Natural blood pressure reduction can frequently be achieved if the individual is motivated to make the appropriate lifestyle changes.
Your blood pressure is an important number for you to monitor throughout your life. High blood pressure is called the ‘silent killer’ because there are usually no reliable symptoms that your blood pressure is elevated. If your blood pressure is not dealt with appropriately there is an increases in risk of kidney failure, heart failure, heart attacks, strokes and death.
Everyone should understand what high blood pressure is before electing to make attempts at lowering it naturally. If you are concerned about your blood pressure the first step should involve discussing it with your doctor, so that the two of you can approach it as a team.
Your doctor will help you decide if managing your blood pressure naturally is the best way or if you need medical treatment. If your blood pressure is too high, it may be unsafe to begin an exercise program until your blood pressure has come down to a safer range.
Blood pressure is a numerical value obtained using a mercury or digital blood pressure monitoring device. The device used to check your blood pressure is called a sphymomanometer.
Risk factors for high blood pressure include:
Obesity
Sedentary lifestyle
Nicotine usage
Alcohol intake
Poor diet with high salt intake
Stress
Family History
Naturally lowering blood pressure should address activities that focus on making lifestyle changes that improve the above risk factors.
The natural ways to reduce your blood pressure should include reducing your weight, start exercising or increase the amount of exercise, stop smoking, alcohol cessation and improve your diet by cutting down on salt and including fruits and vegetables with each meal.
Learning to meditate will help reduce stress and lower your blood pressure. Yoga will strengthen, tone and make your body more flexible potentially benefiting your blood pressure.
Decreasing your intake of salt will help your blood pressure by decreasing your retention of water. Your blood pressure will increase when your heart has to do more work to pump excess fluid throughout your body. So stop adding salt to your meals or use a salt substitute.
Also, from a dietary standpoint decreasing the fats in your diet and increasing fiber will help you lose weight and lower your risk of developing colon cancer.
Eating more fiber will also improve your overall health by decreasing your cholesterol and triglycerides which helps to improve your lipid profile. An optimal lipid profile will lower your risk of developing hardening of the arteries of the heart and other arteries throughout your body. Your lipid profile includes your good (HDL cholesterol) and bad cholesterol (LDL). Research has shown some regression of plague formation in arteries when the LDL cholesterol is reduced below 70 . Depending upon your genetics, habits, and lifestyle getting your LDL cholesterol below 70 may be achieved naturally or require supplemental medication to lower it.
Magnesium is a great supplement that will help to decrease your blood pressure. It can be taken as an oral supplement or eaten in green leafy vegetables, whole grains and legumes such as peanuts and beans.
Vitamin C and Vitamin E supplements have been shown to have a beneficial effect on blood pressure.
Omega– 3 Fatty Acids are helpful in maintaining a healthy heart. The best source for o-mega fatty acids is salmon and flax seed.
Hormonal supplements such as birth control pills can raise your blood pressure by causing the body to retain fluid.
The stimulant properties of caffeine, coffee, tea, and decongestants in cold medications cause the blood vessels to constrict which raises blood pressure in some people.
The anti-inflammatory medications can have an effect on the kidneys and cause fluid retention leading to elevations in blood pressure. Taken without proper monitoring and guidance can also lead to kidney injury and gastrointestinal bleeding.
Zinc supplements, ginger and carrot juice may be beneficial in lowering blood pressure.
Kelp supplements and aroma therapy may help in lowering blood pressure. Kelp is a supplement that works internally while aromatherapy will help in lower your stress level which helps decrease your blood pressure.
Making the appropriate lifestyle changes is the first step to naturally lowering your blood pressure; however, you should work closely with your doctor in lowering your blood pressure to achieve optimal health.