High blood pressure may affect your life if you’re not eating well and monitoring your health. Here are some practical ways to lower your blood pressure.
Quick Summary
- The higher your blood pressure, the more damage you’re doing to your arteries and other organs. Over time, this damage can lead to heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, and other serious health problems.
- High blood pressure is often called the “silent killer” because it often doesn’t cause any symptoms until it’s too late. So it’s important to get your blood pressure checked regularly and take steps to lower it if it’s high.
- Some of the most important things you may do to lower your blood pressure include eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding tobacco/alcoholic products.
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a severe condition that can lead to heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. If you have high blood pressure, don’t worry—you can do plenty of things to bring those numbers down.
There’s no need to panic–with a few lifestyle changes and some medication, you may get your blood pressure under control. Healthy lifestyle changes include eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and reducing stress levels.
All of these things can help improve your blood pressure and overall health. If you’re taking medication to treat high blood pressure, be sure to take it as prescribed and follow your doctor’s instructions closely.
Also, make sure you schedule regular checkups with your doctor so that they can monitor your progress and adjust your treatment as needed. We’ll cover a few practical remedies to lower your blood pressure.
Importance Of Lowering Blood Pressure
It’s essential to reduce blood pressure because high blood pressure is a significant risk factor for heart disease and stroke. High blood pressure may damage the heart, arteries, kidneys, and other organs when left untreated.
It may also lead to blindness, heart failure, and even death. In addition, controlling blood pressure can help preserve cognitive function as you age and may even help reduce your chances of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
Since anyone can develop high blood pressure, monitoring health is vital. However, some groups of people are at exceptionally high risk for developing hypertension.
These include African Americans, older adults, people with a family history of high blood pressure, and people with diabetes or kidney disease. If you fall into one of these high-risk categories, making healthy lifestyle changes is especially important to help lower your blood pressure.
Effective Ways To Reduce Your Blood Pressure
There are several things you may do to lower your blood pressure – besides trying most recommended bp lowering supplements – and keep it under control. Here’s a compilation of the most effective methods.
Exercise regularly
Regular exercise can indeed help reduce your blood pressure, but it’s important to note that the benefits of exercise are dose-dependent. In other words, the more you exercise, the greater the reduction in blood pressure will be.
But even a small amount of exercise is better than no, so if you’re not currently active, start small and gradually work your way up to the more strenuous activity.
Consider your age and fitness level before indulging in exercise. And always consult with your doctor before starting a new fitness routine. Try to get at least 30-40 minutes of exercise every day.
Exercise may help you lose weight. Even a modest weight loss can result in a significant drop in blood pressure. Losing weight is one of the most effective ways to reduce blood pressure and improve health. Besides, you don’t have to lose a lot of weight to see dramatic improvements in your health.
Limit alcohol intake
Reducing your alcohol consumption is a great way to reduce your blood pressure. Too much alcohol can damage the lining of your blood vessels and make it harder for your heart to pump blood through your body. This can lead to high blood pressure.
If you’re trying to reduce your blood pressure, tracking how much alcohol you drink is a good idea. The American Heart Association recommends that men limit their intake to no more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day and women to one drink per day.
Get good sleep
Did you know that getting good sleep is one of the most effective ways to reduce your blood pressure? It’s true! When you don’t get plenty of sleep, your body produces more stress hormones like cortisol.
These hormones can cause your blood pressure to rise and increase your risk of heart disease. So make sure you’re getting at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night.
To have a good night’s sleep, try winding down for 30 minutes before bedtime by reading or taking a hot bath. And avoid caffeine and alcohol in the evening, as they can interfere with the quality of your sleep.
Quit smoking
Smoking increases your risk for hypertension and other health problems. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, which tightens blood vessels and makes it harder for the heart to pump blood.
When you quit smoking, your body no longer has to work hard to pump blood, and your blood pressure drops. Stopping smoking is just one step you can take to lower your blood pressure.
Reduce your salt intake
It’s not salt that increases blood pressure, but the sodium in salt. When you eat salty foods, your body retains more water to dilute the sodium. This extra water raises your blood pressure by increasing the amount of fluid in your blood vessels.
For people with high blood pressure, reducing their sodium intake is essential to help lower their blood pressure. Try to eat less than 5 grams of salt per day.
