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10 Natural Ways to Decrease High Blood Pressure

Decrease Your High Blood Pressure Naturally

10 Natural Ways to Decrease High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure refers to the amount of blood that flows through your arteries and the amount of resistance it faces during the pumping of the heart. A narrow artery increases the resistance, which restricts the blood flow and increases the pressure. 

Hypertension generally develops over many years. Generally, there are no symptoms. Hypertension is a silent killer and is known to affect millions all over the world. A high blood pressure puts you at great risk for heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, eye damage, etc. 

Early detection of hypertension is very important. Hence, a regular blood pressure reading can help your physician understand if you are suffering from this health problem. 

Treatment for high blood pressure includes medications and a change in your lifestyle. This issue needs to be treated instantly as it can lead to many other severe health conditions. Let us understand what is high blood pressure.

What is high blood pressure?

Blood pressure is based on the systolic and diastolic blood pressure values. 
The systolic reading is the first number in the reading which also describes the pressure of the blood in your arteries when the heart is beating and pumping blood. 
On the other hand, the diastolic pressure is the second reading and refers to the pressure value in the arteries between 2 heartbeats. 
  • Normal Blood Pressure: A blood pressure value of 120/80 mm Hg or slightly lower is considered as a normal blood pressure
  • Elevated Blood Pressure: A blood pressure value above 120/80 mm Hg is considered elevated. However, this does not require any medications and can be controlled with a few lifestyle changes. 
  • Stage 1 of High Blood Pressure: In this condition, the systolic blood pressure value ranges between 130-140 mm Hg, while the diastolic pressure ranges between 80 and 90 mm Hg. 
  • Stage 2 of High Blood Pressure: Here, the systolic value is higher than 140 mm Hg, while the diastolic value is higher than 90 mm Hg.
  • Critical High Blood Pressure: Here, the systolic blood pressure is above 180 mm Hg, while the diastolic value is more than 120 mm Hg. This condition requires urgent medical treatment and display some symptoms of high blood pressure. 

Symptoms of High Blood Pressure:

Though hypertension is a silent killer, it presents some symptoms during its critical stage. These include:
  • Dizziness,
  • Shortness of Breath
  • Headaches
  • Flushing of the skin
  • Nose Bleeding
  • Presence of blood in the urine
  • Chest Pains
If these symptoms are noted, you may need urgent medical attention. The only way to monitor your blood pressure is to take regular blood pressure readings. Furthermore, if you have a family history of high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, etc., you need to regularly monitor your blood pressure. 

Increased blood pressure spells the intake of many medications for people suffering from this problem. However, undergoing a few lifestyle changes can decrease your dependence on the medicines and help you control your blood pressure. These healthy lifestyle choices can also be implemented by those people who show a normal blood pressure currently but wish to avoid hypertension in future. 

Let us look at 10 Natural Ways to Decrease Your High Blood Pressure

1. Have a healthy diet

Diet plays a significant role to lower blood pressure. Increase the intake of fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and vegetables in the daily diet can help reduce blood pressure. Also, stay away from processed foods which are rich in saturated fats. Keeping a daily food log can help you understand what you are eating daily and help you understand your body better.

2. Reduce Salt and increase potassium in the diet

Salt, per se, is not the problem, but its chemical component, sodium, causes trouble for people with blood pressure. Sodium, when taken in large doses, causes a fluid imbalance in the body, which decreases the ability of the kidneys to eliminate this water. This further exerts a lot of strain on the blood vessels leading to the kidneys. 

Salt leads to fluid retention in the body, which increases blood pressure. Salt is present in vast quantities in the processed foods that we consume like chips, canned meats and fish, sauces, salad dressing, cured meats, etc. So, a control on the daily intake of salt would go a long way to lower blood pressure.

Potassium is needed to balance the excess amount of sodium in the cells. Hence, it prevents sodium retention in your body. So, if you eat a diet rich in sodium but poor in potassium could make you more prone to high blood pressure. You can obtain potassium by eating foods like potatoes/sweet potatoes, peas, bananas, cooked spinach, broccoli, etc. 

3. Exercise: 

Along with dietary changes, exercise plays a significant role to reduce the blood pressure in the body. A sedentary lifestyle spells doom for everyone, especially for people with blood pressure! The heart is made of muscle and muscle can be strengthened by regular exercise, thus keep it strong, healthy and working effortlessly. 

4. Garlic:

Garlic is one of the wonder drugs that work against many ailments of the body, primarily hypertension. Regular consumption of garlic or tablets containing the chemical component of garlic, allicin, can help you reduce blood pressure naturally. 
10 Natural Ways to Decrease High Blood Pressure
Garlic lowers high blood pressure


5. Celery:

Studies have shown that intake of celery in your diet can help you, especially if you are suffering from hypertension. There are more than 20 different chemicals present in celery, including a compound called apigenin. In fact, the name ‘apigenin’ is derived from the Latin name of celery, i.e., Apium graveolens. This is a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound that reduces blood pressure and related ailments 

6. Hibiscus

Hibiscus tea or other hibiscus supplements are known to reduce blood pressure naturally. Hibiscus has diuretic properties, which help it to flush out excess sodium from the body and reduce the pressure on the heart.
10 Natural Ways to Decrease High Blood Pressure
Hibiscus is a diuretic

7. Reduce the intake of caffeine and quit smoking

Studies show that nicotine and caffeine immediately increase the blood pressure of the body, within minutes of intake. So, a decrease in these chemicals would reduce your hypertension and keep your heart strong and functioning for a long time!

8. Eat a melon in the morning

The summer fruit, watermelon, contains a chemical known as citrulline, which after consumption is converted to the amino acid L-arginine in the body. This amino acid leads to the formation of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a chemical that helps increase the size of blood vessels and indirectly reduces the pressure on the heart.
10 Natural Ways to Decrease High Blood Pressure
Eat a slice of watermelon in the mornings 

9. Intake of cinnamon

This tasty flavouring, when consumed along with increased magnesium supplements, diet and changes in lifestyle, works to reduce high blood pressure in people. It is especially beneficial to diabetic people suffering from high BP. 

10. Cardamom

Cardamom is another seasoning that has known antioxidating properties. This spice lowers the free reactive radicals in the blood, which decreases the pressure on the heart. Include cardamom in daily diet by making a tea or sprinkling it on soups or baked foods.
10 Natural Ways to Decrease High Blood Pressure
Cardamom is an antioxidant


Bottom Line: 

Our fast-paced lives have led to many health complications like Hypertension. High blood pressure is responsible for many severe health issues like heart attacks, strokes, renal failure, etc., and needs to be monitored regularly. Though high blood pressure is very common in adult, it is also seen in children. Therefore, it is always advisable to encourage your kids to have a healthy lifestyle, filled with physical exercises and a good diet. Use these natural methods to decrease your high blood pressure in your regular routine to live a disease-free life!

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