Just had a routine medical check-up and were surprised by an excessively high blood pressure number? Do not worry. In fact, this number can be lowered as far as you are willing to make improvements to your diet and lifestyle. However, if you have already received a diagnosis of hypertension, you should immediately consult a doctor to get appropriate treatment recommendations. Read this article to get more information, yes!
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Part 1 of 3: Improving Your Diet
Step 1. Adopt a healthy and balanced diet
A diet rich in whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and dairy products can lower blood pressure by as much as 14mmHg, especially if you are limiting your intake of saturated fat and cholesterol at the same time.
- Dietary changes are generally the first step that must be taken to lower blood pressure numbers. If you only focus on maintaining a balanced intake, the effects should be felt gradually over a long period of time. However, if your focus is on eating foods that are known to promote weight loss, and balancing improved diet with lifestyle and activity changes, your blood pressure should be significantly reduced in less time.
- After successfully lowering blood pressure to the ideal number, you may return to eating candy or cookies in small portions. However, you should stick to the recommended diet rules to keep blood pressure at a reasonable number.
Step 2. Stop consuming salt
Sodium (Na) is one type of substance that can increase blood pressure quickly. In fact, lowering sodium levels in the body, no matter how small the number, can reduce your blood pressure by 2-8 mmHG!
- Limit your daily sodium intake to 2,300 mg or less. If you are over 51 years of age, or if you have a medical disorder that increases your risk of high blood pressure, reduce the limit to 1,500 mg per day.
- Read the labels on processed food packaging again to find out the salt content in them.
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If you want to spice things up, use a variety of herbs as natural flavours. Several types of natural herbs and spices can actually help lower your blood pressure, you know.
- Cayenne pepper dilates blood vessels and improves blood flow.
- Turmeric can reduce inflammation throughout your body. As a result, cardiovascular function will improve, and your blood pressure will decrease significantly.
- Garlic can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Step 3. Limit or stop alcohol consumption
If consumed in small amounts, alcohol can actually help lower your blood pressure. However, the positive impact will disappear after you consume 2 glasses of alcohol in small portions! In other words, consuming alcohol in excess will actually increase your blood pressure.
- For men and women over the age of 35, limit consumption of fermented wine or other beverages with a similar alcohol content to one drink per day. Meanwhile, for adults over the age of 65, this limit can be increased to two drinks per day.
- To facilitate the monitoring process, understand that one glass of alcoholic beverage is equivalent to 355 ml of beer, 148 ml of fermented wine, or 45 ml of 80-proof liquor (40% alcohol content).
- Again, if consumed in moderation, fermented wine and other alcoholic beverages can lower your blood pressure by 2-4 mmHg.
- However, understand that this method is only effective for those of you who do consume alcohol regularly. In other words, the results are less visible and even more risky for those of you who are not accustomed to consuming alcohol.
- Consuming large amounts of alcohol can reduce the effectiveness of drugs to lower blood pressure, you know!
- If you're having trouble keeping your alcohol intake to a minimum, it's best to try to completely break the habit.
Step 4. Drink milk
Milk is one type of drink that is very rich in calcium and potassium, two nutrients that are claimed to be very closely related to the potential for lowering blood pressure. In addition, dairy products also contain vitamin D which may also be able to lower your blood pressure.
- Consult the right type of milk (low or high fat) to the doctor. High-fat milk is actually able to lower blood pressure more effectively than low-fat or non-fat milk. However, do not rush to consume it because high-fat milk also contains other health risks! One of them, high-fat milk contains palmitic acid which, according to some studies, can block the signal responsible for relaxing blood vessels. As a result, your blood vessels will remain constricted and your blood pressure may not decrease after consuming it.
- Because high-fat milk is also very high in calories, you should not consume it if you are overweight or obese. Remember, being overweight will also increase the risk of increasing blood pressure and thwarting all the efforts you have made. Therefore, try to consult a doctor before consuming any type of milk.
Step 5. Drink hibiscus tea
Consuming herbal tea containing hibiscus as much as three glasses per day is effective in lowering your blood pressure drastically and quickly, you know!
- Brew the tea for six minutes before consuming it cold or warm.
- If you only consume hibiscus tea three times a day without applying any other method, your systolic blood pressure number should decrease by 7 mmHg within six weeks.
- Hibiscus tea contains anthocyanins and other antioxidants that can strengthen blood vessels and protect them from potential constriction. As a result, your blood pressure can be reduced after consuming it.
- If you are taking drugs to lower cholesterol levels, such as simvastatin, do not forget to first consult the possibility of consuming hibiscus tea with your doctor.
