If you’re one of those people who likes to take a proactive approach to health, you might have considered Lower Blood Pressure without Medication.
While you should check with a doctor for serious blood pressure problems, there are ways you can naturally help your blood pressure in your day-to-day life. These practices use things readily available to you to target blood-pressure problems and get yourself on track to better health. High blood pressure is especially dangerous for those older than 65.
So, without further ado, here are a few ways to lower your blood pressure without any medication.
Table of Contents
Watch Your Weight
Listen to your doctors when they talk about your weight. While you may feel fine about your plus-sized body (as you should), you also must keep in mind that a higher weight can lead to serious health issues. One of these issues is higher blood pressure.
Weight loss has been shown to be one of the most efficient methods for lowering blood pressure and improving your personal health. The effects are noticeable. For example, the average person will reduce their blood pressure by 1 mm Hg for every 2.2 pounds of weight they lose. That’s nothing to scoff at.
Being too skinny is a problem- make no mistake. But if you are at an unhealthy weight, losing some of those pounds can be the best way to get you on track to better health.
Strangely enough, carrying weight around the waist has also shown to be a significant contributor to high blood pressure. Higher body fat and higher blood pressure increase the risk for developing diseases like diabetes, which affects marginalized communities at a disproportional rate because of this. A few general rules of thumb for risky waistline measurements are as follows:
Men should try to keep their waistlines below 40 inches. Having a waistline smaller than this will help keep your blood pressure regulated. As for women, the key is to keep your waistline below 35 inches.
To get a clearer picture about waistline health, you should inquire with a professional- like a doctor or a dietician. We call these measurements ‘rules of thumb’ because they will not be the same for everyone. People can differ in healthy waistline measurements based on ethnicity and a host of other factors. Only a professional can truly judge what is healthy for you.
Reduce Sodium Intake
True, those salty chips are delicious, but they could be wreaking havoc on your blood pressure.
This is possibly one of the most troubling areas for people looking to improve their blood pressure situation. This is because so many foods contain high amounts of sodium without our even knowing it. Some perpetrators are canned food, processed food, fast food, and restaurant food.
To get a good picture of how much sodium is in your diet, make sure you read food labels. Nutrition labels will have exact measurements of sodium in a variety of foods and will give you a good picture of how much sodium you are taking in and how much you can take out.
You also might try skipping the saltshaker next time you have a meal. Salt contains sodium, and heavily salted foods are one of the primary perpetrators in sodium-related blood pressure issues.
Eating more natural foods can also take some of the sodium out of your diet. Try your best to stay away from anything pre-prepared. We know that it can be hard, especially when you are so often rushing from one place to the next, with little to no time on your hands to get things done. One popular diet in 2021 is called the Mediterranean diet and it has been linked to increased health and life-longevity.
Meal-prepping can be a great way to get your meals sorted out for the week and keep your sodium low. With just a couple of hours, you can prep a variety of meals with healthy sodium contents.
Cut Down or Stop Smoking
We’re not telling you must go cold-turkey, but stopping smoking is probably the best way for a smoker to decrease their blood pressure. Not only does smoking improve hypertension, but also improves overall cardiovascular health.
We know you have heard the ads that portray smoking as a form of poison, and they’re not too far off. We won’t put it lightly- smoking is terrible for your blood pressure and for your body all around.
Try easing into it- cut down gradually. Getting those harmful chemicals out of your system is a spectacular way to get your body on track to a healthier future. Your body and your doctor will thank you.
Cut Down on Stress
Here is one you’ve probably already heard. Managing stress is a great suggestion, but easier said than done. How can you cut down on stress in a world filled with all sorts of pesky errands and people to please?
Well, we’ll admit it- it’s not easy. One way to accomplish this is to take steps to solve the little issues. First, try to narrow down on the problems you can solve. Getting little issues out of the way will give you a sense of accomplishment, and also help to get things off your mind.
