Lifesaving Gifts for People with High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a condition affecting about 1 in every 3 Americans. Unfortunately, only about half of the people affected by high blood pressure have their condition under control.  You can help someone with hypertension by giving them something from our list of gifts for people with high blood pressure.

Lifesaving Gifts for People with High Blood Pressure

1. DASH Done Slow: The DASH Diet Slow Cooker Cookbook

DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a balanced approach to healthy eating that’s designed to treat high blood pressure. The DASH diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as meat, poultry, and fish.  Eating the DASH diet can reduce blood pressure by 8 to 14 points over time, even without medication.

DASH was ranked number 1 in the “Best Diets Overall” category of US News & World Report’s annual “Best Diets.”

2. Blood Pressure Monitor

A blood pressure monitor is essential for patients with hypertension. The Omron HEM-780 home blood pressure monitor is simple, accurate, and gets great reviews. Press a single button to see your blood pressure displayed in extra large, easy-to-read digits.  The multicolor indicator lights tell you if your blood pressure is normal (green) or too high (orange).

3. Fitness Monitor

Cardiovascular exercise lowers blood pressure, and fitness monitors encourage wearers to exercise. Fitness monitors automatically track daily activities like steps climbed, distance walked, and calories burned. As a result, wearers get a better understanding of their fitness level and get motivation to improve over time.

The Fitbit Charge 2 Heart Rate + Fitness Wristband is also one of the most fashionable gifts for people with high blood pressure.

4. Keurig & Decaf Coffee & Tea

Help a friend with high blood pressure to slow down and relax. Give them some decaffeinated coffee, or tea if that’s their thing. Studies have shown that 3 cups a day of hibiscus-rich tea can reduce blood pressure by up to 7 points. Make the change from caf to decaf easy with a Keurig.

5. Salt Substitute

Patients with high blood pressure are often advised to follow a low salt (sodium) diet. Most of the time, a simple salt substitute helps replace salt in a typical diet. However, some salt substitutes contain potassium chloride which can be potentially harmful to patients with heart disease or kidney problems. If you know for sure that a patients’s doctor has approved potassium chloride in their diet, consider giving them Morton Salt Substitute. It tastes similar to salt, and will make the transition to a sodium-free diet much easier.

It’s hard to know if someone’s doctor has instructed them to limit their potassium intake. If you’re not sure, other good salt substitutes – free of potassium chloride – are available, like: Table Tasty No Potassium Chloride Salt Substitute 2 oz Bottle.

6. Tai Chi Workout

Tai chi can be as effective as aerobic exercise or drugs at lowering blood pressure in older adults. That’s the conclusion of a 2016 study conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine. Researchers found that patients who practiced tai chi for 61 minutes 2 times a week were able to lower their systolic pressure by 6 points and their diastolic pressure by 3 points. The effect was even greater for patients who practiced tai chi more frequently.

If you you know someone who is open to adding low-intensity exercise to their daily routine, a tai chi DVD may be the perfect gift. BodyWisdom Media: Tai Chi for Beginners

More Gifts for People with High Blood Pressure

MagicMaker Neck Massager

The MagicMaker neck massager soothes aching muscles and helps reduce tension by providing a heated, therapeutic neck massage at the touch of a button.