Step 6. Drink a glass of cranberry juice
A glass of cranberry juice which is very low in calories actually has as much effectiveness as a glass of fermented red wine in lowering your blood pressure.
Cranberry juice contains antioxidants known as proanthocyanidins. These substances are able to prevent the production of ET-1, which is a component known to clog blood vessels and increase blood pressure in a person's body
Step 7. Increase consumption of fruits and vegetables that can lower blood pressure
Eating fruits and vegetables is important for maintaining your general health. However, did you know that they are also very effective in lowering blood pressure numbers?
- Try eating kiwi. In a study conducted by the American Heart Association, it was found that consuming three kiwifruits daily for a maximum of eight weeks was effective in lowering a person's systolic blood pressure, mainly because kiwis are very rich in an antioxidant known as lutein.
- Enjoy a slice of watermelon. Watermelon is one type of fruit that is very rich in fiber, lycopene, vitamin A, and potassium. All these nutrients are known to have a very close relationship with lowering blood pressure. In addition, watermelon also contains an amino acid by the name of L-Citrulline/L-arginine, which is claimed to be able to lower blood pressure by many researchers.
- Increase your intake of various types of fruits and vegetables that are rich in potassium. Researchers agree that potassium is a very powerful nutrient for lowering a person's blood pressure. Therefore, try to eat more foods that are high in potassium such as peas, bananas, potatoes, orange juice, kidney beans, red melon, green melon, and raisins.
Step 8. Try consuming coconut water
In general, coconut water is known to be rich in potassium, electrolytes, and other nutrients that can lower a person's blood pressure.
A study published in the West Indian Medical Journal showed that coconut water could lower systolic blood pressure in 71% of participants and diastolic blood pressure in 29% of participants
Step 9. Increase consumption of tofu and other processed soy products
Various processed soy products contain isoflavones, which are nutrients that are claimed to have a very high relevance to your blood pressure numbers.
- In a study conducted in 2012, it was found that people who consumed more isoflavones had lower blood pressure numbers (about 5.5 mmHg) than people who did not consume enough isoflavones.
- Green tea and peanuts are also very rich sources of isoflavones.
Step 10. Consume dark chocolate in moderation
Chocolate is actually very rich in flavonoids, which are nutrients that can encourage blood vessels to dilate. As a result, consuming it can reduce blood pressure that is too high.
- To maximize the benefits, read the label on the chocolate package to make sure the product is made from real cocoa and is low in sugar.
- Because chocolate contains very high levels of sugar and calories, don't overdo it so you don't gain weight! Remember, excess weight will also increase the risk of increasing blood pressure so that consuming too much chocolate will actually have a counterproductive impact.
- Research shows that consuming chocolate is effective in lowering blood pressure that is too high. However, the results are less visible in people who have normal or near-normal blood pressure.
Step 11. Make the food taste spicier by adding chilies
Consuming capsaicin, the substance that makes chili peppers hot, can actually lower your blood pressure!
Part 2 of 3: Improving Lifestyle
Step 1. Set aside 30 minutes each day for moderate-intensity exercise
Filling most of your day with exercise for at least 30 minutes can significantly lower blood pressure, you know! After all, you can also exercise by completing simple household chores if you don't want to do athletic activities.
- Before increasing the frequency of exercise every day, do not forget to consult your condition to your doctor. Be careful, drastically increasing physical activity can actually increase your risk for having a stroke or heart attack.
- Brisk walking is one example of a very simple exercise that can be done every day easily. To do this, try walking at a very fast pace for 30 minutes to lower your blood pressure by almost 8 mmHg.
- Other athletic activities you can try are playing volleyball, playing soccer, playing basketball, cycling, dancing, playing water aerobics, swimming, and playing jump rope.
- Household chores that are effective in lowering blood pressure numbers are cleaning cars, cleaning windows and floors, gardening, sweeping fallen leaves in the yard, and walking up and down stairs.
Step 2. Inhale as deeply as possible
The slow, meditative process of breathing relaxes the body, encourages the body to produce more nitric oxide, and reduces the production of stress hormones.
- Nitric oxide can dilate blood vessels and therefore, lower your blood pressure levels.
- Meanwhile, stress hormones will increase the production of renin, a kidney enzyme that is closely related to an increase in blood pressure.
- Take at least five minutes in the morning to take deep breaths using your diaphragm.
- To maximize its effect on your blood pressure, try learning proper meditation techniques, as well as doing yoga, Qigong, or taici.
