What Lowers Your Blood Pressure

Potassium And Your Diet

The recommended potassium intake for an average adult is 4,700 milligrams per day.

Many of the elements of the DASH diet fruits, vegetables, fat-free or low-fat dairy foods and fish are good natural sources of potassium. For example, a medium banana has about 420 mg of potassium and half a cup of plain mashed sweet potatoes has 475 mg.

Other potassium-rich foods include:

• Fat-free or low-fat milk
• Fat-free yogurt
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice
• Greens

How Long Will It Take To Lower Blood Pressure

With a strict diet and lifestyle changes, high BP can be lowered in 2-3 weeks.

However, there are categories in high blood pressure. So, first watch out for these categories:

Elevated Blood Pressure

The reading shows around 120-129/80. It is called pre-hypertension.

Stage I Hypertension

The reading varies from 130-139/90.

Stage II Hypertension

The readings vary from 140/90 or higher.

Hypertensive Crisis

What Is The Pritikin Program For Lowering Blood Pressure

The Pritikin Program, taught by the dietitians, exercise physiologists, physicians, and psychologists at the Pritikin Longevity Center, addresses all the adverse effects associated with hypertension by:

• Providing at least 5 servings of vegetables and 4 servings of fruits daily, which help ensure that you eat plenty of foods that are full of stomach-filling volume yet are low in calories, enhancing weight-loss efforts. Losing excess weight is one of the most effective ways to lower blood pressure in the short term. Eating plenty of nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables also means youll be eating excellent sources of potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Many studies have found that foods rich in these minerals help blunt some of the toxic effects of sodium.
• Cutting back on calorie-dense foods loaded with fat, sugar, and/or refined grains to promote weight-loss efforts.
• Limiting the consumption of sodium to a healthy level less than 1,500 mg daily for people under 50 years, less than 1,300 mg daily for those 50 to 69 years, and no more than 1,200 mg daily for people 70 years and older.
• Discouraging excess alcohol drinking .
• Adding a daily exercise regime that aids in weight loss and stimulates nitric oxide production, a beneficial chemical that relaxes muscles in the artery walls and lowers blood pressure.
• Getting an adequate intake of calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D by consuming moderate amounts of nonfat dairy foods or soymilk, seafood, and a little sunshine.

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Essential Oils For Blood Pressure

Another of the many natural ways to lower blood pressure is to incorporate some key essential oils into your daily lifestyle. Essential oils can lower blood pressure by dilating arteries, acting as antioxidants to reduce oxidative stress and by decreasing emotional stress. The most effective essential oils for lowering blood pressure are lavender, ylang ylang, clary sage and frankincense.

Precautions

Talk with your natural doctor about how to lower blood pressure naturally and safely. Check with your doctor before making major diet and exercise changes. If youre taking any medications, youll also want to make sure there are no drug interactions with any natural supplements you plan to take.

Final Thoughts

• Blood pressure is a combination of systolic and diastolic pressure.
• High blood pressure happens when the pressure on the arteries and blood vessels becomes too high and the arterial wall becomes distorted causing extra stress on the heart.
• You can monitor your own blood pressure by measuring your pulse rate.
• Try natural ways to lower blood pressure like dietary changes, stress relievers and exercise.
• Check with your doctor before making any major diet or exercise changes or trying new supplements.

Keep Yourself At A Healthy Weight

Having overweight or obesity increases your risk for high blood pressure. To determine whether your weight is in a healthy range, doctors often calculate your body mass index . If you know your weight and height, you can calculate your BMI at CDCs Assessing Your Weight website. Doctors sometimes also use waist and hip measurements to assess body fat.

Talk with your health care team about ways to reach a healthy weight, including choosing healthy foods and getting regular physical activity.

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Eat More Potassium And Less Sodium

Increasing your potassium intake and cutting back on salt can also lower your blood pressure .

