What causes hypertension?
The main common factors which lead to hypertension are: genes, poor lifestyle, lack of sufficient amount of sleep, wrong food habits, eating junk food, erratic meal times, sedentary habits with no proper exercise.
There are two more major causes that makes people vulnerable to hypertension:
– People who are always seeking perfection, agitated and on the move always, who can never be still, racing ahead to do things.
– People who are always anxious and worried, stressed for small things, mind always anxious and stressed, emotionally sensitive.
Blood Pressure is a psychosomatic condition. Patanjali who wrote the yoga sutras said that all diseases are caused by the activities of the mind. One needs to keep the mind stable and calm to be disease free. Avoid anger, getting disturbed or agitated if things don’t go according to the plan, lead a disciplined life, cultivate the habit of exercise, eat mindfully with balanced nutrition, have an attitude of positivity and happiness whatever happens, all these habits will help to maintain normal blood pressure and to lead a healthy happy life
Prevention and regulation:
There are 4 main areas one can work on to prevent or control hyper tension:
1. Disciplined lifestyle with a daily proper exercise regime. Daily walking briskly for 45 mts to 1 is one of the best remedies to control BP.
2. Cultivate healthy eating habits – avoid foods which are high on sodium like chips, salty foods, sweets, and bakery items, oily and spicy food. Include lots of vegetables, fruits, moderate amount of carbohydrates, add berries, nuts and seeds in the diet. Reducing salt in day to day life as a lifestyle will go a long way in keeping blood pressure in check.
3. Include meditation in daily life. A small practice of sitting quietly with the back straight and just focusing and becoming aware of one’s breath for a few minutes will bring tranquility and calmness to the mind and body.
4. Cultivate a healthy positive attitude – become aware of one’s emotions, replace negative emotions to positive ones at all times. Let faith, gratitude and surrender become a part of everyday life which will bring in stability and calmness and a sense of well-being in life.
Yoga postures that can help regulate high blood preasure
Asanas:
1. Kati cakrana – B
2. Sashankhasana
3. Janu sirsasana
4. Vakrasana
5. Savasana
Pranayama: Candra Bhedana, Bhramari
Special thanks to Usha Lakshmi, the main faculty of HSTY and yoga therapeutic teacher, who created the original text and supervised this modified version.