5 Natural Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a serious condition because, simply, it has no symptoms. You won’t wake up and think that your blood pressure is a little high today, nor should you attribute things like sore muscles or aching joints to excess pressure in blood vessels.

Symptoms created by high blood pressure occur when you’re having a hypertensive crisis or a medical emergency. Only then does high blood pressure cause nosebleeds, headaches, and heart palpitations.

You’ll only know your blood pressure status through regular blood pressure meter testing. Internist Nizar A. Tejani, MD of Stockbridge, Georgia, recommends a holistic approach to treating hypertension, the medical name for high blood pressure.

Dr. Tejani may prescribe medication to help reduce the pressure of blood in your arteries, and he strongly recommends adopting lifestyle changes as part of a complete hypertension management plan.

There are some surprisingly effective small changes you can make to help reduce the burden of this condition. Let’s look at five natural ways you can lower your blood pressure.

Attain and sustain your optimal weight

There’s often a connection between extra pounds and high blood pressure. When your body mass climbs above your ideal point, you have more tissue that needs the support of fresh blood for fuel and nourishment.

In turn, your heart works harder, and pressure in your arteries rises. Losing extra pounds and maintaining a healthy body mass delivers the best conditions for controlled blood pressure, though even modest amounts of weight loss can improve your blood pressure readings.

Adjust the menu

A heart-healthy diet featuring fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products provides a tasty way to lower your blood pressure. Consider adopting the DASH eating plan, a food guide designed to aid better blood pressure conditions.

Limiting salt intake is smart, too. While salt doesn’t cause high blood pressure on its own, it can raise existing blood pressure levels. Reducing convenience and processed foods eliminates high levels of hidden salt and sodium.

Stop smoking, reduce alcohol

Tobacco products not only raise your blood pressure, but they also affect the health of blood vessel walls, leading to atherosclerosis. The only safe level of nicotine is none at all.

Excess alcohol intake not only raises blood pressure, it interferes with medications that lower blood pressure. Limiting yourself to less than one drink daily for women or two drinks daily for men is enough to produce measurable results in lower blood pressure.

Build a healthy sleep cycle

Do whatever you need to establish a consistent and reliable sleep cycle, aiming for a minimum of seven hours of sleep nightly. If you have restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, or other challenges related to restful sleep, treatment may be necessary. A solid circadian rhythm is key to your body’s self-healing and stress-control mechanisms.

Manage stress

Stress is more than simply feeling worried or concerned; it’s a physical condition that causes changes in your body's chemistry. Identify your stress triggers and take steps to avoid them. Build time for meditation and relaxation into your days. A few minutes of mindful breathing can often reduce your blood pressure level.

This is just the start. Contact Nizar A. Tejani, MD PC, in Stockbridge, Georgia, for blood pressure testing and diagnosis. Call or click to book your appointment today.