Potassium is a double winner: It lessens the effects of salt in your system and eases tension in your blood vessels. However, diets rich in potassium may be harmful to people with kidney disease, so talk with your doctor before increasing your potassium intake.

Its easy to eat more potassium. So many foods are naturally high in potassium. Here are a few:

• low fat dairy foods, such as milk and yogurt

• chips
• other processed snacks

Foods labeled low fat are usually high in salt and sugar to compensate for the loss of fat. Fat is what gives food taste and makes you feel full.

Cutting down on or even better, cutting out processed food will help you eat less salt, less sugar, and fewer refined carbohydrates. All of this can result in lower blood pressure.

Make it a practice to check nutrition labels. According to the Food and Drug Administration , a sodium listing of 5 percent or less on a food label is considered low, while 20 percent or more is considered high (

Seek Help For Snoring

Loud, incessant snoring is a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea , a disorder that causes brief but dangerous breathing interruptions. Up to half of sleep apnea patients also live with hypertension, possibly due to high levels of aldosterone, a hormone that can boost blood pressure. Fixing sleep apnea could be helpful for improving BP, says Robert Greenfield, M.D., medical director of Non-Invasive Cardiology & Cardiac Rehabilitation at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute.

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Consider Cutting Back On Caffeine

Caffeine raises your blood pressure, but the effect is temporary.

In a 2017 study, the systolic blood pressure of 18 participants was elevated for 2 hours after they drank 32 ounces of either a caffeinated drink or an energy drink. Blood pressure then dropped more quickly for the participants who drank a caffeinated drink .

Some people may be more sensitive to caffeine than others. If youre caffeine-sensitive, you may want to cut back on your coffee consumption, or try .

Research on caffeine, including its health benefits, is in the news a lot. The choice of whether to cut back depends on many individual factors.

One older study indicated that caffeines effect on raising blood pressure is greater if your blood pressure is already high. This same study, however, called for more research on the subject .

If your blood pressure is very high or doesnt decrease after making these lifestyle changes, your doctor may recommend prescription drugs.

They work and will improve your long-term outcome, especially if you have other risk factors (

Fresh Fish Are Part Of A Heart

Many fish are a great source of lean protein while other varieties offer omega-3 fats, which some research has linked heart-health benefits, according to Harvard Health. Certain fish, such as trout, are rich in vitamin D. People usually dont get enough vitamin D from food, so this is one way to boost your intake, Dean says.

A fresh fish fillet needs only minimal preparation. Keep it low-sodium by brushing on a little olive oil, sprinkling it with cracked black pepper, and baking or grilling it for a few minutes its easy and flavorful.

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What Is Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is a combination of systolic and diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure represents blood force, or pressure, while the heart is beating and diastolic pressure stands for blood pressure when the heart is at rest.

Systolic pressure is always the first or top measurement in a blood pressure reading. In a reading of 130/80, 130 represents systolic pressure and 80 represents diastolic pressure. In prehypertension, systolic numbers range from 120129 and diastolic numbers are less than 80.

Blood pressure ranges include:

• Normal: Less than 120/80 mm Hg
• Prehypertension: Systolic between 120129 and diastolic less than 80
• Stage 1 high blood pressure: Systolic between 130139 or diastolic between 8089
• Stage 2 high blood pressure: Systolic at least 140 or diastolic at least 90 mm Hg

Numbers for stage 1 hypertension vary from 130139 for systolic values and/or 8089 in diastolic numbers. With stage 2 hypertension, systolic readings are 140 or higher and/or diastolic readings measure 90 or higher. Although both numbers are significant, after about age 50, the systolic number is most important. Only 10 percent of high blood pressure cases are due to secondary or identifiable causes such as medications, or conditions and diseases of other organs.

