mojatu .com
24 Health & Food
15 Natural Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure
By Kerri-Ann Jennings, MS, RD
High blood pressure is a dangerous condition that can damage your heart. It affects one in three people in
the US and 1 billion people worldwide. If left uncontrolled, it raises your risk of heart disease and stroke.
But there’s good news. There are a number of things you can do to lower your blood pressure naturally,
even without medication. Here are 15 natural ways to combat high blood pressure.
1. Walk and Exercise Regularly
Exercise is one of the best things you can do to lower high blood pressure. Regular exercise helps make your
heart stronger and more efficient at pumping blood, which lowers the pressure in your arteries. In fact, 150
minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, such as running, per week
can help lower blood pressure and improve your heart health.
Bottom Line:
Walking just 30 minutes a day can help lower your blood pressure. More
exercise helps reduce it even further.
2. Reduce Your Sodium Intake
Salt intake is high around the world. In large part, this is due to processed and prepared foods. Salt has been
linked to high blood pressure and heart events, like stroke. However, more recent research has shown that
the relationship between sodium and high blood pressure may be less clear. One reason for this may be
genetic differences between how people process sodium.
If you already have high blood pressure, it’s worth cutting back your sodium intake to see if it makes a difference.
Swap out processed foods with fresh ones and try seasoning with herbs and spices, rather than salt.
Bottom Line:
Most guidelines for lowering blood pressure recommend lowering sodium
intake. However, that recommendation might make the most sense for people
who are salt-sensitive.
3. Drink Less Alcohol
Drinking alcohol can raise blood pressure. Alcohol is linked to 16% of high blood pressure cases around the
world. While some research has suggested that low-to-moderate amounts of alcohol may protect the heart,
those benefits may be offset by negative effects.
Bottom Line:
Drinking alcohol in any quantity may raise your blood pressure. Limit your
drinking to no more than one drink a day for women, two for men.