6 Natural Ways to Treat High Blood Pressure

Statistics show that about one in three Americans suffers from high blood pressure or hypertension. Known as the ‘silent killer,’ hypertension is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke – two of the leading causes of death in the United States.

If you have been diagnosed with hypertension, there’s no need to start pill-popping right away. There are natural ways you can try to alleviate your condition. Six of them are discussed below.

1. Lose weight

Losing between five and 10 pounds can make a world of difference to your blood pressure and heart health if you are overweight. Losing a few inches will also help reduce your risk of suffering from other health conditions like type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, and fatty liver.

2. Move some more

The health benefits of regular physical activity or exercise are widely known. Aside from helping improve your cardiovascular health, toning your body and helping you lose weight, exercise helps lower blood pressure. And you don’t even need to go to the gym or run marathons to get these benefits. You can simply integrate more movement into your every day by walking more, taking the stairs, biking to work, gardening, and doing vigorous household chores.

3. Avoid sugar, refined carbs, sodium, and processed food

Cutting out processed food and refined carbs as well as added sugar has been known to greatly aid in weight loss and lowering blood pressure. So, steer clear of packaged goodies and treats, sugar-laden products, and fast food. Better yet, to know exactly what you are eating, start preparing your own meals. This way, you not only control your sugar and carb intake but also reduce your sodium intake.

4. Stop smoking

Smoking is one of the few human activities that immediately (albeit temporarily) increases blood pressure and the heart rate. However, in the long term, it can cause serious damage to the blood vessel walls, narrow the arteries, and cause inflammation.

5. Manage stress

Stress is part of our day-to-day. A little of it can help us do better in temporary stressful situations such as delivering the annual report, getting a job interview, or speaking before a crowd.

Chronic stress, however, can seriously damage your health – and it contributes to hypertension, among other things. This is why you need to find ways of managing it. Learn to meditate, take slow, deep breaths, get a massage, take a stroll around the neighborhood, watch your favorite funny film, or read a book. Make sure you always get adequate sleep, learn to relax, and take each day as it comes.

6. Consume blood pressure-lowering foods

There is a wide variety of foods that you can eat to help lower your blood pressure. These include:

• Dark chocolate
• Leafy greens
• Oatmeal
• Bananas
• Red beets
• Fatty fish
• Garlic
• Pistachios
• Blueberries

There are also certain drinks that lower blood pressure such as green tea, and our specially formulated 120/Life beverage. It contains pomegranate, cranberry, hibiscus, tart cherry, beetroot, and magnesium. You can drink it straight from the bottle, or mix it into smoothies or your favorite juice drink.

Here’s to a healthier you!

Even if you’re already taking medication, applying these simple lifestyle and dietary changes can have a significant beneficial impact on your overall health, not just on your blood pressure.

Be sure to monitor your blood pressure as you follow these tips, and check with your doctor if they can reduce your medication once you start feeling the benefits of these natural health hacks.