If you have hypertension or high blood pressure, you will have to take every step to keep your blood pressure in control. Lifestyle changes will always help manage things better. Interestingly, if you have just been informed that your blood pressure is slightly higher than it should be, you can make some lifestyle changes and tweak your diet to avoid or at least delay the need for medication. You can also try some natural remedies to get good results.
Natural Remedies for High Blood Pressure
It is possible to control your blood pressure by following a healthy lifestyle. With a healthy lifestyle, you can combine some natural remedies to take better control of your situation. Here is what you can do.
1. Consider Losing Weight
If you are obese, you are at an increased risk of developing hypertension, diabetes, or other chronic conditions. When your weight increases, your blood pressure goes up as well. You may also develop sleep apnea that disrupts breathing while sleeping and affects your blood pressure at the same time. Just by losing 10 pounds, you can help bring your blood pressure back within the normal range.
While it is important to lose weight, you should be especially concerned about keeping your waistline small. Fat around your waistline increases your risk of high blood pressure. Men with a waistline of over 40 inches are at an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, whereas women with a waistline greater than 35 inches are at risk.
2. Exercise Regularly
You need to maintain an active lifestyle to stay healthy and control your blood pressure. Taking a short 30-minute walk a few times a week is usually enough to make a difference. Exercise can help lower your blood pressure by 4-9mmHg. Just be sure to stay consistent or your blood pressure will go out of control once again. Some of the best exercises that can help you lower blood pressure are jogging, walking, dancing, and swimming. Strength training may also help but be sure to talk to your doctor first.
3. Limit Your Intake of Sodium
Looking for natural remedies for high blood pressure? It is important to limit your intake of sodium because a small reduction is enough to reduce blood pressure by 2-8mmHg, which holds great importance for anyone in pre-hypertension stage. Generally, you should not consume more than 2,300mg of sodium a day, but you should limit it to 1,500mg if your blood pressure is slightly on the higher side. You should also take less if you are an African-American, are 51 years of age or older, or already have diabetes or hypertension.
To limit your intake of sodium, be sure to read food labels before buying anything. You should also eliminate processed foods from your diet to control your blood pressure. Avoid added salt when making specific dishes. It is important to keep in mind that you should reduce your intake of sodium gradually because a sudden reduction can cause complications.
4. Avoid or Limit Your Intake of Alcohol
It is important to avoid alcohol whenever possible, but if you really want to have some, ensure that you drink in moderation. Women should never have more than one drink and men should limit their intake to two drinks a day. You may end up raising your blood pressure by several points by drinking excessively. Alcohol can also lower the effectiveness of blood pressure medications.
5. Manage Stress Better
One of many natural remedies for high blood pressure is to keep stress under control. Chronic stress can lead to full-blown hypertension. Even occasional stress can raise your blood pressure, but it comes down when you feel normal again. Chronic stress can cause problems, especially when coupled with smoking, unhealthy food, and alcohol. To cope with stressful situations and stressor in your life, learn to change your expectations and understand you have to find better plans to solve your problems. Educate yourself about what triggers stress – find out triggers and avoid them. Try relaxation exercises, such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing to alleviate stress.
6. Limit Your Intake of Caffeine
It is better to avoid caffeinated beverages as much as possible, but you should at least try to cut back on caffeine to control your blood pressure. Caffeine can raise your blood pressure by 10mmHg. The effects of caffeine on blood pressure in habitual drinkers are not clear, but it is still better to limit how much caffeine you consume daily.
7. Include Lemons in Your Diet
Lemons are good for your health because they provide you with vitamin C that acts as an antioxidant in the body and prevents oxidative damage. Lemons are also beneficial because they keep your blood vessels pliable. They can help get rid of rigidity to prevent hypertension. Add the juice of half a lemon to a cup of warm water and drink it in the morning on an empty stomach to lower blood pressure.
8. Consume Watermelon Seeds
The presence of a compound called cucurbocitrin is the reason why watermelon seeds may help lower blood pressure. This compound widens your blood capillaries and improves the function of your kidney. This in turn may help reduce your blood pressure. Simply take equal quantities of poppy seeds and watermelon seeds, and grind them carefully. You should take a teaspoon of this mixture first thing in the morning to lower blood pressure.
9. Add Garlic in Your Diet
Some studies have found that garlic may have blood pressure lowering effects on your body. Regular consumption of raw and cooked garlic may also help reduce cholesterol levels. Take four teaspoons of water and add six drops of garlic juice to it. Have it twice a day to lower blood pressure.
10. Enjoy Some Celery
Eating one stalk of celery with a glass of water can help lower your blood pressure in a short time. You may have to continue with the remedy for several weeks to see positive results, but it certainly is one of the best natural remedies for high blood pressure. Celery is effective because of the presence of the phytochemical called 3-N-butylphthalide that improves blood flow and helps muscles in and around your arterial walls to relax.