Get Enough Exercise
Research indicates that both aerobic and resistance exercises can help delay or manage high blood pressure. Post-exercise, blood pressure may remain lower for up to 24 hours.
Regular physical activity, which involves increasing your heart and breathing rates, strengthens your heart over time, allowing it to pump more efficiently. This reduces pressure on your arteries and lowers your blood pressure.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise per week, which translates to about 30 minutes a day, five times a week. For children and teens, the CDC recommends 1 hour of exercise each day.
Manage Weight
Excess body weight places additional strain on the heart and cardiovascular system, potentially raising blood pressure.
If your body mass index (BMI) is 25 or higher, losing 5 to 10 pounds can help lower your blood pressure and reduce the risk of other health problems.
The three key strategies for achieving this are:
- Increasing physical activity
- Reducing calorie intake
- Eating a healthy, balanced diet
Cut Back on Sugar and Refined Carbohydrates
Reducing your intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates can aid in weight loss and lower your blood pressure.
A 2020 study compared the effects of various popular diets on weight and cardiovascular risk. Individuals with overweight or obesity who followed low-carb and low-fat diets experienced an average reduction of about 5 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure and 3 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure after six months.
More Potassium, Less Salt
Increasing your potassium intake while cutting back on salt can help lower your blood pressure.
High salt intake is linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, while reducing salt consumption can lower it. Although the exact mechanism is not fully understood, water retention and inflammation in the blood vessels may play a role.
Potassium helps the body eliminate salt and eases tension in your blood vessels.
Foods high in potassium include:
- Dried fruit, such as apricots and prunes
- Milk and yogurt
- Lentils and kidney beans
- Vegetables, such as potatoes, tomatoes, and spinach
However, a high potassium intake may be harmful to individuals with kidney disease. Consult your doctor before increasing your potassium intake.
Follow a Heart-Healthy Diet
The National Institutes of Health recommend the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet as a heart-healthy option. The DASH diet emphasizes:
- Eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
- Consuming low or zero-fat dairy products
- Choosing fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and vegetable oils
- Limiting foods that are high in saturated fats and added sugars
Limit Processed Foods
Processed foods are often high in salt, added sugars, and unhealthy fats, all of which can contribute to weight gain and high blood pressure. Examples include:
- Processed meats
- Many fast or fried foods
- Packaged snacks
Even foods labeled as low fat may be high in salt and sugar to compensate for the loss of flavor that fat provides. Fat is an essential component that gives food taste and helps you feel full.
Reducing your intake of processed foods will help you consume less salt, sugar, and refined carbohydrates. This can result in lower blood pressure.
Managing Stress
Finding effective ways to manage stress is crucial for your overall health, including maintaining healthy blood pressure levels.
Stress relief methods vary from person to person but may include:
- Practicing deep breathing
- Taking a walk
- Reading a book
- Listening to music
- Engaging in mindfulness
- Practicing meditation
Quit or Avoid Smoking
Smoking has detrimental effects on your general health, including your blood pressure.
In the long term, the chemicals in tobacco can elevate your blood pressure by:
- Damaging your blood vessel walls
- Causing inflammation
- Narrowing your arteries
These conditions lead to hardened arteries, which result in higher blood pressure.
Furthermore, the chemicals in tobacco can affect your blood vessels even if you’re exposed to secondhand smoke.
Eat Some Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate typically contains 70–85% cacao.
Cacao contains flavonoids, antioxidants that may help lower blood pressure by dilating or widening your blood vessels.
However, the American Heart Association notes that while eating a little dark chocolate is unlikely to be harmful, the amount a person is likely to consume daily may not provide enough flavonoids to yield significant health benefits.
Try These Medicinal Herbs
Some herbal medicines may help lower blood pressure. However, more research is needed to identify the most effective doses and components within these herbs.
Herbs and plants that are commonly believed to help lower blood pressure include:
- Black bean (Castanospermum australe)
- Cat’s claw (Uncaria rhynchophylla)
- Celery juice (Apium graveolens)
- Chinese hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida)
- Ginger root
- Giant dodder (Cuscuta reflexa)
- Indian plantago (blond psyllium)
- Maritime pine bark (Pinus pinaster)
- River lily (Crinum glaucum)
- Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
- Sesame oil (Sesamum indicum)
- Tomato extract (Lycopersicon esculentum)
- Tea (Camellia sinensis), especially green tea and oolong tea
- Umbrella tree bark (Musanga cecropioides)
There is not enough evidence to confirm that herbal remedies can effectively manage blood pressure.
Always consult with your doctor or pharmacist before taking herbal supplements, as they may interfere with your prescription medications.