“When your heart pumps blood through the blood vessels, the blood pushes against the walls of your blood vessels. This creates blood pressure. Your body needs blood pressure to move the blood throughout your body, so every part of your body can get the oxygen it needs (heart.org).”
High blood pressure cannot be cured, but it can be managed. In some cases high blood pressure is genetic, therefore out of your control. In other cases high blood pressure can be due to an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise and stress.
If you have high blood pressure and you choose to ignore the affects, you are putting yourself at serious health risks. High blood pressure causes damage to your circulatory system and is one of the major causes of a heart attack and stroke. You are also at high risk for kidney damage, and peripheral artery disease.
Okay, so you are currently living with high blood pressure…. it’s okay, you can manage it. Make sure you keep your doctor appointments, follow your healthcare provider’s advice and try these 7 Ways to Naturally Lower Your Blood Pressure.
1. Exercise
Exercise is an all-natural way to help lower and control your blood pressure. According to Mayo Clinic, “Regular physical activity makes your heart stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort. If your heart can work less to pump, the force on your arteries decreases, lowering your blood pressure.” Try adding exercise in your daily routine whenever you can. Even something as small as taking the stairs instead of the elevator and walking to your destination instead of driving can make a huge impact.
2. Eat Healthy
If you have high blood pressure, it is important to eat a healthy diet. Cut down on your salt intake, eat fruits, vegetables and avoid fatty foods. Choose to eat lean meats or fish, and bake or grill your foods instead of frying them. *Tip: Eat spinach, sunflower seeds, bananas and beans to help fight and prevent high blood pressure.
3. Reduce Stress
Have you been feeling stressed? This may be why your blood pressure is so high. Stress causes your heart rate to go up and you’re breathing to become faster, leading to an increase in blood pressure. It’s important to think about the things that make you stressed out, and then work on eliminating the stressors from your life.
4. Cut Down on Alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. People who drink 5 drinks or more per day have a higher chance of long term issues. Eventually resulting in a higher chance of heartattack and stroke.
5. Drink Tea
According to WebMD, “Drinking as little as a half-cup of green or oolong tea per day may lower the risk of high blood pressure by nearly 50%, according to a new study of Chinese tea drinkers. Researchers found that men and women who drank tea on a daily basis for at least a year were much less likely to develop hypertension than those who didn’t, and the more tea they drank, the bigger the benefits.”
6. Reduce Sodium
Reducing your sodium intake will prevent you from high blood pressure. Limit your intake to no more than 1,500 mg per day. Salt has a negative impact on your kidneys, puts a strain on your arteries and negatively impacts your vascular reactivity.
7. MeditateMeditation
uses deep breathing and focus as a way to feel calm and restore inner peace. It is proven that meditation lowers stress levels. This in turn, helps lower your blood pressure. According to Yoga International, “Meditation is a precise technique for resting the mind and attaining a state of consciousness that is totally different from the normal waking state. It is the means for fathoming all the levels of ourselves and finally experiencing the center of consciousness within.”
