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If you think lowering your blood pressure isn’t something you should be concerned about, you may want to reconsider. Did you know that almost half of the adults in the United States have high blood pressure? (1)
Most people with hypertension are given prescription drugs to help lower their numbers. A somewhat worrisome thought is that many people have high blood pressure and don’t know it. You may not recognize the signs of high blood pressure and therefore don’t know you can treat it often with natural methods.
Fortunately, there are some things you can do to manage your blood pressure without a prescription. Keep reading for five natural strategies for lowering your blood pressure.
To get your blood pressure to safe numbers, you first need to know what is considered “normal” blood pressure. According to most reports, normal blood pressure for adults is a systolic pressure of less than 120 and a diastolic pressure of less than 80. (2)
If your systolic blood pressure is between 120 and 129, but your diastolic pressure is still less than 80, you are considered to have elevated blood pressure. If your systolic pressure is 130 or higher and your diastolic number is 80 or above, you have high blood pressure.
Most of us, at some time, may have increased numbers when our blood pressure gets taken. You may go to the doctor and be a little nervous, which will cause your blood pressure to be higher. Things like headaches and general illness can sometimes raise your blood pressure. That is not usually a cause for concern. Those numbers will go back down to normal when you feel better.
High blood pressure is a severe health problem because it can cause cardiovascular diseases like stroke, vascular dementia, and heart disease, to name a few. It is also called “the silent killer,” as sometimes you don’t see the signs of a problem.
When you don’t recognize signs of illness or feel sick, you may not know anything is wrong. That’s why many people have high blood pressure and don’t realize it.
High blood pressure can damage your arteries and make them less elastic. When your arteries are stiff, blood flow and oxygen to your heart are decreased. That can cause heart attack and even heart failure. (3)
There are numerous things you can do to lower your blood pressure and keep it managed. You don’t always have to turn to prescription medications. Often, lifestyle choices make a bigger impact on your health than any medicine will. Here are some of the ways you can lower your blood pressure naturally:
You have probably heard that you are what you eat. When you think about what you eat, does the list include plenty of nutrient-dense foods? Many of us are guilty of getting something fast and carrying on with our day. The problem is that when we get meals on the go, these are often loaded with all sorts of dangerous chemicals and unhealthy oils.
Try to get in healthy foods, like fresh produce, and heart-healthy fats, like fish and avocados. If you think eating healthy has to be expensive, there are tons of foods you can eat that are budget-friendly. Tuna is full of omega-3 fatty acids. You can also throw in some walnuts and herbs to lower inflammation. (4)
Part of nutrition is incorporating the right supplements that will help support your health. If you’ve struggled with hypertension, it’s a good idea to take a supplement for blood pressure maintenance. The proper supplements will support antioxidant activity in your body and contribute to healthy arteries.
You’re probably reading this and thinking that there’s nothing you can do about your stress level. In today’s fast-paced world, we are loaded with tons of stress every day. There may be no way around the amount of stress you have in your life at the moment, but there are things you can do to reduce how it affects you. Prolonged stress can raise your blood pressure and lead to severe health issues. (5)
Find some ways to reduce your stress. You may practice some gentle yoga exercises or meditate. That doesn’t mean you have to join an expensive group or studio. You can always use an app or even follow along with a free YouTube video. Listen to some relaxing music or take a short walk in nature. Whatever you can do to relax and unwind, try to do it more often.
Many people get turned off by the idea of exercise. If you feel that exercise is something you don’t have the money or time for, consider making it cost-effective and simple.
You don’t have to join a gym and exercise for hours on-end. A thirty-minute walk can have incredible health benefits. One of the ways movement helps lower your blood pressure is by acting as a beta blocker. Prescription beta blockers often get used to lower blood pressure. (6)
Human beings were designed to move. Over the years, many of us have become less active due to busy lives and different priorities. Thanks to this we have become a nation of sick people, who have all kinds of health issues. All you have to do is find an exercise you enjoy and stick with it. In time, you’ll likely see your blood pressure lower, and your overall health should improve.
Losing even a small amount of weight can benefit your health. Being overweight can contribute to hypertension issues. Studies have shown that as you lose weight, your blood pressure decreases. (7)
Many people struggle to lose weight because they don’t have the proper tools to help. There are tons of health gurus and infomercials out there trying to sell you a magic pill or potion to help you lose weight. Many of these people are out to make a fast buck and don’t care about your health. A huge part of losing weight is the food you eat. When you eat whole foods that don’t have tons of ingredients and processed carbs, you’ll likely lose weight. If you don’t have a lot of time to prepare lunches for work, consider a healthy shake that also has potassium, which reduces the risk of high blood pressure.
You may be surprised to find sleep as a strategy to lower your blood pressure. For some reason, many of us have put getting sleep on the back burner as something we don’t need. The truth is, that poor sleep can contribute to issues with hypertension. That means if you get less than six hours of sleep per night for several weeks, you could be in store for serious health problems.
Getting better sleep doesn’t mean you should take a sleeping pill every night. Try to make a nightly routine that helps you wind down and prepare for eight to nine hours of peaceful slumber.
Set a bedtime and stick to it. Try to get up at the same time each day and put your cell phone far enough away that you’ll have to get out of bed to check it. The blue light from your cell phone and TV can lower melatonin levels, which disrupts your sleep. Do some reading to relax or take a warm bath before bed. You’ll be amazed at how much healthier you feel with adequate rest. (8)
Sometimes getting healthy is all about your mindset. When you can reframe how you think, you can often change how you feel. Many people feel doomed to a life of health issues because their parents were sick. We now know you don’t have to suffer from the same illnesses your family has had.
We often carry around the anxieties of the world because social media and our news feeds tell us there's nothing we can do to help ourselves. That’s simply not the case. Much of your health is in your control. All you have to do is be open to making a few tweaks and implementing some lifestyle choices that promote wellness.
You can use some or all of these strategies to lower your blood pressure. Give yourself some time to restore your health and feel better. With so many people living with undiagnosed hypertension, you owe it to yourself to use these methods to maintain healthy blood pressure. It’s our pleasure to help you on your health journey. If we can answer any questions, please contact us today!
References :
https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/ss/slideshow-foods-to-save-your-heart
https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/stress-and-heart-health
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/hypertensionaha.107.094011
