One of the biggest threats to health heart is high blood pressure. In fact, there are 63 million Americans that are afflicted with this disease. To make things worse, many of these people are unaware that they have high blood pressure and it's often when they go for a routine checkup that they find out. Fortunately there are many medications, which will keep it under control but many of these drugs come with unpleasant side effects. As a result many people taking these medications are searching for something that will lower blood pressure naturally without side effects.

Recently the discovery of how the amazing molecule nitric oxide (NO) works to lower blood pressure naturally has gone a long way in providing this type of protection.

Having sufficient levels of NO in your cardiovascular system is like spending 2 hours on the treadmill. NO helps blood vessels signal the surrounding smooth muscle tissue to relax which widens the arteries, increases blood flow and helps maintain normal blood pressure. NO keeps your cardiovascular system honed like an athlete. In fact, optimizing NO production is like giving your cardiovascular system a workout every day. In addition to the benefit of lowering blood pressure naturally, NO also promotes immune-system health and acts as a neurotransmitter.

Say Yes to NO

Unfortunately many people don't produce sufficient NO and that puts them at increased risk of CVD (Cardiovascular disease). However, by consuming amino acids like L-arginine and L-citrulline, as well as antioxidants, you can actually increase your body's own production of NO and lower your blood pressure naturally.

How Do We Create NO

NO is most commonly created in the body by consuming the amino acids L-Arginine and L-Citrulline and by exercise. Our bodies do make some of this on their own but for optimal health you need more. For that reason L-Arginine and L-Citrulline are considered semi-essential amino acids.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and the best sources are red meat, chicken, fish, and nuts. Because some of these foods can be high in saturated fat it may be better to use supplements instead.

Here's some quick tips to help keep your blood pressure within normal range:

1) Reduce the build-up of plaque in your arteries by eating a healthy diet low in saturated fat.

2) Exercising daily will produce NO and improve circulation which helps to lower your blood pressure naturally.

3) Get a full 8 hours of restful sleep at night to reenergize your system.

Following these recommendations will put you on the right track of lowering your blood pressure naturally.