Natural Ways to Control Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force induced by the blood on the walls of the blood vessels while rushing through them. Blood pressure is measured as systolic (high) and diastolic (low) pressure. Blood pressure is considered to be normal when the systolic pressure is below 120. High blood pressure or hypertension is a condition where the systolic blood pressure is 140 or higher. Untreated high blood pressure for a prolonged period can damage the heart and lead to coronary artery disease or heart failure. It can also cause kidney failure, brain damage, stroke and dementia.

Causes of High Blood Pressure

Although, the exact cause of hypertension is not known yet, there are a wide range of factors that can promote high blood pressure.

Excessive body weight or obesity
Chronic Stress
Excessive Alcohol Consumption
Excessive Sodium Intake through Diet
Smoking
Genetics
Sedentary Lifestyle
Diseases such as Chronic Kidney Disease, Adrenal Disorders, Thyroid Disorders

Natural Ways to Control High Blood Pressure

Following a well-planned diet along with regular exercise and periodic blood pressure monitoring can go a long way in keeping blood pressure levels under control.

Losing Extra Pounds

Blood pressure is closely related to body weight and increase in body weight is one of the causes of high blood pressure. Studies show that a loss of 10 pounds (4.5 Kgs) can help in lowering blood pressure considerably and weight loss makes the hypertension medications more effective.

You can consult a doctor to determine your target body weight and then work towards achieving it. It is also important to reduce inches from the waistline, because men with waist measurement of more than 40 inches and women with waist measurement of more than 35 inches are at greater risk of developing high blood pressure.

Exercising Regularly

One of the best natural ways of blood pressure control is regular physical activity. Research shows that doing 30 to 60 minutes of medium intensity workouts such as walking or cardio for 4 to 5 days every week can lower blood pressure by 4 to 9 mm Hg. It takes only a few weeks to see noticeable results.

Exercise is also helpful for people suffering from pre-hypertension because it prevents the development of hypertension. Try to plan out an exercise program that suits you and include different types of workouts such as swimming, cycling, hiking and power walking in order to break the boredom and monotonousness of one-dimensional gym exercises.

Control Salt Intake

Reducing the amount of salt (sodium) in food is the best way to control high blood pressure without giving much effort. Even a minor reduction in salt intake can lower blood pressure by 2 to 8 mm Hg. Try to limit your sodium intake to 2300 mg per day and maintain a food diary to keep a track of your daily sodium intake through foods and drinks.

It is also important to read food levels while purchasing packed foods because processed and packed foods usually contain high level of sodium. Don’t add extra salt t soups and salads, use herbs and spices instead to spice up the taste. If you have been into more salty foods, try to bring down sodium intake gradually so that you can adjust to less salty foods over time.

Start Drinking Tea

It is better to substitute caffeine-rich coffee with green tea to control high blood pressure because caffeinated beverages such as coffee can cause a sudden rise in blood pressure. On the other hand sipping on 3 to 4 cups of organic green tea or herbal teas like hibiscus tea can help in lowering systolic blood pressure effectively.

The phytochemicals present in herbal teas and green tea helps in controlling high blood pressure while the flavonoids found in tea improves the tone of the blood vessels to enhance their elasticity. Tea also aids in reducing body weight and abdominal fat – two major causes of hypertension.

Have a Healthy Diet

Following a balanced diet is yet another effective high blood pressure treatment that helps in treating hypertension. The diet for high blood pressure should contain fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy and it should be low in saturated fats. This approach to eating is also known as the DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension).

Maintain a food diary and keep a track of your eating habits – what you eat throughout the day, how much you eat, when and why you eat. All these factors will help in understanding your eating habits. Avoid junk foods and processed foods at all cost and increase potassium intake, because potassium helps in neutralizing the harmful effects of sodium on blood pressure.

Limit Alcohol Intake

One of the best remedies for high blood pressure is limiting alcohol intake. Alcohol has both positive and negative effects for hypertension. Moderate amount of alcohol in the form of red wine can lower blood pressure by 2 to 4 mm Hg, but excessive alcohol consumption or binge drinking can lead to a sudden spike in blood pressure.

Limit your drink to one serving per day which is 12 ounces of beer or 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounce of liquor. If you have been a heavy drinker, then try to cut back gradually because sudden elimination of alcohol can have a negative impact of hypertension and cause severe high blood pressure that will be difficult to bring under control.

Monitor Blood Pressure at Home

One of the important parts of blood pressure control is regular monitoring of blood pressure levels at home using portable BP machine. You can purchase a blood pressure monitoring machine that is easy to use and handle. Keeping a track of your blood pressure will help you to understand the level of effectiveness of the hypertension medications, diet, exercise and other external factors.

It is also important to stay connected with a primary care physician because; he can guide you with all your healthcare needs. Therefore, don’t miss regular visits to your doctor and make blood glucose monitoring a part of your daily routine.

Try to Relax

With increased competition and work pressure to meet deadlines, stress has become and unavoidable part of our lives, but excessive stress and anxiety can have negative effect on hypertension and cause a sudden increase in blood pressure. Therefore, it is important to control stress and soothe yourself with effective stress busting activities such as deep breathing exercises, tai chi, deep healing massage, yoga and meditation. You can also unwind yourself by listening to calming music or enjoying a good book after a hard day’s work.