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" Parties, presents, pies -- you just gotta love the holidays. But all that hoopla ranks superhigh on your stress-o-meter. You&amp;#039;re rushing to get everything done, eating and drinking more, and sleeping and exercising less. &amp;quot;All these factors can cause your blood pressure to rise -- even if you&amp;#039;ve always had a healthy reading,&amp;quot; says Alice D. Domar, Ph.D., director of the Mind/Body Center for Women&amp;#039;s Health at Boston IVF. While there&amp;#039;s no direct link between these temporary spikes and an increased risk of heart attack, experts say fending off hypertension now -- and year-round -- is crucial. Here&amp;#039;s how.  1. Reach for some dark chocolate. Cocoa is loaded with flavonols -- antioxidants that help ease inflammation and improve blood flow. In fact, a recent study found that those with hypertension who ate 3 1/2 ounces of dark chocolate a day showed an average 12-point decline in the systolic reading (the top number -- which shows the maximum pressure exerted when your heart contracts) and a 9-point drop in the diastolic reading (the bottom number -- the pressure in your arteries when your heart is at rest). Try strawberries dipped in dark chocolate or the flavonol-rich, 100-calorie CocoaVia candy bar.  2. Knit this year&amp;#039;s gifts. Repetitive tasks, such as knitting, require concentration, which means your thoughts are focused on the task and not on your worries. &amp;quot;These activities have an almost hypnotic effect, which can be very soothing,&amp;quot; says Domar.  3. Warm up with a latte -- made with soy. Hypertensives who consumed soy protein had lower blood pressure, preliminary research shows; experts theorize that soy proteins widen blood vessels, improving blood flow. One 12-ounce soy latte contains eight grams of soy protein. &amp;quot;But have your latte sans flavored syrup -- it&amp;#039;ll add calories,&amp;quot; says cardiologist Nieca Goldberg, M.D., author of Women Are Not Small Men. Other soy-rich options: tofu and edamame.  4. Try a minimeditation. Meditating decreases your response to adrenaline for a few hours, which keeps you calmer and your blood pressure down. Domar suggests this soothing exercise: Tune everything out, slowly inhale to the count of four, then exhale counting backwards from four to one. Repeat for one to two minutes. 5. Give your sweetie (or kids) a squeeze. Hugging can release oxytocin, a hormone that relaxes blood vessels and reduces levels of stress hormones, thus lowering blood pressure, a recent study found. Domar says you can also get the same calming effect by petting your dog or cat.  6. Eat when you drink. Imbibing on an empty stomach can increase your risk of hypertension by 64 percent. The reason: The alcohol quickly enters your bloodstream, which can spike blood pressure. Domar suggests you drink water with your first nibble, then enjoy that glass of wine.  7. Spike your cookies with ground flaxseed. Eating a fiber-rich diet can improve blood pressure levels by helping with weight loss and reducing insulin resistance, a hypertension risk factor. Flaxseed is high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower cholesterol and blood pressure slightly.  8. Get moving. Exercise helps fend off seasonal weight gain and keeps stress levels in check, both of which lower your blood pressure.   9. Watch a funny flick. Laughing helps your blood vessels expand and increases blood flow, which helps lower blood pressure, say experts. Rent Elf with the always hilarious Will Ferrell, or head to a movie theater.   10. Go green and red for lunch. As in spinach, rich in folic acid, and tomatoes, full of lycopene. Those who consume folic acid may be less likely to develop hypertension, according to one study. Folic acid helps your body maintain normal levels of homocysteine -- an amino acid, which in excess can damage blood vessels and increase pressure. And lycopene, an antioxidant, helps improve blood flow. Not a salad fan? Try orange juice and fortified cereals for folic acid, and pink grapefruit for lycopene. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.redbookmag.com/body/health-fitness/advice/a216/reduce-bp-yl/>