robert Baird | 02/05/2008 | MedicineRoast the garlic bulb at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes. Break the bulb into cloves. Peel three of the cloves, chop, and place in a medium bowl. (Reserve the remainder for another use.) Add the vinegar, water, and shallots.
Asthma - Diseases
By: Robert Baird | 02/05/2008 | Diseases & ConditionsAsthma is a chronic condition marked by periodic attacks of wheezing and difficulty in breathing.
Marinated Cheese Buttons
By: Robert Baird | 10/04/2008 | Diseases & ConditionsIn a 9 inch glass pie plate, whisk together the vinegar, stock, oil, oregano, basil or thyme, mustard, and pepper.
Amazing Yogurt Cheese
By: Robert Baird | 09/04/2008 | Diseases & ConditionsWhat's lusciously smooth and creamy, with only a fraction of cream cheese's calories and none of its fat? Yogurt cheese.