Lower Blood Pressure With These Natural Methods – Heilpraxis

Natural ways to lower blood pressure

Millions of people have a too high arterial pressure. If left untreated, the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and kidney failure increases dramatically. Also blood pressure reduce does not necessarily have to resort to medication, in many cases it can be natural methods to help.

There are two ways to achieve healthy blood pressure levels: lifestyle changes and medication. The cardiologist Dr Luc Laffin explained in a recent contribution from the Cleveland Clinic (USA) how blood pressure can be lowered naturally.

Lifestyle changes

“blood pressure management often consists of 70% lifestyle and 30% medication”Dr. Laffin said. “These measures often have to be combined. If you take blood pressure medication but don’t change your lifestyle, your medication won’t work effectively.

Even small changes to way of life can make a big difference – and over time you can make bigger changes.

Dr. Laffin reviews some of the recommended natural (non-pharmaceutical) changes you can make to lower your blood pressure.

Eat less salt

“Reducing your salt intake is probably the most important way to lower your blood pressure”according to Dr. Laffin. “In fact, studies show that a low sodium diet has the same effect as one and a half to two antihypertensives.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends no more than 1,500 mg (or about one teaspoon) Salt to consume per day. However, because this recommendation is so strict, experts at the Cleveland Clinic set the limit at 2,300 mg.

Sodium is hidden in many foods, so avoiding it can be difficult, but it is possible. salt substitutes like potassium chloride can help. It takes about 10-14 days to adjust to a low sodium diet, then some foods start to taste too salty for you.

Get more potassium

potassium can help lower your blood pressure because it helps your kidneys get rid of excess sodium. And lower sodium levels mean lower blood pressure levels.

Aim to get 3,000 to 3,500 mg of potassium per day by eating the following foods: bananas, tomatoes, avocados, cantaloupe, carrots, grapefruit, kiwi, nectarines, spinach.

There is, however, a big caveat: if you are on a kidney disease be careful not to consume too much potassium as your kidneys may not be able to flush it out.

Try the DASH Diet

the DASH Diet – which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension – is specifically designed to lower blood pressure. In fact, the research on this diet is so positive that it is now recognized as one of the most important non-pharmaceutical measures for controlling high blood pressure.

“The DASH diet is really one balanced dietwhich is rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and can be done in combination with a low sodium diet”explains dr. laffin.

Do some physical activity

movement, especially aerobic activity, is incredibly effective in lowering blood pressure. Exercise “forces” your blood vessels to expand and contract, keeping them flexible. It also increases blood flow and promotes the formation of new blood vessels, among other things.

Other options are dynamic exercises (like bicep curls with weights) and isometric exercises (like wall push-ups).

Don’t worry if your blood pressure is high coaching increase. “Blood pressure increases during exercise, but is significantly lower after exercise”notes Dr. Laffin. “It’s normal.”

Limit alcohol consumption

Drinking alcohol increases the risk of developing high blood pressure. And if you’ve ever been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you can alcohol contribute to the aggravation of this health problem.

Dietary guidelines define “moderate drinking” as two drinks or less per day for men and one drink or less per day for women.

But your height, your weight and your general health play a part in what is safe for you as an individual. Therefore, ask your doctor for a more personal recommendation.

Maintain a healthy weight

As your weight increases, your blood pressure also increases, which means that even a a few pounds can do less to lower your systolic blood pressure.

Although losing weight is never easy, if you do your best to follow steps 1-5 on this list, it will weightloss follow.

Additional Recommendations

Doctor Laffin adds a few more recommendations which he considers important, although there is less evidence of their direct effect on blood pressure.

Stop smoking: Smoking damages your blood vessels, as does high blood pressure.

Ensure adequate quality sleep: “Six to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep a night can prevent high blood pressure and the sharp fluctuations in blood pressure, which we now know are just as dangerous as high blood pressure”Dr. Laffin said.

Reduce your stress: When you’re chronically stressed, you’re more likely to sleep less, exercise less, and make unhealthy food choices.

Finally, Dr. Laffin points out that he criticizes the recommendations for the natural reduction of blood pressure. Often the evidence limit. For example, beware of claims that various foods, spices, herbs, and vitamins can lower your blood pressure.

“If you really want to lower your blood pressure naturally, choose methods that work. proven have”, according to the doctor. (ad)