10 Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is one of the most common conditions today. There are a ton of aspects of our daily lives that can contribute to high blood pressure like working too much, not getting enough sleep, being too stressed out, or being overweight. Unfortunately, the sad reality is that most Americans aren’t healthy. Fortunately, there are things that we can do to change that. The first step you’ve already taken: doing your own research and trying to identify ways that you can improve your health.
There aren’t a whole lot of symptoms associated with high blood pressure, which has given it the nickname ‘the silent killer’. This is because high blood pressure elevates the risk for having a heart attack, a stroke, or another cardiovascular problem, however many people with high blood pressure are unaware of it.
Fortunately, it’s easy to get your blood pressure checked. Most pharmacies have an area where you can sit down, put your arm in a cuff, and get your blood pressure read. You will get two numbers: the top being systolic blood pressure and the bottom diastolic. If your numbers are higher than 130/80 respectively, you have high blood pressure. That’s not the end of the world, though. Here are some of the best, and healthiest, ways that you can lower your blood pressure.
Way To Lower Blood Pressure #1: Shed Some Weight
One of the biggest causes of high blood pressure, as well as a whole bunch of other dangerous health problems, is obesity. If you are overweight, the more pounds you pack on, the higher your blood pressure will be. This can also lead to problems like sleep apnea, which can worsen your blood pressure even more.
In this sense, losing weight can be a good way for someone to help manage their blood pressure. That said, if you’re suffering from high blood pressure but you’re not overweight, chances are that losing weight won’t help cure the problem. If that’s the case, then look into some of the next tips.
Way To Lower Blood Pressure #2: Get Some Exercise
It’s true that exercising too much can lead to blood pressure problems. On the other hand, not getting enough exercise can cause blood pressure problems on its own.
It’s generally recommended to get about half an hour of physical exercise on a daily basis. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you should be working out. Physical exercise can be something simple like going for a bike ride or a walk. If you decide to bike to work instead of taking your car, you could be doing yourself a huge favor.
Way To Lower Blood Pressure #3: Eat Healthier
One of the biggest things that can lead to high blood pressure is an unhealthy diet. Unfortunately, most people living in the West eat far too much sodium, which is known to raise blood pressure. Many of us consume too much saturated fat, which can also contribute to blood pressure problems.
The best way to combat this is to make sure that your diet is full of healthy, fresh vegetables, whole grains, and fruits. These things will help you maintain your blood pressure levels and your health in general.
Way To Lower Blood Pressure #4: Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol, when consumed in moderate amounts, can actually be quite beneficial for your health. Unfortunately, quite a large portion of people who drink alcohol don’t do so in moderate amounts.
This is interesting because alcohol can actually lower blood pressure if you don’t drink more than a single drink daily. On the other hand, if you have two or more drinks on a regular basis, there is a lot of evidence that your blood pressure can become elevated.
Way To Lower Blood Pressure #5: Avoid Smoking
Smoking is one of the best ways to send your blood pressure skyrocketing. Not only is nicotine a stimulant, which causes your blood vessels to constrict, it also acts as a bronchial constrictor. This means that it prevents your lungs from absorbing as much oxygen as they could.
These two things combined make it very difficult for your blood to transport oxygen throughout your body and can lead to a number of health problems.
Way To Lower Blood Pressure #6: Avoid Sodium
We have already mentioned that it’s important to improve your diet, but one of the easiest ways to do that is to limit the amount of sodium that you consume. Most of us consume far too much sodium than we need. While sodium is an essential nutrient, the American diet provides us with far more than is healthy.
Some easy ways to do this are to avoid eating processed foods and to read the nutritional labels on foods.
Way To Lower Blood Pressure #7: Avoid Caffeine
Just like nicotine is a stimulant that can elevate blood pressure, caffeine is also notorious for causing blood pressure spikes. Caffeine is commonly found in many different forms, including coffee and green tea.
Green tea is less dangerous in terms of raising blood pressure, but coffee is actually quite well-known for being unhealthy when consumed in the long-term. Limit coffee consumption to when it is absolutely necessary.
Way To Lower Blood Pressure #8: Meditate
Just like studies have proven that stress can have unpleasant physiological effects on the body, like raising blood pressure. Studies have also proven that doing relaxing things like meditating can lower blood pressure.
Powerful meditators have been able to slow down their heart rate to several beats per minute. While it’s unlikely that most of us will get to that point, you can at least lower your blood pressure and stress levels with a daily meditation practice.
Way To Lower Blood Pressure #9: Avoid Stress
It’s easier said than done, but avoiding stress is one of the best ways to improve your blood pressure – and your life. Research has revealed that stress can have a physical impact on our body – known as psychosomatic symptoms – and that being in a state of stress on a regular basis can actually contribute to high blood pressure and disease.
There are a few ways that you can manage stress. If you can’t change the situations that are contributing to your stress, try meditating. A few simple breathwork techniques can literally be a lifesaver for people who are chronically stressed out.
Way To Lower Blood Pressure #10: Avoid Sugar
Sugar is comparable to caffeine in its effects as a stimulant. This means that it’s also comparable in terms of how much it can raise your blood pressure. Sugar is good to avoid at the best of times, but people who chronically consume sugar should be very cautious about it because it can be dangerous for the health in the long-term.
Search for sugar-free alternatives or seek natural forms of sugars like fruits. These can help you satisfy your sweet tooth without endangering your health.
