For many people living with high blood pressure, the notion of
having to take blood pressure lowering drugs everyday is not
encouraging. That is why, so many people skip their medication,
which is an extremely dangerous thing to do.
A recurrent question I see posted in forums, and on blogs is how
can I lower my blood pressure naturally? Here are 5 ways by which
you can lower your blood pressure naturally. Research has shown
over, and over that implementing these strategies as part as your
blood pressure lowering regimen will not only lower it, but your
overall health will also improve.
1. Switch To The DASH Diet Eating Plan.
but these things only mask the problem, and precipitate lots of
health problems, including high blood pressure.
There are lots of natural, healthy things you can do to reduce
stress, and they don't take a lot of time. Here a just a few:
1. Spend some quiet, undisturbed time every day to de-stress.
Turn off the lights, light some candles, burn some calming
essential oil such as lavender while listing to your favorite
music.
2. Get a pet. There's nothing like spending a few minutes with a
purring cat in your lap, or petting your dog. Even people who are
allergic to furry pets can get great stress relief from watching
colorful fish swimming in an aquarium.
3. Laughter is a great stress buster. Laughing lowers blood
pressure, reduces stress hormones, and boosts immune function by
raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells. Laughter also
triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural pain
killers, and produces a general sense of well-being.
I spend at least 30 minutes every day before going to bed
watching re-runs of the Fresh Prince Of Bel Air. I don't know
what it is, but it doesn't matter how many times I watch it, that
silly show still makes me laugh like crazy.
5. Control Your Drinking.
Weight. The greater your body mass, the more pressure there is on
your artery walls. That's because more blood is produced to supply oxygen
and nutrients to tissues in your body.
Activity level. Lack of physical activity tends to increase heart rate,
which forces your heart to work harder with each contraction.
Tobacco use. Chemicals in cigarettes and tobacco can damage artery
walls.
Sodium intake. Excessive sodium in the diet can result in fluid retention
and high blood pressure, especially in people sensitive to sodium.
Age. The risk of high blood pressure increases as you get older.
evidence that DHA is the ingredient that lowers high blood pressure. Learn
more about fish oil.
Folic acid
Folate is a B vitamin necessary for formation of red blood cells. It may help to
lower high blood pressure in some people, possibly by reducing elevated
homocysteine levels.
One small study of 24 cigarette smokers found that four weeks of folic acid
supplementation significantly lowered blood pressure. Learn more about folic
acid.
2. Breathe deeply
Slow breathing and meditative practices such as qigong, yoga, andtai chi decrease stress hormones,
which elevate renin, a kidney enzyme that raises blood pressure. Try 5 minutes in the morning and at
night. Inhale deeply and expand your belly. Exhale and release all of your tension.
Here are 12 things you can do to lower your blood pressure naturally:
1. Follow the DASH diet. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is
high in fruit, veggies and low-fat dairy, and low in fat, red meat, sweets and sugary
beverages. Following this plan can drop your systolic blood pressure reading by 8-14
points. In fact, some research has shown that this approach may be as, or more,
effective than drugs at combating hypertension.
2. Lose weight. Okay, we know this can be hard. But it packs the biggest punch. Its
estimated that you could drop 5-20 points for every 22 pounds you lose. Even a 5
pound loss can help, though.
3. Limit your sodium to 2,400 mg day and you could drop 2-8 points.
4. Exercise 5-7 days a week for 30 minutes and you could drop 4-9 points.
5. Limit alcohol to 2 drinks a day for men, 1 for women and you could drop 2-4 points.
6. Get a good nights sleep. Not getting enough sleep may contribute to hypertension.
7. Reduce your stress. It can raise your blood pressure and over time, may contribute
to the permanent condition of hypertension. Find ways to relax.
8. Get enough potassium by eating a varied diet containing plenty of fruit, veggies,
dairy and fish.
9. Get enough calcium. Take a calcium supplement to make sure you are getting
1,000 mg a day if youre under 50 and 1,200 mg if youre over 50.
10. Get at least 500 mg of vitamin C a day. Vitamin C may work as well as some
prescription medications to lower blood pressure with long term use. In one study
average blood pressure dropped 9% after one month. (If your blood pressure is normal,
vitamin C will not affect it.)
11. Get enough omega-3 fatty acids by eating fatty fish and by taking a high quality
fish oil supplement (not contaminated with mercury.) In Japan, a study showed that men
with the highest intakes of omega-3s had the lowest blood pressure.
12. Try alpha lipoic acid and acetyl-L-carnitine. Some people have high blood pressure
because their blood vessels cant relax. They dont dilate when they should, which can
lead to high blood pressure. A study found that people who took 200 mg of alpha lipoic
acid and 500 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine for eight weeks increased the diameter of their
arteries and lowered their blood pressure. Ask your doctor if this combo might be right
for you.