In the UK, it is estimated that 25 % of the UK population has high blood pressure. If you are one of that 25% then you might want to start looking at the different ways that can help lower your blood pressure. Here are just 8 simple tips that can maybe help you bring your blood pressure down.
Diet
Diet has a massive part to play with high blood pressure. Not everyone has high blood pressure because of their diet but for a lot of people, it is. If you are one of those people that drinks high sugary drinks throughout the day as well as having a lot of chocolate. You may want to get rid of them.
If your diet consists of a lot of refined carbohydrates then you may want to cut them out as well. These foods can be; Bagels, bread, and tortilla wraps that contain white flour, waffles, pastries, breakfast cereals (Not all of them), white rice, and pizza.
All those foods that have been stated above can have a massive effect on your blood pressure so you should cut these out first. Either that or find healthy substitutes such as wholemeal bread.
Lose weight
Again, not everyone with high blood pressure is overweight but some people are. If you are overweight because you have recently done a BMI test then try to lose it. Being overweight can cause many medical problems so losing a bit of weight will be good. Losing that weight can not only lower your blood pressure but can also reduce the risk of other diseases like diabetes etc.
Changing your diet if it is unhealthy is one great way to lose weight which will benefit your body massively. Another great way to lose weight is by exercising more. These do not have to be very intense and can be done in your home.
Some different forms of exercise that can help you lose weight are; Step-ups, walking instead of driving, doing jobs such as cooking and cleaning, bike ride or playing a team sport. All these are great ways to exercise so make you do them for long enough to have a positive effect.
Smoking
Not many people know this but smoking can have an immediate effect on your blood pressure. However, it is only for a short amount of time but still increases both your blood pressure and heart rate very quickly.
The chemicals of tobacco damage your blood vessel walls which means this could increase your blood pressure as well. You do not have to smoke to cause damage to your blood vessels neither. If you are around a full-time smoker a lot then this could have an impact on your health.
Stress
Stress can be caused by all sorts of different things such as work, at home troubles or your studies as well as many other things. The good thing is that there are many ways that you can reduce stress levels which is good news for us all.
Stress can raise our blood pressure which is why it is important for us to learn the different ways where we can reduce stress levels. Listening to music is a simple yet effective way to reduce stress and distract your mind from all your negative thoughts.
Reading a book, going for a walk, or taking deep inhales and exhales are also good ways to relax your mind. If you have not done it before, try meditation or yoga. Not only is yoga a form of exercise but it also distracts your mind as well which is exactly what you need.
Yoga focuses on your breathing, body posture, and a form of meditation that could help you with reducing your stress and blood pressure.
Chocolate
Do not get too excited, not all chocolate helps with lowering your blood pressure and has only come up in a few studies. However, maybe you could try it. Dark chocolate can contain up to 60 to 70 percent extra cocoa which is what is recommended.
One or two squares of dark chocolate a day could potentially help to lower the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure and inflammation. A study back in 2010 of 14,310 people found that certain individuals without hypertension and who ate dark chocolate had lower blood pressure overall.
Get enough sleep
Getting enough hours of sleep can vary for many people. The best way is to aim for between 6-8 hours of sleep per night. Obviously, this depends on your body clock and everything else. For some people, it will be more appropriate to get 6 hours of sleep. For others, it will be more like 8 hours. Is to try out different lengths to check what is best for you and how you feel.
Your blood pressure will naturally go do as you are sleeping. Some people can become sleep deprived which means their blood pressure can rise. For many people, sleeping is not easy and can be difficult due to many things. It is recommended you get a regular sleep schedule that you can stick to as well as relaxing before bed.
Avoiding daytime naps is one way that can make sure you get enough sleep at night. If you are napping during the day and seem to be restless at night, avoid napping. Reading a book before bed can relax the mind as well as staying away from bright screens. Doing these could improve your night’s sleep and stop you from becoming sleep deprived.
Taking blood pressure-lowering supplements
There are many vitamins that you can be recommended if you have high blood pressure. Here are the supplements you should look at taking for high blood pressure: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, fish oil, whey protein, magnesium, coenzyme Q10, citrulline.
Magnesium deficiency can be linked with high blood pressure so applying magnesium supplements to your diet can be beneficial. Magnesium will not lower your blood pressure massively but it can reduce it slightly. Just like all the other blood pressure-lowering supplements. Make sure you see a doctor on how much magnesium you should take for your body if you are looking at taking some.
There is not much scientific evidence for how much vitamins and supplements can lower your blood pressure. However, doctors do recommend them a lot so it is worth trying just in case they can work for you.
Last but not least, prescription medication
High blood pressure can vary between different people. If your blood pressure is having a serious effect on your health then you should look at taking prescription drugs off your doctor.
If you have been making the recommend changes that you see above and your blood pressure is quite high, then see a doctor. A doctor will know exactly what the issue with you is and provide you with the right medication for you to be able to bring that blood pressure.
Conclusion
So, there are 8 tips that can help you with your high blood pressure. However, they might not work for you, so it is best to look online for other ways you can bring down your blood pressure. Either that or go check in with your doctor to see what they suggest for you and what the healthiest option is.
