Every day, most of us deal with stressful situation after stressful situation. A recent poll from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Harvard School of Public Health found that 1 out of 4 Americans have experienced a great deal of stress in the last month, and this is only the stress we are conscious of. Many other things cause “hidden” stress that make it nearly impossible for us to juggle our day to day lives. (source)
Stress can cause many health problems including high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, headaches and even Alzheimer’s disease. High blood pressure, or hypertension, can lead to kidney failure or heart disease.
Reducing stress and blood pressure are key to living a long, healthy life and it is important to try to reduce as much stress in your life as possible.
Some ways to reduce stress include:
- Eating a healthy diet of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Reducing caffeine and sugar intake.
- Avoiding alcohol and cigarettes.
- Getting plenty of sleep.