High Blood Pressure: Six Ways You Can Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally
I used to work for a local hospital. I worked in Research/Family Medicine. Our team conducted health fairs a few times yearly.
We gave free blood pressure checks at local events, and we also offered free classes to those who were interested in lowering their blood pressure.
I’ve included a question I received yesterday in my email. It’s a question I’ve been asked several times throughout the years.
Question: I have a friend that needs to lower his blood pressure how can he do this naturally?
I Just Didn’t Know
According to recent statistics, one in three adults has high blood pressure but doesn’t even know it. This is why high blood pressure has often been called the silent killer.
It’s important to get your blood pressure checked to make sure it falls within the normal range. If it goes left unchecked high blood pressure can lead to stroke, kidney failure, heart attack, or kidney failure.
How Do You Know If You Have High Blood Pressure?
The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get it checked.
Six Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally
1. Lose the Weight
Almost everyone will see a reduction in their blood pressure if they shed a few pounds. A complete change doesn’t work for everyone start slowly by gradually eliminating the wrong foods from your diet, gradually add exercise into your routine. Be consistent you want eating and exercise to become a habit.
   2. Add Dash to your daily eating habits
Dash represents Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. How are you going to do this? Increase the fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low fat or fat free dairy products in your eating lifestyle. You want to reduce the cholesterol causing foods, fat, red meat, and sodium. Start reading labels.
Why does this “diet work”? This diet is packed with vitamins and minerals that are naturally good for your body and effective for preventing blood pressure combining them together gives your body the much needed nutrients it needs, and it helps lower your blood pressure.
3. Reduce the sodium/salt
In 1997 the Trials of Hypertension Prevention, Phase II (TOHP II) it was found that blood pressure was lowered by reducing the amount of sodium in the diet and losing weight.
4. Exercise
You don’t have to go to the gym to have a good workout there are simple things that you can do effectively at home. I’ll write more on simple exercises that can be done at home later in this series.
5. Take it Easy
Studies show that high stress may affect your blood pressure. Think of ways that you can eliminate the stressors in your life. I meditate, play with my daughter, read, listen to music, etc.,
6. Ease up on drinking
Drinking excessively or binge drinking can lead to a stroke. Studies say that people who drink an excessive amount of alcohol (over two cups per day) increase their risk of high blood pressure. If you’re going to drink do so in moderation limit your intake to two glasses per day.
Moving Forward
Check out support groups so either locally or online some people find these extremely helpful since they are around people that are experiencing the same challenges. Change can be hard so don’t beat yourself up if you make slipups think about the reasons why you went back into old habits and try to come up with ways to avoid them happening again.
Question: What improvements do you want to make in your lifestyle?
Next in the Series: What foods should I eat?
[tag]Six Ways You Can Lower Your Blood Pressure, high blood pressure, stress, smoking, alcohol, healing, nutrition, diet, exercise[/tag]
on July 18th, 2007 at 8:05 am
I also have high blood pressure due to polycystic ovary syndrome. I had to become a vegetarian to lower my risk and feel better. My blood pressure is being managed with exercise at Curves gym, eating fruits and vegetables, and medication. I am having a difficult time losing weight even though I don’t eat anything but fruits and veggies because this is a symptom of PCOS, an endocrine disorder. What you have provided is valuable information that can save lives. It is the silent killer. Thanks for caring and sharing Opal.
on July 18th, 2007 at 8:16 am
Shelia,
You raised a good point (losing weight) and it’s something I will talk about in detail later in the series. It can be extremely difficult, for some, to lose weigh for numerous reasons and you just mentioned.
I think this will last for a few weeks because there is so much information that should be addressed. This is a question I’m asked a lot.
on July 18th, 2007 at 9:29 am
I have never had a problem with my blood pressure, however my doctor did tell me that my cholorestrol was a tad bid high. Over the summer I have gained a few pounds, but that’s due to my RLS medicine I take. I’m in good shape, but when ever I exercise every muscle in my body hurts. I wished I could exercise without the pain.
on July 18th, 2007 at 11:04 am
Petting an animal is also great for lowering blood pressure.
on July 18th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
Sassy,
There are various ways you can help lower your cholesterol I’ll be writing about that later on.
April,
You’re correct! What happens when you come home and your place is trashed by our pet? LOL ;-)
on July 19th, 2007 at 1:09 am
Because of my allergies, I was taking a lot of Benadryl. I finally went to the Dr and found out my blood pressure was pretty high.
Changing my diet, periodically drinking a glass of wine with dinner and taking allergy shots has brought my blood pressure down to normal. It took a few months but I was able to do it with lifestyle changes.
Nicole is 13, and I am hoping that I can continue to keep my blood pressure down as she is in her teenage years, although overall she is a good kid.
on July 19th, 2007 at 7:17 am
Hey Thomas,
That’s great that your blood pressure is back to normal.
My blood pressure occasionally soots up with my daughter, lol. She’s at the stage where she always has to get into something. She’s very curious and likes to take things apart. She likes to see how things work. It will be interesting to see what she wants to do when she becomes older.
on July 19th, 2007 at 9:43 am
The 4th of July Nicole got her hair cut. She is at the barn 5 days a week, and her long hair was making her hot, so she decided to cut it to about shoulder length.
With shorter hair, and wearing her new glasses, she looks older than 13. Not just talking as a parent, she is very sweet and pretty. I am not sure my blood pressure can take her looking older.
on July 21st, 2007 at 4:25 am
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on August 6th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
God, this is so very informative…I’m gonna print it out and show it to my mom!! I know some fruits like bananas and Acai berries can help lower High BP too…check it in my food facts section at http://funnfud.blogspot.com
Thanks,
-Mansi
on November 7th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
hey, definetely, im going to put on practice some of those tips, specialy the weight ones, cause everyone needs a diet…
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on February 10th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
I agree with Mansi. You should check out acai, it can help lower BP as well as having some other great benefits. :mrgreen:
Benefits of Acai’s last blog post..By: Acai Juice Boxes for Grownups from O.N.E. | Acai Berry News
on February 12th, 2008 at 7:26 am
great blog
parenting’s last blog post..Printable Masks For Children
on February 15th, 2008 at 7:12 am
The statistics on the silent killer is threatening.
Cutting down salty and trans,saturated fat foods in our diet does wonders. These six ways to lower blood pressure also helps to loose weight and lower bad cholestrol levels. very good and useful tips.
on April 25th, 2008 at 5:45 am
Very informative. People who would want to learn more about high blood pressure should read this.
on July 15th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
hi iam 23 years old and i over eat and i eat the wrond things all the time and i cant stop in the last month ive gained 20 poubnds and i just keep getting bigger….i really dont know what do do with my self..and iam haveing a hard time sleeping and walking now to because of it ..iam not depressed or anything iam just haveing a realy bad problem with food.
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on August 26th, 2008 at 4:57 am
All six ways are great. After reading your post, now i am able to give advice to friends and relatives who have high blood pressure. Thanks…