Fastest Way to Lower Your Blood Pressure Safely

Several natural ways to get rid of high blood pressure





High blood pressure, or hypertension, is called the “silent killer” It often has no symptoms, but is a major risk for heart disease and stroke. And these diseases are among the leading causes of death in the United States. About 1 in 3 U.S. adults has high blood pressure.Your blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury, which is abbreviated as mm Hg. There are 2 numbers involved in the measurement:Diastolic blood pressure. The bottom number represents the pressure in your blood vessels between beats, when your heart is resting.Systolic blood pressure. The top number represents the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart beats.Your blood pressure depends on how much blood your heart is pumping, and how much resistance there is to blood flow in your arteries. The narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure.Lower than 120/80 mm Hg is considered normal. Blood pressure that’s 130/80 mm Hg or more is considered high. If your numbers are above normal but under 130/80 mm Hg, you fall into the category of elevated blood pressure. This means that you’re at risk for developing high blood pressure.High blood pressure is a dangerous condition that can damage your heart. It affects one in three people in the US and 1 billion people worldwideThere are a number of things you can do to lower your blood pressure naturally, even without medication.Exercise is one of the best things you can do to lower high blood pressure.Regular exercise helps make your heart stronger and more efficient at pumping blood, which lowers the pressure in your arteries.The fact is150 minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, such as running, per week can help lower blood pressure and improve your heart health.What's more, doing even more exercise reduces your blood pressure even further.Walking just 30 minutes a day can help lower your blood pressure. Exercise helps reduce it even further.Potassium is an important mineral.It helps your body get rid of sodium and ease pressure on your blood vessels.Modern diets have increased most people's sodium intake while decreasing potassium intake.To get a better balance of potassium to sodium in your diet, focus on eating fewer processed foods and more fresh, whole foods.Foods that are particularly high in potassium include:Vegetables, especially leafy greens, tomatoes, potatoes and sweet potatoesBeansFruit, including melons, bananas, avocados, oranges and apricotsTuna and salmonDairy, such as milk and yogurtNuts and seedsEating fresh fruits and vegetables, which are rich in potassium, can help lower blood pressure.Salt intake is high around the world. In large part, this is due to processed and prepared foods.For this reason, many public health efforts are aimed at lowering salt in the food industryIn many studies, salt has been linked to high blood pressure and heart events, like strokeHowever, more recent research indicates that the relationship between sodium and high blood pressure is less clear.One reason for this may be genetic differences in how people process sodium. About half of people with high blood pressure and a quarter of people with normal levels seem to have a sensitivity to salt.If you already have high blood pressure, it's worth cutting back your sodium intake to see if it makes a difference. Swap out processed foods with fresh ones and try seasoning with herbs and spices, rather than salt.Most guidelines for lowering blood pressure recommend lowering sodium intake. The recommendation might make the most sense for people who are salt-sensitive.Restricting sugar and refined carbohydrates can help you lose weight and lower your blood pressure.A study compared a low-carb diet to a low-fat diet. The low-fat diet included a diet drug. Both diets produced weight loss, but the low-carb diet was much more effective in lowering blood pressure.The low-carb diet lowered blood pressure by 4.5 mm Hg diastolic and 5.9 mm Hg systolic. The diet of low-fat plus the diet drug lowered blood pressure by only 0.4 mm Hg diastolic and 1.5 mm Hg systolic.A 2012 analysis of low-carb diets and heart disease risk found that these diets lowered blood pressure by an average of 3.10 mm Hg diastolic and 4.81 mm Hg systolic.Another side effect of a low-carb, low-sugar diet is that you feel fuller longer, because you’re consuming more protein and fat.If you've ever downed a cup of coffee before you've had your blood pressure taken, you'll know that caffeine causes an instant boost.However, there's not a lot of evidence to suggest that drinking caffeine regularly can cause a lasting increase.People who drink caffeinated coffee and tea tend to have a lower risk of heart disease, including high blood pressure, than those who don't.Caffeine may have a stronger effect on people who don't consume it regularlyIf you suspect you're caffeine-sensitive, cut back to see if it lowers your blood pressure.Caffeine can cause a short-term spike in blood pressure, although for many people it does not cause a lasting increase.Drinking alcohol can raise blood pressure. In fact, alcohol is linked to 16% of high blood pressure cases around the world.While some research has suggested that low-to-moderate amounts of alcohol may protect the heart, those benefits may be offset by negative effects.In the US, moderate alcohol consumption is defined as no more than one drink a day for women and two for men. If you drink more than that, cut back.Bottom Line: Drinking alcohol in any quantity may raise your blood pressure. Limit your drinking to no more than one drink a day for women, two for men.Stress is a key driver of high blood pressure.When you're chronically stressed, your body is in a constant fight-or-flight mode. On a physical level, that means a faster heart rate and