Author: Charles Frank
10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication
Reducing the sodium in your diet can be difficult because many foods that you don’t think of as salty actually contain a lot of sodium. You’ll have to adjust your diet and monitor food labels; a dietitian can help with this. 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. High blood pressure is sometimes called ‘the silent killer’ because it often has no symptoms. Even though this condition is asymptomatic, it is still important for you to get checked regularly, as HBP can lead to a number of other potentially serious health problems.
Lifestyle modifications are effective in controlling high blood pressure. A healthy lifestyle can avoid, delay, or reduce the need for blood pressure medications. While calcium supplements haven’t been conclusively shown to lower blood pressure, calcium-rich diets do seem to be linked to healthy blood pressure levels (34).
According to a 2016 study, losing 5% of your body weight could significantly lower high blood pressure (22). That’s because dark chocolate and cocoa powder are rich in flavonoids, which are plant compounds that cause blood vessels to dilate. Still, if you suspect you’re sensitive to the effects of caffeine, consider cutting back to see whether it lowers your blood pressure. It’s possible to do everything right and still have elevated blood pressure. When that happens, Dr. Weinberg says she’ll usually recommend starting medication.
Ways To Lower Blood Pressure Without Medication
The right tunes (and a few deep breaths) can help bring your blood pressure down, according to research out of Italy. Researchers asked 29 adults who were already taking BP medication to listen to soothing classical, Celtic, or Indian music for 30 minutes daily while breathing slowly. When they followed up with the subjects six months later, their blood pressure had dropped significantly. Louder, faster music probably won’t do the trick, but there’s no harm in blissing out to an ambient track or two. Getting 2,000 to 4,000 mg of potassium a day can help lower blood pressure, says Linda Van Horn, Ph.D., R.D., a professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Because the nutrient encourages the kidneys to excrete more sodium through urination.
Tweaks to your habits can lower blood pressure by at least as much as a single medication, says Dr. Jean. Regardless of your medication situation, moving towards a more blood-pressure-friendly daily routine makes a big impact—and you don’t have to overhaul your entire life to see encouraging results at your next check-up. Regular visits with a provider are also key to controlling blood pressure. If your blood pressure is well controlled, ask your provider how often you need to check it.
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By making these 10 lifestyle changes, you can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease. Keep in mind that any supplements you take can have side effects or contribute to drug interactions, so discuss their use with a healthcare provider. While these two behaviors could also fall under “stress reduction techniques,” meditation and deep breathing deserve specific mention.
Unfortunately, there is no quick way to lower blood pressure without medical intervention and careful monitoring. Over time, high blood pressure can lead to an array of health complications. HBP does not have symptoms, so it’s especially important to visit your primary physician on a regular basis. They will be able to determine if your blood pressure is abnormal and prescribe a treatment plan for you.
Studies have demonstrated small improvements in blood pressure that occur in people taking calcium, potassium, and magnesium supplements, but research results can be mixed. One review of studies on vitamin D, for example, found evidence that people with adequate vitamin D intake (deficiencies are common) had a lower risk of hypertension, but it, too, called for more study. According to one systematic review, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is the most effective dietary approach to lowering blood pressure. It can also reduce the risk of heart disease and improve overall health, possibly leading to a longer life.
- Let your health care provider know if you often have trouble sleeping.
- Medical treatment may involve delivering hypertensive drugs intravenously (into the vein).
- Study after study after study has shown that interrupting prolonged sitting time at work can reduce hypertension, working in tandem with other practices like exercising, eating well, and getting enough sleep.
- This article presents 11 tricks to lowering blood pressure and long-term decisions you can make to integrate these steps into your lifestyle.
While medication is one way to treat the condition, there are many natural techniques that can help, including eating certain foods. For most adults, the calcium recommendation is 1,000 milligrams (mg) per day. Every puff of cigarette smoke causes a slight, temporary increase in blood pressure.
Exercise can also help keep elevated blood pressure from turning into high blood pressure (hypertension). For those who have hypertension, regular physical activity can bring blood pressure down to safer levels. Unlike alcohol, which can raise your blood pressure long-term, caffeine increases your blood pressure temporarily. Your blood pressure can be elevated for up to three hours after drinking coffee.
Additional Drinks That Lower Blood Pressure Quickly
“Some patients’ blood pressure is up all the time and, when they come into the office, it’s normal,” Dr. Weinberg says. Knowing where you stand—and sharing those numbers with your doctor—can help you work together to find the best treatment plan for you. In the short term, be sure you are measuring your blood pressure correctly. Incorrect positioning, a full bladder, or physical activity immediately before a measurement can give an artificially high reading. Getting poor-quality sleep can increase your risk of high blood pressure. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends six to eight hours of sleep per night to avoid cardiovascular (heart) issues.
Let your health care provider know if you often have trouble sleeping. However, if you don’t have sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome, follow these simple tips for getting more restful sleep. If you haven’t hopped on the zero-proof beverage bandwagon yet, your invitation has arrived. Not only does drinking more alcohol than the standard rec of one drink per day for women and two for men raise blood pressure, but it can also make BP medications less effective, according to Dr. Jean. In fact, research shows that alcohol has a “direct and linear” relationship with systolic blood pressure (the first number in your BP reading), meaning that the more you drink, the higher that number creeps.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends aiming for 1,500 milligrams (mg) of sodium in a day, and certainly no more than 2,300 mg (about a teaspoon). Obarzanek suggests treading with caution around packaged and processed foods, including secret salt bombs like bread, pizza, poultry, soup, and sandwiches. They may encourage you to take care of yourself, drive you to the care provider’s office or start an exercise program with you to keep your blood pressure low. They may encourage you to take care of yourself, drive you to the care provider’s office or start an exercise program with you to keep your blood pressure low. Poor sleep quality — getting fewer than six hours of sleep every night for several weeks — can contribute to hypertension. A number of issues can disrupt sleep, including sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and general sleeplessness (insomnia).
The authors of a 2021 review concluded that practicing diaphragmatic breathing, a deep breathing technique, twice daily for 4 weeks could lead to a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (33). Both meditation and deep breathing may activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This system is engaged when the body relaxes, slowing the heart rate and lowering blood pressure. Still, since both smoking and high blood pressure raise the risk of heart disease, quitting smoking can help lessen that risk (26). In the United States, moderate alcohol consumption is defined as no more than one drink per day for females and two drinks per day for males.