The American Heart Association puts the number of Americans living with high blood pressure at around 103 million. That is just under one-third of the population. High blood pressure or hypertension can trigger a wide range of serious health ailments including kidney disease, stroke or heart disease. This is what it is important to keep your blood pressure within recommended levels. In chronic cases, your doctor might prescribe medication to lower your blood pressure but those prescriptions can often come with the risk of side effects. The good news is that there are effective ways to lower your blood pressure without medications. You should find out from your doctor if any of these methods can help with your BP:
Lose Weight
According to studies conducted by the Mayo Clinic, for every 2 pounds of weight that you can drop off, you can lower your blood pressure by 1 millimeter. Imagine what dropping 20 pounds can do for your BP?
Exercise
Your pathway to losing weight goes through a solid exercise plan. That should include around 150 minutes a week of some combination of cardio like walking, swimming or cycling, and strength training. Three trips to the gym and taking the stairs instead of the elevator are a good start.
Eat Better
The perfect equation to help lower your blood pressure is less sodium and more fruit and veggies. You should probably banish the salt shaker from your dinner table. While you’re at it, try to cook fresh meals versus packaged dinners. That will always be the healthier option.
Stop Smoking
Smoking has been shown to spike a temporary rise in blood pressure. When you factor in other concerns like weight and salt intake, then those “spikes” can become a genuine problem. Smoking also increases the risk of building up plaque in your arteries.
Reduce Stress
Calm down. All that stress you create can have a major impact on your health and it won’t be positive. Reducing stress means taking a proactive approach to recognize the triggers and find ways to combat those feelings when your “blood begins to boil.” Yoga, meditation, and journaling are all good methods for reducing your stress level.