Step 3. Reduce the time you spend working
Be careful, working for more than 40 hours per day can increase your chances of having high blood pressure. If you want to bring your blood pressure down quickly, try reducing the time you spend at work whenever possible.
This method is especially important if your work environment is very busy or prone to stress. Remember, stress hormones risk clogging blood vessels and making it difficult for the heart to pump blood through them. As a result, your blood pressure will increase afterwards
Step 4. Listen to music
Listening to relaxing music for 30 minutes every day can lower your blood pressure, especially if it is accompanied by the application of deep breathing techniques and the use of drugs to lower blood pressure.
- Choose a relaxing music genre, such as classical music, Celtic music, or Indian music.
- Your systolic blood pressure should drop within a week.
Step 5. Quit smoking
Remember, nicotine is one of the triggers for increasing a person's blood pressure. Therefore, if you are a smoker or are constantly around active smokers, try to break the habit to lower blood pressure numbers more quickly.
In fact, a person's blood pressure can rise to 10 mmHg or more, up to an hour or so after smoking. If you are an active smoker, do not be surprised if your blood pressure will continue to rise. A similar negative effect will actually happen to passive smokers who are constantly near active smokers
Part 3 of 3: Performing Medical Treatment
Step 1. Try taking a CoQ10 supplement
If taken regularly, coenzyme Q10 is a natural supplement and antioxidant that can lower your blood pressure to 17 mmHg (systolic)/10 mmHg (diastolic). These types of supplements are able to dilate blood vessels and make it easier for the heart to pump blood through them.
Consult the use of these supplements to your doctor. Generally, doctors will recommend you to take CoQ10 supplements at a dose of 60-100 mg for a maximum of three times a day
Step 2. Talk to your doctor about the possibility of taking diuretics
Diuretic drugs are effective at removing excess sodium and water from your body.
Since sodium is known as one of the “biggest threats” that can increase your blood pressure, reducing its levels in the body can significantly lower your blood pressure
Step 3. Consider the possibility of taking beta blockers that can lower your heart rate
By taking this group of drugs, the heart will pump less blood. As a result, your blood pressure will decrease afterwards
Step 4. Try taking an ACE inhibitor
ACE stands for "Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme". This enzyme triggers the production of angiotensin, a chemical that is responsible for clogging arteries throughout your body.
By taking ACE inhibitors, your blood vessels can open up better. As a result, blood can flow more smoothly and your blood pressure will decrease
Step 5. Find information about angiotensin II receptor blockers
This group of drugs can directly block the effects of angiotensin, which is a substance that causes narrowing of the arteries in your body.
Angiotensin can only affect the condition of blood vessels if it meets its receptors. That is why, you need to take this group of drugs to block the angiotensin receptors so that these substances no longer have a negative impact on your body's health
Step 6. Find information about calcium channel blockers
This group of drugs works by preventing calcium from entering areas of the heart and arteries.
- Calcium has the potential to harden the smooth muscle tissue in both areas. As a result, the heart must work harder to pump blood along the arteries.
- That's why, you need to take this group of drugs to relax constricted blood vessels and lower blood pressure effectively.
Step 7. Find information about alpha blockers
This group of drugs can reduce the resistance or pressure in your arteries.
As a result, your vascular muscles will become more relaxed and make it easier for blood to flow through them
Step 8. Find information about alpha-2 receptor agonists
This group of drugs is capable of suppressing the function of the sympathetic part of the somatic nervous system.
In other words, taking this group of drugs can reduce adrenaline production. As you probably already know, adrenaline and other stress hormones have the potential to clog human blood vessels
Step 9. Try taking an alpha-beta blocker
In fact, alpha-beta blockers are a group of drugs that are at the forefront of treating patients with very severe high blood pressure, mainly because they can lower blood pressure more quickly than most other drugs.
This group of drugs can reduce pressure in the arteries and make your heart rate drop rapidly
Step 10. Find information about the central agonist
This group of drugs helps prevent blood vessels from rapidly narrowing. As a result, blood can flow in it more easily.
The effect is actually similar to when you take an alpha-beta blocker
Step 11. Find information about peripheral adrenergic inhibitors
This group of drugs makes the brain its main target.
When taking drugs in this group, the neurotransmitters responsible for communicating with smooth muscles in the heart and blood vessels are blocked. As a result, the message that asks the blood vessels to constrict will never arrive at its destination
Step 12. Try taking drugs to dilate blood vessels which are generally sold in the class of dilators or vasodilators
These drugs are useful for relaxing the muscles in your blood vessels.
