"Anyone who has hypertension should be encouraged to cooperate with their doctors and try various things that may help lower blood pressure without the use of pharmacologic agents (drugs)," said Matthew Burg, PhD, a professor from Columbia University Medical Center in New York .
Here are 10 inexpensive and natural ways to lower blood pressure without having to use drugs:
1. Sports By exercising 30 minutes a day, you can lower blood pressure significantly, said Gerald Fletcher, MD, a cardiologist from the Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla., as well as spokesman for the American Heart Association.
"Try aerobic exercises to reduce your systolic blood pressure," said Fletcher. He added, people who are physically active can usually reduce the consumption amount of intake of hypertensive medication. To support it, choose the type of activities that you like such as, walking, running, swimming or cycling.
2. Eating bananas you probably know that eating too much salt can increase blood pressure, but most people do not realize the benefits of potassium - a substance that can counteract the adverse effects of sodium.
According to the study of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, those with hypertension should be sufficient for the amount of potassium in their diet. Adults should get at least 4,700 milligrams per day. As for the few food sources rich in potassium such as banana (422 milligrams), a baked potato with skin (738 milligrams), orange juice (496 milligrams per cup), and nonfat yogurt or low fat (531-579 milligrams per 8 ounces).
3. Reduce your intake of salt People with normal blood pressure, high enough, and hypertension can substantially reduce their blood pressure by cutting salt intake. Dietary guidelines recommend that people with hypertension should limit their salt intake of less than 1,500 milligrams (600 milligrams of sodium) a day.
4. Stop smoking Smokers are the groups most at high risk for hypertension. The content of tobacco and nicotine in cigarettes can cause a temporary spike in blood pressure, although the cigarette itself is not the sole cause of chronic hypertension. Quitting smoking can help you lower your blood pressure slightly. And, of course, other health benefits are countless, says Fletcher.
5. Lose weight Consistently studies show that, just a little weight loss, can have a big impact on your blood pressure. Excess weight makes the heart work harder. This extra pressure can eventually lead to hypertension. Meanwhile, with the weight cut the heart's workload will be much lighter.
6. Reduce alcohol consumption alcohol in moderation - no more than one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men - has heart health benefits. But in some people, drinking too much can increase blood pressure. Research shows that consuming alcohol more than two drinks a day can increase the risk of hypertension for men and women.
7. Manage stress
Effectively manage stress can help reduce blood pressure, but unfortunately, there is no research that offers step by step to reduce stress levels in all people, said Burg.
"There are a number of ways that have been developed as a practice to induce a state of relaxation. But how good and true, it remains to be answered in clinical trials," he said.However, Burg recommends that people with hypertension should be able to conduct stress management and practice consistently.
8. Yoga Yoga is the best way to cope with stress. A new study in India found that yoga breathing exercises reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension - where the work affects the autonomic nervous system effects - by regulating heart rate, digestion, and other functions.
9. Stay away from caffeine coffee has some health benefits, but not to lower blood pressure. In the short term caffeine can trigger a spike in blood pressure, even in people without hypertension.
If you have high blood pressure, the best thing to do is to limit intake of caffeine (about two cups of coffee per day). You can check if you are sensitive to caffeine or not by checking the blood pressure before and half an hour after consuming caffeinated beverages. If it increases by 5 or 10 points, you mean sensitive to caffeine.
10. Meditation Meditation - whether it involves singing, breathing, visualization - can be an effective stress management tool for many people, said Burg. Once again, the important thing is that it makes you feel good, and you can commit to do it consistently.