Results of high blood pressure include:

• Arterial damage

• Heavy-metal poisoning

Causes Of High Blood Pressure

Theres no single cause of high blood pressure, but rather many contributing factors. Some are out of your control, such as age, race, gender, and family historyblood pressure tends to increase over the age of 70, affects more women than men over the age of 55, and is more common in African Americans than Caucasians, perhaps due to a genetic sensitivity to salt.

Many other risk factors for hypertension are within your control. Being overweight, eating a poor diet high in salt, smoking, drinking excessively, and not getting enough physical exercise can all impact your blood pressure.

There are also specific substances that can raise your blood pressure, such as:

• Caffeine, including coffee, tea, soda, and energy drinks.
• Prescription medications, including some of those used to treat ADHD, birth control pills, corticosteroids, atypical antipsychotics, MAOIs and SNRIs used to treat depression, and some cancer drugs.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , such as aspirin and ibuprofen .
• Cough and cold medications containing decongestant or NSAIDs.
• Herbal supplements, such as ephedra and yohimbine.
• Recreational drugs, such as cocaine and methamphetamine.
• Licorice found in some candies and gum.

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Try These Medicinal Herbs

Herbal medicines have long been used in many cultures to treat a variety of ailments.

Some herbs have even been shown to possibly lower blood pressure. However, more research is needed to identify the doses and components in the herbs that are most useful.

Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking herbal supplements. They may interfere with your prescription medications.

Heres a partial list of plants and herbs that are used by cultures throughout the world to lower blood pressure:

• black bean
• river lily

• Avoid daytime naps.
• Make your bedroom comfortable.

The 2010 national Sleep Heart Health Study found that regularly sleeping fewer than 7 hours a night and more than 9 hours a night was associated with an increased rate of high blood pressure.

Regularly sleeping fewer than 5 hours a night was linked to a significant risk of high blood pressure long term .

Are You Ready To Take Control Of Your Life Naturally

When left untreated, high blood pressure is challenging disease to deal with and causes an extremely high number of unnecessary deaths each day in the US. But in most cases, its not difficult to manage when you take the right steps.

Why put yourself at risk of an early death when you can take simple steps now to lower your risk of life-threatening illnesses? By adding a simple supplement to your healthy diet and exercise routine, youre bound to see your health improve in a short period of time, leading to a longer, happier life.

Like this article?

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How Is High Blood Pressure Diagnosed

Blood pressure is measured with a pressure cuff . The cuff is placed around the upper arm and then manually or electronically inflated. When it is inflated the cuff compresses the brachial artery, the major blood vessel of the upper arm, briefly stopping blood flow. The air in the cuff is then released slowly while the person performing the measurement listens with a stethoscope or monitors an electronic readout.

Blood pressure is expressed in two numbers:

• Systolic blood pressure : measures the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart beats
• Diastolic blood pressure : measures the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart is at rest between beats

These measurements can tell if your blood pressure is normal, high, or low.

• High blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg or more
• Elevated blood pressure levels between 120/80 and 139/89 are considered prehypertension and mean a person is at higher risk for developing high blood pressure
• Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mmHg

Adults 20 years of age and older should have their blood pressure checked during regular doctor visits.

Making Changes If You Have Anxiety Or Depression

If your high blood pressure is co-occurring with a mental health problem such as depression or anxiety, it can be even tougher to find the energy and motivation to make the necessary lifestyle changes. Just thinking about exercising or preparing a healthy meal, for example, can seem overwhelming. But by focusing all your efforts on one tiny change at a time, youll find that youre capable of more than you realized.

Take the first step. It could be as simple as going for a walk or downloading a meditation app or buying some nicotine patches. It can take time for lifestyle changes to register as a reduction in blood pressurebut sometimes they can improve your mood much sooner. Taking that first step is always the hardest.

Focus on small steps. Its easy to get overwhelmed by daily life when youre battling depression, anxiety, or another mood disorder. By taking small but positive steps each day, though, youll find that your energy and outlook will gradually start to improve. Once you feel happier and more positive, youll find it easier to forge ahead with lifestyle changes and see the results in both your blood pressure readings and your overall outlook and wellbeing.