constricted blood vessels.When you experience stress, you might also be more likely to engage in other behaviors, such as drinking alcohol or eating unhealthy food, that can negatively affect blood pressure.Several studies have explored how reducing stress can help lower blood pressure. THere are two evidence-based tips to try:Listen to soothing music, Calming music can help relax your nervous system. It's an effective complement to other blood pressure therapies.Work less: Working a lot, and stressful work situations in general, are linked to high blood pressure.Bottom Line: Chronic stress can contribute to high blood pressure. Finding ways to manage stress can help.While eating massive amounts of chocolate probably won't help your heart, small amounts may.That's because dark chocolate and cocoa powder are rich in flavonoids, plant compounds that cause blood vessels to dilate.A review of studies found that flavonoid-rich cocoa improved several markers of heart health over the short term, including lowering blood pressure.For the strongest effects, use non-alkalized cocoa powder, which is especially high in flavonoids and has no added sugars.Cocoa powder and Dark chocolate contain plant compounds that help relax blood vessels, loweringblood pressure.If you're overweight, losing weight can make a big difference for your heart health.5% of your body mass could significantly lower high blood pressure.,Losing 17 pounds (7.7 kg) was linked to lowering systolic blood pressure by 8.5 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 6.5 mm Hg.To put that in perspective, a healthy reading should be less than 120/80 mm Hg.The effect is even greater when weight loss is paired with exercise.Losing weight can help your blood vessels do a better job of expanding and contracting, making it easier for the left ventricle of the heart to pump blood.While these two behaviors could also fall under "stress reduction techniques," meditation and deep breathing deserve specific mention.Both meditation and deep breathing are thought to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This system is engaged when the body relaxes, slowing the heart rate and lowering blood pressure.There's quite a bit of research in this area, with studies showing that different styles of meditation appear to have benefits for lowering blood pressure.Berries are packed with polyphenols, natural plant compounds that are good for your heart.One small study had middle-aged people eat berries for eight weeks.Participants experienced improvements in different markers of heart health, including blood pressureAnother study assigned people with high blood pressure to a low-polyphenol diet or a high-polyphenol diet containing berries, chocolate, fruits and vegetables.Those consuming berries and polyphenol-rich foods experienced improved markers of heart disease risk. Berries are rich in polyphenols, which can help lower blood pressure and the overall risk of heart disease.In one study, participants were asked to either take six deep breaths over the course of 30 seconds or to simply sit still for 30 seconds. Those who took breaths lowered their blood pressure more than those who just sat.Try guided meditation or deep breathing. Here's a video to get you started.Both meditation and deep breathing can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps slow your heart rate and lower blood pressure.Before we talk about specific examples, let’s learn why it’s dangerous to lower your blood pressure too quickly. Your heart and blood vessels carry blood to all your body parts, including large, important organs that keep you alive, like your lungs and especially your brain. Large drops in blood pressure can suddenly stop your brain from getting the continuous blood flow and oxygen it needs. This can lead to a stroke and permanent brain damage.Have you ever heard of “white coat syndrome?” It’s what happens when you typically have normal-ranged blood pressure but significantly higher blood pressure in medical settings like hospitals or doctors’ offices. This is often caused by feeling nervousness or anxiety around medical settings. Unfortunately, this means your health provider might think your blood pressure is higher than it really is.White coat syndrome isn’t uncommon. 15% to 30% of people who have high blood pressure readings might suffer from white coat syndrome. In cases like these, some patients wonder whether it’s possible to quickly lower their blood pressure before a reading. If you’re in this situation, the safest and most effective thing you can do is try your best to relax.Bring a friend or family member who can help you stay calm. If you can bring a trusted friend or relative with you to your doctor’s visit, their presence might help you feel more at ease. Even having a conversation to distract you from the clinical atmosphere around you can keep you from dwelling on or stressing about your visit.Meditate. Meditation and deep breathing are excellent ways to put your body into a state of relaxation. Pop in some earphones and turn on one of your favorite meditation apps to calm your mind before your visit. If you don’t have any apps, close your eyes and take slow breaths in and out while you try to clear your mind.Find a quiet room where you can wait. Sometimes receptionists and fellow patients in the waiting room can add to your anxiety. Finding a quiet space where you can wait to be called back and focus on taking deep breaths can help prepare you for your blood pressure reading.If you or your doctor suspect white coat syndrome, your doctor may send you home with a blood pressure monitor that will check your blood pressure periodically throughout a normal day. This gives a more accurate reading of what your blood pressure really is and helps the doctor figure out whether the stress of a physical trip to a medical facility is affecting you.