From August 2021 to August 2023, it is estimated that almost 50% of all American adults had hypertension, otherwise known as high blood pressure. While some of these people might be depending on medication to lower their blood pressure, this choice is not for everyone. If you would prefer to lower your blood pressure naturally, there are lifestyle changes you can make.
Some lifestyle changes are crucial in living a healthier life, particularly if you are seeking treatment for high blood pressure. These adjustments could lessen the need for medicine in the future or even prevent it all together. In this post, three of the best ways to lower blood pressure are explained.
Participate in Regular Exercise
As weight is often a contributing factor to high blood pressure, moving your body is a key factor to lowering it, particularly if you need to lose weight. Adults are encouraged to participate in at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day, whether that is walking, cycling, or swimming. You should also complete strength training exercises twice weekly. This will help you to burn more calories, which will contribute to weight loss.
However, exercising can also strengthen the heart, and this allows it to pump more blood with less effort. The heart pumps much more efficiently with frequent exercise and blood will move around the body without needing so much force. This will reduce the amount of pressure on blood vessels and improve cardiovascular health overall, too.
You can speak with your healthcare professional when setting up an exercise plan for you. They will offer lots of advice to ensure you increase physical activity in a very safe manner.
Improve Your Diet
Similar to exercise, your diet will also have an impact on your weight loss. The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) was created in the early 1990s by a group of researchers to help those with high blood pressure. This diet, which highlights four main foods to prioritize, has been proven to be effective in reducing blood pressure.
The four foods that lower blood pressure include fruits and vegetables, lean protein, low-fat dairy, and wholegrains. Fruits and vegetables should be the priority no matter your diet, as they provide essential fiber, minerals, and vitamins, while the other foods offer more nutrients than their fattier counterparts.
As well as paying attention to the foods you eat, there are certain drinks that you should avoid. Your alcohol consumption should be no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. Additionally, as there might be a link between blood pressure and caffeine, it is best to reduce your caffeine intake, especially before measuring your blood pressure.
Focus on Stress Reduction
When stressed, your body goes into fight or flight mode, and this can release adrenaline, cortisol, and other hormones. These hormones can increase your heart rate, constrict blood vessels, and raise your blood pressure in preparation of dealing with a potential threat. If you are at risk of high blood pressure or currently suffer from it, then you should avoid stress to ensure your blood pressure does not worsen.
There are numerous stress reduction techniques that you should use in this case. Practices, such as deep breathing, meditation, and yoga, can help to counteract stress-related high blood pressure. If you practice stress reduction regularly, your blood pressure will lower and your overall health will improve over time.
To conclude, there are numerous ways to lower your blood pressure other than medication. As outlined by this post, you can focus on exercise, diet improvements, and stress reduction to improve your blood pressure.