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Eat Less Sodium And More Potassium

A high-sodium diet makes it harder for your kidneys to remove water from your bloodstream, raising your blood pressure and strain on your blood vessels due to the excess liquid.

This is why it is good to avoid salty foods, such as deli meats, canned soups, condiments, frozen and boxed foods and snack foods like chips and salted pretzels, Dr. Evanchan explains.

A high-potassium diet is great for those with high blood pressure because it lessens the effects of sodium on the body.

The DASH diet Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension for example, is a good diet option, because it is high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, low-fat dairy products and nuts, Dr. Evanchan says.

A healthier diet can also help you to lose weight, Dr. Evanchan adds, which, can in turn help to reduce blood pressure. Losing as little as five to 10 pounds can ease high blood pressure.

Lower Your Levels Without Medication

While many people use medications to lower their blood pressure, lifestyle changes are usually recommended, too. Eating a healthy diet, maintaining your weight, and getting regular exercise are good ways to prevent high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, but they can help treat these problems, too. While lifestyle changes alone can’t cure high blood pressure, they can improve how well your medications work and help you avoid additional complications.

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Eating The Right Foods And Avoiding Unhealthy Ones Can Help Keep Your Blood Pressure In Check

If youve been diagnosed with hypertension, or high blood pressure, your doctor has probably advised you to make a number of lifestyle modifications, such as exercise and dietary changes. According to the National Institutes of Health , eating a diet of nutrient-rich, low-sodium foods can lower blood pressure naturally.

Natural nutrients are generally more packed with good antioxidants, which may get damaged when prepared for storage, says John Higgins, MD, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at the UTHealth McGovern Medical School in Houston.

How To Lower Blood Pressure Without Medication

Its normal for your BP to fluctuate throughout the day. Excitement, being active, sleeping and waking up are all situations where blood pressure changes naturally. When your activity ends, your BP reading should return to a normal range.

A normal blood pressure is usually defined as systolic pressure below 120 mmHg and diastolic pressure below 80mmHg. Systolic pressure is the measurement of blood pressure from your heart beats. Diastolic pressure is when the heart is at rest between beats. Unfortunately there is no cure for high blood pressure currently, but you can take steps to manage it even without medication. Here are 7 ways to lower your blood pressure naturally:

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Take Help From Family And Friends

It is advised to seek help from family, friends, and neighbors in case of uneasiness.

Visiting a crowded function increases the risk of hypertension by almost 52%.

Wondering how to quickly lower blood pressure in minutes?

One way is to be careful about your surroundings. If visiting someplace which might trigger anxiety, go with a family member.

That way, even if you feel mild discomfort, youll have someone by your side. It is good to have a known face around the time of crisis.

Remember hypertension is a product of irregular lifestyle and stress. If you have a close friend around, you might feel less anxious already.

What Is Considered High Blood Pressure

According to the guidelines by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, published in May 2018 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the criteria for high blood pressure are as follows:

• Normal Less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury
• Elevated Systolic between 120 and 129 mmHg and diastolic less than 80 mmHg
• Stage 1 Systolic between 130 and 139 mmHg or diastolic between 80 and 89 mmHg
• Stage 2 Systolic at least 140 mmHg or diastolic at least 90 mmHg
• Hypertensive Crisis Systolic over 180 mmHg or diastolic over 120 mmHg, with patients needing prompt changes in medication if there are no other indications of problems, or immediate hospitalization if there are signs of organ damage

A large study of more than 9,000 patients, published in May 2021 in The New England Journal of Medicine, found that participants who got their systolic pressures below 120 mmHg saw their incidence of heart failure, heart attack, stroke, and death drop substantially in comparison with those who followed a more standard treatment plan, where the goal was to reduce their systolic pressure to less than 140 mmHg.

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