High blood pressure is very common in our society simply saying you can find at least one member with high pressure in every family.
So what is high blood pressure?
High blood pressure is a condition when blood exerted too much pressure the pressure against arteries walls. In medical terms high blood pressure called as hypertension while in general it is also known as “silent killer”.
The name silent killer is not joke as high blood pressure develops as a major risk for many diseases such as heart disease and heart stroke.
However high blood pressure doesn’t have its own symptoms but this is quite dangerous medical condition related to lifestyle.
In United States, hypertension is the leading cause of death. One out of three individual adult has hypertension.
When it comes to blood pressure measurement, is measured in millimeters of mercury and abbreviated as mm Hg. Blood pressure naturally has a value of 120/80 where 80 is diastolic and 120 is systolic pressure.
Blood pressure depends on the amount of blood heart is pumping or you can say higher the blood pumping by heart, higher the blood pressure and vice-versa.
Blood pressure also depends on the physiology of arteries as narrow the arteries higher the pressure.
The number 120 represents the pressure on blood vessels when your heart beats and named as systolic blood pressure while lower number 80 refers the pressure in your blood vessels between two beats in resting stage of your heart and known as diastolic pressure.
Blood pressure lower than the limit of 120/80 is considered as normal by health experts while higher than 130/80 is considered as high blood pressure or hypertension.
The blood pressure value place above the normal value but under 130/80 means the person is at high risk of developing high blood pressure which further causes many diseases.
You will be surprised to know that blood pressure can be maintained by doing some changes in daily routine or lifestyle as high blood pressure is somewhere related to lifestyle.
Here are 15 effective tips are to lower blood pressure
1. Increase physical activity and exercise
Several studies have been proved blood pressure can be lower by increasing physical activity and including exercises in daily routine life.
A study was published in 2013 reported that sedentary older adults participated in aerobic exercise training lower blood pressure by an average of 3.9 % systolic and 4.5 % diastolic.
Physical activity and exercise increases heart rate and breathing rates which makes heart stronger and pumping with less effort. This lower the pressure on arteries walls hence blood pressure lowers.
To increase physical activity you don’t have to run like running in a race you just have to small changes in your regular life as simple as:
- Make sure to use stairs.
- Try to walk instead of driving for a short distance
- Instead of keeping house maid for every chore try to do home chores on your own.
- Do some gardening
- Make sure to try playing tem sport
2. Try to lose weight
Person who has overweight has the higher risk of high blood pressure. In United States millions of people suffering from obesity so they are likely under risk of developing high blood pressure.
In order to prevent high blood pressure try to lose weight so that risk will be reduces.
What happen in the obese person, that cholesterol stick on the wall of the arteries that leads narrowing of arteries wall. As the arteries become narrow the blood exerts more pressure on the wall which results in hypertension.
In 2016 a review was published according to which loss in weight lower blood pressure by on average of 3.2 mm Hg diastolic and 4.5 mmHg systolic.
3. Use some medicinal herbs
Several herbs have been used for over thousand of the years in many traditional medicinal systems as well as modern days as supplements to treat or prevent much disease.
Fortunately herbal supplements and herbs are helpful in lowering blood pressure due to containing photochemical like flavanoids, Polyphenols etc.
You can herbs in your diet or you can go for marketed herbal supplements but make sure to consult your doctor or pharmacist prior to using supplements as they can also interfere your prescribed medicines.
Some herbal supplements are listed below
- Tea (Camellia sinensis), especially green tea and oolong tea
- Tomato extract (Lycopersicon esculentum)
- Sesame oil (Sesamum indicum)
- Black bean (Castanospermum australe)
- Cat’s claw (Uncaria rhynchophylla)
- Celery juice (Apium graveolens)
- Chinese hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida)
- Ginger root
- Giant dodder (Cuscuta reflexa)
- Indian plantago (blond psyllium)
- Maritime pine bark (Pinus pinaster)
- River lily (Crinum glaucum)
- Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
- Umbrella tree bark (Musanga cecropioides)
4. Try to avoid sugar, refined carbohydrates and caffeine
Numerous scientific studies show that cutting down the carbohydrates and refined sugar products can help you to lose weight and lower blood pressure.
