How to Take Control of Your Blood Pressure: #8 is the Easiest

High blood pressure affects one billion people around the world. It might include you. And if you have high blood pressure, you should have it checked immediately. Keep in mind that if left uncontrolled, it could increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Read: What Herbal Tea is Good for High Blood Pressure?

Thankfully, many natural remedies can lower blood pressure. In that case, you can regulate it without medication. However, if you’re already taking prescription drugs for hypertension, you must not stop using them unless your prescribing physical told you so.

Which Natural Remedies Lower Blood Pressure and Reduce Risk of Stroke? 

1) Exercise Regularly to Make Heart More Efficient at Pumping Blood 

It’s a no-brainer.

Exercise is good for any type of disease, including high blood pressure. Any form of exercise can make your heart more efficient at pumping blood, thereby, lowering the pressure in the arteries.

There’s no need to follow extreme exercise. Walking for 30 minutes per day can effectively help in lowering your blood pressure.

Doing more exercises can further reduce your blood pressure.

2) Stop Drinking Alcohol as Alcohol Raises Blood Pressure 

According to this article: 

“The regular consumption of alcohol elevates blood pressure, with global estimates that the attributable risk for hypertensive disease from alcohol is 16%.”

Indeed, some studies suggested that drinking alcohol moderately may protect the heart. However, the benefits are nothing compared to its adverse effects.

You can drink less alcohol to help lower your blood pressure. But it’s better to just stop drinking it.

Read: Are Aloe Vera Drinks Good for You?

3) Reduce Caffeine Consumption If You’re Caffeine-Sensitive 

There’s not enough evidence to prove that drinking coffee every day can lead to a lasting increase in your blood pressure. However, a cup of Java can indeed cause an instant boost.

Some people who are drinking caffeinated beverages tend to have a lower risk of heart disease than those who don’t drink coffee or tea.

Caffeine can have a strong effect on some people. If you think that you are highly sensitive to caffeine, you should reduce your caffeine consumption to help in lowering your blood pressure.

Read: Are Caffeine Pills Good?

4) Quit Smoking to Lower Risk Factor for Heart Disease 

Every puff of smoke can cause an increase in blood pressure. Cigarettes contain harmful chemicals that can damage blood vessels.

There’s no conclusive link between hypertension and smoking. Even so, smoking can increase the risk of heart disease.

So, if you stop smoking, you’re cutting your risk of developing a heart condition.

5) Lose Weight to Significantly Lower Blood Pressure

If you’re overweight, losing weight can significantly improve your heart health.

“Weight loss more than 5% significantly reduced workplace hypertension, while gaining weight increased its likelihood.” National Library of Medicine

When you lose weight, you’re helping your blood vessels in doing their job of contracting and expanding. In that case, it makes it easier for the heart to pump blood.

6) Manage Stress 

One of the drivers of hypertension is stress. And if you’re chronically stressed, you’re always in fight-or-flight mode.

It means that you always experience faster heart rate and constricted blood vessels.

There are many ways to reduce stress to help in lowering blood pressure.

You may listen to soothing music, like Mozart. Choose calming music to relax your nervous system.

Try to practice meditation and deep breathing. They can activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which is engaged when your body relaxes. This system also slows the heart rate while lowering blood pressure.

There’s no specific style of meditation that can offer more benefits in lowering blood pressure. It means that any style of deep breathing or meditation can help in lowering your blood pressure as it can slow down your heart rate.

You may also try guided meditation when you feel stressed.

7) Choose to Eat More Foods High in Magnesium 

Magnesium is a vital mineral that can relax blood vessels. Unfortunately, many people don’t get a sufficient amount of magnesium every day.

If you get little magnesium, you may suffer from high blood pressure. However, no evidence can provide a conclusive link between these two.

Start adding magnesium into your diet by eating dairy products, whole grains, and meat. You may also take a magnesium supplement.

8) Have a Piece of Dark Chocolate Every day

Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids, which can dilate blood vessels.

However, it doesn’t mean that you have to chow down massive amounts of dark chocolate. It won’t help your blood pressure or your heart.

But make sure that you eat dark chocolate with no added sugars.

If you wish to drink cocoa powder, make sure that it’s non-alkalized.

9) Consume Berries Regularly 

They are juicy and they are full of polyphenols, which are good for the heart.

In that case, eating berries every day can significantly reduce your risk of stroke and heart conditions.

It also improves your blood pressure, systemic inflammation, and insulin resistance.

Conclusion 

Which natural remedies lower blood pressure? Try these 9 techniques in controlling your blood pressure, thereby, lowering the risk of heart disease.