High Blood Pressure: 7 Natural Ways to Control Hypertension

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High blood pressure is a serious health risk for individuals, if they are left uncontrolled or untreated. It could bring many other negative health problems such as heart failure, vision loss, kidney disease, stroke, diabetes and other illnesses.

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is caused by a large amount of pressure exerted against the walls of your arteries as high-pressure blood flows through them.

There are natural ways to treat high blood pressure without undergoing any kind of medication. These are natural remedies that are possible to get help in getting rid of hypertension.

High Blood Pressure: 7 Natural Ways to Control Hypertension
hypertension prevention tips / pixabay

7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure:

1. Eat Healthy

Consuming a diet that is rich in fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, vegetables and less on cholesterol and saturated fat, can lower your blood pressure by approximately 14 mm Hg. This eating plan is called the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or the what is known as the DASH diet.

2. Drink Less Alcohol

A review of 15 studies revealed that the less you drink, the lower your blood pressure will drop, to a point. A study of women conducted at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, reported that light drinking, which is defined as one-quarter to one-half a drink daily for a woman, may actually reduce blood pressure more than no drinks per day.

3. Exercise or Walk Regularly

Exercise is one of the best things to do to help in controlling and lowering your high blood pressure. Regular exercise can help make your heart efficient and stronger at pumping blood, which lowers the pressure in your arteries.

Approximately 150 minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking, or about 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, such as running, per week can help to improve your heart health and lower blood pressure.

Also, doing more exercise reduces your blood pressure further, according to the National Walkers’ Health Study.

4. Lose Weight

According to Mayo Clinic, your blood pressure often increases as your weight increases. Also, being overweight can cause disrupted breathing while you sleep, which can further raise your blood pressure.

Weight loss is one of the most effective way in controlling blood pressure, and losing around 10 pounds or about 4.5 kilograms, can help reduce your blood pressure. Aside from losing weight, you should watch out for your waistline. Excess weight around your waist can put you at an even greater risk of high blood pressure.

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Remember these key points, in general, men are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches or 102 centimeters. While women are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches or about 89 centimeters.

5. Reduce Consumption of Refined Carbs and Sugar

Various studies showed a linked between added sugar and high blood pressure.
In the Framingham Women’s Health Study, women who drank just 1 soda daily had higher levels than those who drank less than 1 soda per day.

Also, another study reported that drinking 1 less sugar-sweetened beverage daily was linked to lower blood pressure.

It is not just sugar you should reduce in your diet, all refined carbs, such as the kind present in white flour, convert rapidly to sugar in your bloodstream and may cause issues. Some studies have reported that low-carb diets may also help in reducing blood pressure.

6. Reduce Your Salt Intake

According to MayoClinic, just a small reduction of salt in your diet can reduce blood pressure by 2-8 mm Hg. While the effect of sodium intake on blood pressure varies among individuals, in general, you should limit sodium to less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) daily or less.

But, a lower sodium intake or approximately 1,500 mg a day or less is appropriate for individuals with greater salt sensitivity, and these include the people who are 51 or older, African-Americans and if you are diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure, or chronic kidney disease.

7. Stop Smoking

One of the most important reason to quit smoking is that this bad habit is a strong risk factor for heart disease. Every puff of cigarette smoke causes a temporary and slight increase in your blood pressure. The chemicals present in tobacco are also known to damage blood vessels.

However, studies have not found a conclusive link between high blood pressure and smoking. Maybe, this is because smokers develop a tolerance over time.

But still, since both high blood pressure and smoking raise your risk of heart disease, quitting smoking can help reverse that risk.

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2. A Guide to Hypertension
3. Control Your Hypertension With This Tangy and Zesty Fruit

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