10 Natural Ways to Curb Your Blood Pressure

The modern lifestyle along with several conveniences has brought along a few boons. We are often rushed, yet we feel a lot is left to be done. We look for easier ways of doing things - this sometimes includes reaching for ready to cook meals and snacking on processed foods for that sudden boost of energy. We sit in front of our monitors for long hours. All this eventually takes a toll on our health. Alleviated blood pressure levels, type-2 diabetes, obesity, cholesterol problems and what not have become very common. The medications for such problems and not to mention the hole that the doctor’s bills leave in our pockets are an entirely different story.

This is a guest post by Alvina Adam, a health and wellness enthusiast. We hope that you find it enjoyable and informative.

Most of these problems can be tackled very easily, take for instance blood pressure. Too much stress and high levels of sodium are two main culprits behind high blood pressure. Did you know you can easily bring down your blood pressure by incorporating a few lifestyle and dietary changes? This blog gives you some home remedies for blood pressure and some other natural ways which can help you easily curb your blood pressure levels.

1. Become More Active

You will find that those living in villages or mountainous regions are less likely to suffer from hypertension or high blood pressure as compared to those living in the cities. The reason is simple, difference in lifestyle choices. If you are suffering from high blood pressure simply, become active. If you are taking blood pressure medications start exercising for 30 minutes a day, you will see a significant drop in your blood pressure within a span of two to three months. Power-walks have become very popular recently and no matter what your fitness level you can start by walking at least five days a week and gradually work on your pace and the distance you cover in those 30 minutes.

2. Eliminate Refined Table Salt

Health professionals recommend no more than 1500 mg of salt or sodium per day, which is actually half of what most of us consume every day. The main culprit behind large intake of salt being processed foods. This includes chips, half cooked meals, readymade gravies and even some cereals. Overtime salt accumulation increases our chances of getting strokes and also keeps you from losing weight despite all your efforts. Replace refined table salt with a healthier unprocessed salt such as Celtic Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt, and use moderately. These salts haven’t had their minerals stripped.

3. Quit Smoking

If you already haven’t, this is just another reason to do so right now. The nicotine in cigarettes can increase your blood pressure instantly. Though smoking isn’t directly a cause of chronic blood pressure but it oxidizes your internal organs such as your heart, lungs and liver. This speeds the process of ageing and your heart is under more stress to pump blood, this leads to high levels of blood pressure eventually. Other side effects of smoking such as low stamina, being unable to exercise, leads to poor heart health and high levels of cholesterol are all major contributors towards high blood pressure.

4. Increase your Potassium Intake

Potassium is very beneficial for us - one of the main roles this mineral plays is that it counter attacks the dreadful effects of sodium in our bodies. If you are trying to lower your blood pressure levels make sure you have as much potassium as you can daily. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium. Some other potassium packed foods are kidney beans, honey dew melons and prunes. Most of these foods are also a rich source of dietary fibre and will also help in maintaining a healthy weight.

5. Have Chocolate for Dessert

Ok, so who doesn’t love chocolate? We give you another reason to love it! It contains flavonoids, which increase the elasticity of your blood vessels. This not only strengthens them but also helps in better circulation of blood. It is the cocoa in chocolate which is responsible for this. But we aren’t just talking about any chocolate here. You can get this benefit from high quality dark chocolate only, which has at least 70% cocoa content.

6. Cut Down on Coffee

Some of us can’t function without having our first cup of coffee. So what is it in coffee which gives us that burst of energy? The caffeine energizes us by tightening our blood vessels and we feel more energized, but unfortunately when this happens our heart experiences more stress as it has to work harder. You do feel more energized, but over time it can lead to high blood pressure. Regular intake of 3-4 cups of coffee a day can increase your blood pressure levels significantly, so start cutting down on coffee gradually.

7. Sip on Herbal Tea

Tea is beneficial for you in a number of ways. Tea can cut down your cholesterol - it is antioxidant, boosts your metabolism and makes you feel refreshed and energized. Although caffeine content of tea is much lower as compared to coffee but it is just enough to provide you with some instant energy. Green or white tea is particularly high in detoxifying properties and helps in lowering your cholesterol levels. Hibiscus and chamomile tea are also excellent options as they help you in releasing your every day stress and are very beneficial for lowering your blood pressure.

8. Lose Some Weight

Obesity leads to a number of diseases, one of them being high blood pressure. Not necessarily, but most of the time, people diagnosed with high blood pressure tend to be overweight. If you aren’t at a healthy weight, then work on losing some. As your weight increases, your heart is constantly overstressed, because it has to work very hard around the clock to pump blood to all your organs. This can lead to several heart diseases and high blood pressure. Practice aerobic exercises like swimming, walking and cycling, or whatever it is you enjoy doing. You won’t only lose weight but also become healthier overall.

9. Sip on Wine

Yes, wine is actually good for you but when taken in small amounts. Organic, sulfite free, Red wine particularly in rich in antioxidant called “phenols”. Wine and beer also increase our insulin tolerance levels, this prevents blood from clotting. Blood clots are a major cause for strokes, heart problems and high blood pressure. Alcohol also de-stresses. However, keep in mind the key here is moderations!

10. De-Stress

This is something which would require conscious effort everyday, but trust us once you start to reap from the benefits of de-stressing consciously you will be taking out time for yourself every day. Everyday give at least 20 minutes to yourself. Deep breathing is an excellent way to calm yourself down. If you have never tried meditating or yoga give it a shot right now. Some people find listening to classical music relaxing, while for others reading might do the trick. Just make sure when you are doing this there are no distractions such as your mobile phone or anything else around. Remember stress is a major contributor towards high blood pressure.

These natural ways to curb your blood pressure will give you very good results in the long run. You can very easily bring your blood pressure down by making these small changes in your life style. Though it might take a while to show results and all these all natural remedies require a bit of dedication but they are all better than blood pressure medications and their ghastly side-effects.

About the Author: Alvina Adam is Senior Writer for OLWOMEN.com, an avid reader, fashion and make up enthusiast who simply lives to write and talk about all kinds of stuff. Focusing on Fat burning foods especially for women to lose inner thigh fat!

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