Eat healthy foods
Another way to effectively lower your blood pressure is by eating healthy foods. Foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are rich in fibre and antioxidants, which help promote cardiovascular health.
Some of the best foods to eat for reducing blood pressure include nuts, berries, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean protein sources, and healthy fats. These foods contain nutrients and antioxidants that protect your heart and arteries and lower your blood pressure.
Avoid refined carbs and sugar
Reducing your refined carbs and sugar intake can help reduce your blood pressure. Consuming too many refined carbs and sugars can result in weight gain, increasing your blood pressure.
Processed foods are high in sodium, which can cause blood pressure to spike. Additionally, consuming too much sugar can negatively affect your cholesterol levels and contribute to type 2 diabetes.
Try the keto diet
From the above point of avoiding refined carbohydrates, a keto diet along with keto supplements may support your health goals. Reducing carbohydrate intake reduces the production of insulin, which has been linked with high blood pressure.
Other potential benefits of a ketogenic diet include weight loss, reduced inflammation, and increased mental clarity. A ketogenic diet is designed to get the body into a state of ketosis, which burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates.
When the body is in this state, it releases less insulin, which may help lower blood pressure. In addition, some people find that they don’t need to take as many medications when they are on a keto diet.
Reducing stress
Stress can affect our bodies in many ways, including increasing blood pressure. If you’re stressed, try relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or yoga.
You can also talk to someone about what’s causing you stress—sometimes, just talking through your problems can help reduce your anxiety levels. While it’s not always possible to eliminate stress from your life, being mindful may help.
Some people find relief from stress through meditation. Others find solace in their hobbies or in spending time with loved ones. The key is to identify what helps you relax and do more of those things.
Cut back on caffeinated drinks
Caffeine is a stimulant that can cause your blood pressure to spike. High blood pressure is a significant factor in heart disease and stroke, so it’s essential to do whatever you can to keep your blood pressure in check.
One easy way to cut back on caffeine is to switch from coffee to tea. Tea has less caffeine than coffee, and it also contains antioxidants that can help protect your heart. Another great option is water. Water is calorie-free and hydrating, and it can help reduce blood pressure if you drink enough of it.
Medicinal herbs
There are several medicinal herbs that have been shown to help reduce blood pressure. Some most commonly used herbs include hawthorn, ginger root, garlic, and ginkgo Biloba.
Hawthorn is a shrub that has been used for centuries to treat heart and blood pressure problems. Garlic is another popular herb that has been shown to help lower blood pressure. It’s potent enough to reduce systolic blood pressure by up to 9 points and diastolic blood pressure by up to 6 points.
Ginkgo Biloba is a herb that may improve blood circulation. If you wish to lower your blood pressure, adding ginger root to your diet may be an excellent option. You can eat the fresh root or drink ginger tea. Ginger is also available in capsule form if you don’t enjoy the taste of the root itself.
In Conclusion
What can you do to lower your blood pressure? Plenty! The key is to make simple lifestyle changes and stick with them. Start by adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet, regular exercise, and reducing stress.
If you need help making these changes or want support in reaching your blood pressure goals, talk to your doctor or health care provider. They can give you tips and advice on how to best manage hypertension and keep your blood pressure under control.
At the end we want to recommend you an article that explains blood pressure chart.
References
- D. Fuchs, Flávio. “Why Do Black Americans Have Higher Prevalence of Hypertension?” Hypertension. 2011;57:379–380. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/hypertensionaha.110.163196#:~:text=Differences%20in%20exposure%20to%20the,%2C%20stress%2C%20and%20health%20behaviors.
- Cleveland Clinic medical professional. “Alcohol & Your Heart Health” Health library; April 16, 2019. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16728-alcohol–your-heart-health#:~:text=According%20to%20both%20the%20American,day%20for%20men%20or%20women.
- “Salt reduction” World Health Organisation. 29 April 2020. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/salt-reduction
- Hasani, Hossein and Arab, Arman. “ Does ginger supplementation lower blood pressure? A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials” Epub 2019 Apr 11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30972845/#:~:text=Pooled%20analysis%20suggested%20that%20ginger,002
Robin Backlund is a dedicated journalist and a medical student who has written several articles and essays exposing the falseness and hollowness of online resources in the medical science niche.