For instance a research was published in 2010 reported a study between the comparison of the low carbs diet and low fat diet result out as both type of the diet helps to lose weight as well as lowering the blood pressure by 4.5 mm Hg diastolic and 5.9 systolic.
Cutting down using caffeine also helps you to reduce blood pressure. Caffeine tends to raise your blood pressure temporary and last for about 45 to 60 minute.
Although caffeine provides you many health benefits you should to cut down the use of caffeinated products to prevent high blood pressure when you already have a risk of high blood pressure.
5. Keep an eye on potassium and sodium consumption
Cutting down the sodium intake and increase potassium intake also lower blood pressure. Potassium is essential for your blood pressure and heart health as potassium tends to reduce the effect of salt in your system and loosen the tension on blood vessels.
But make sure to consult your health care experts before increasing your potassium intake as it tends to cause harm to kidneys.
You can get from low fat diary food such as milk and yogurt, fruits like bananas, orange, avocados apricots, vegetables like greens, spinach, sweet potatoes, potatoes and tomatoes.
When it comes to salt every individual responds differently to the salt as in some case higher salt increases the blood pressure while other are insensitive and excrete higher salt through urine without any increase in blood pressure.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends reducing salt intake using the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet using some food such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, poultry products and whole grains.
6. Avoid processed food
Processed food contains extra salt like ships, canned soups etc. food marketed as low fat usually contains a high salt and sugar content in order to compensate the loss of fat content.
So try to avoid or reduce processed food this helps you to lower blood pressure.
If this is hard to you than try to practice checking the product label because according to USFDA 5 % or less than that sodium content is considered as low amount while more than 20 % consider as high content of salt so make sure to have a look on labels at products.
7. Stop smoking
Smoking is always harmful to your health in every aspect. Although smoking cause a temporary rise in blood pressure but smoking for several years increase blood pressure by causing inflammation, damage and narrowing the arteries.
8. Reduce alcohol consumption
Alcohol consumption can raise your blood pressure even if you’re healthy so make sure to drink moderate alcohol and avoid excessive alcohol.
9. Practice reducing stress
Stress is the cause of many diseases and nowadays each and every person faces a lot of stress in daily life whether it is workplace or at home.
Reducing stress is may helpful in lowering blood pressure so try to lose stress by doing some activities like reading book, listening music, taking a walk, or just switch your taste to comedy shows.
According to a survey throughout recent 20 years it has been found that regular sauna use cut down the numbers of death due to heart disease.
In another short study resulted out as acupuncture also has lowered the systolic as well as diastolic blood pressure.
10. Doing meditation or yoga
Meditation and yoga practice can also be helpful on lowering blood pressure as they are involves in the posture, breathing control and makes you healthy . Several researches already proved this fact as true.
In 2012 a program in Massachusetts included more than 19000 people participation in meditation and exercises and found out that people who had done regular meditation reduces the high blood pressure in comparison to those who didn’t do meditation.
11. Eat some dark chocolate
You will be surprised to know that black dark chocolate helps you to reduce blood pressure when it consumes as having 60 to 70 percent cacao content.
The flavanoids present in the dark chocolate help in dilation or widen blood vessels.
A 2010 study conducted in 14,310 people found that individuals without hypertension who ate more dark chocolate had lower blood pressure overall than those who ate less dark chocolate.
12. Make sure to get good, restful sleep
Having a good and restful sleep is necessary to maintain your health as well as lowering blood pressure. People who have sleeping problems are more likely at high risk of blood pressure. So make sure to have good sleep.
13. Eat healthy high-protein foods
The people who eat high protein content have low risk of hypertension in comparison to those who don’t eat enough protein.
However protein rich diet is not suitable for everyone as it may cause kidney problems. So just go to your doctor and get as consultation on your diet.
Some protein rich foods you can have are eggs, bee, cheese, nuts, legumes, and poultry like chicken.
14. Consume BP-lowering supplements
Consuming BP lowering supplements like Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, Whey protein, Magnesium, Coenzyme Q10, Citrulline are helpful in reducing high blood pressure.
So make sure to go for them.
15. Take prescription medication
Last but not the least is the prescribed medication. After making above lifestyle changes your blood pressure not falling down than take prescribed medicines. They will help you to reduce blood pressure for a long time.
However detecting right combination of drugs is more important in this case. Talk with your doctor about possible medications and what might work best for you.