How to lower blood pressure naturally – Naturopathy & Naturopathic Treatment Portal

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It has been shown that lowering the systolic blood pressure to a maximum of 120 mmHg reduces the risks mentioned above. There are two ways to accomplish this: lifestyle changes and medication. While some people can lower blood pressure simply by making lifestyle changes, others may need medicines to do so. The two approaches complement each other, it says in one Contribution the renowned Cleveland Clinic (USA).

change of lifestyle

“Blood pressure management consists of 70% lifestyle and 30% medication,” says Dr. Luke Laffin of Preventive and Rehabilitative Cardiology at Cleveland Clinic. Without a lifestyle change, the blood pressure medication will not be enough to adequately lower blood pressure, explains the cardiologist.

People with high blood pressure so you can’t avoid changing your habits if you want the health risks. As stated in the post, the following six methods have been shown to be effective in clinical trials:

Consume less salt

“Reducing your salt intake is probably the most important way to lower your blood pressure. Studies have shown that a low-sodium diet has the same effect as one and a half to two blood pressure medication, ”explains Dr. Laffin.

According to the German Nutrition Society (DGE) should be consumed a maximum of six grams of table salt daily. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends eating a maximum of five grams of salt per day. And the American heart society “AHA” (American Heart Association) recommends no more than 1.5 g sodium per day, which corresponds to just 3.8 g table salt.

In Germany, however, according to the DGE, the average table salt intake is around eight to ten grams and in the USA, people consume an average of 3.5 grams of sodium per day. Because the AHA’s recommended maximum amount is so strict, the Cleveland Clinic puts the limit at 2.3 grams. “As a minimum, we recommend lowering your sodium intake by at least 1,000 mg per day.”

With salt hidden in so many foods, it is difficult to avoid sodium unless you cook everything from scratch at home, never eat out, and avoid processed foods of any kind, including bread. But it’s possible. “Adjusting to a low-sodium diet takes about 10 to 14 days. Then some foods taste salty, ”explains Dr. Laffin.

Effects: If you have high blood pressure, limiting sodium to 1,500 mg per day should lower your blood pressure by five or six mmHg.

But be careful: According to one in the trade journal “JAMA Internal Medicine“Published study tend not only people with too high, but also with too low salt consumption to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. The sodium optimum seems to be somewhere between 1.5 and 2.3 g per day, reported the Doctors newspaper.

Consume more potassium

Diets high in fast foods, processed foods, carbohydrates, potatoes, and meat are more likely to be low in potassium and contribute to high blood pressure. A daily intake of 3,000 to 3,500 mg of potassium from foods like bananas, tomatoes, and other vegetables is recommended.

However, those who have severe kidney disease should be careful not to consume too much potassium as the kidneys may not be able to excrete it, says Dr. Laffin.

Effects: If you have high blood pressure, increasing your potassium intake to the recommended levels should lower your blood pressure by four to five mmHg.

Put on the DASH diet

The so-called DASH diet (“Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension”) was specially developed to lower blood pressure. She is increasingly relying on fruit, vegetables, whole grain products and low-fat dairy products.

People on the DASH diet usually meet the guidelines for low sodium and high potassium and can lose weight too. The research on this diet is so positive that it is now considered one of the most important non-pharmaceutical measures for controlling high blood pressure.

Effects: The DASH diet can lower systolic pressure down to eleven mmHg.

reduce weight

Being overweight increases the likelihood of developing high blood pressure. More than half of adults in the United States are overweight. And in Germany, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) two thirds of men (67%) and half of women (53%) are overweight. Losing weight is a good thing, says Dr. Laffin.

Effects: Any loss of 1.5 pounds should result in a drop in blood pressure of one mmHg.

Limit alcohol consumption

Men should limit alcoholic beverages to two drinks per day. Women shouldn’t consume more than one per day.

Effects: If you have high blood pressure and regularly drink more alcohol than recommended, reducing consumption can lower your blood pressure by up to four mmHg.

Get physically active

Physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, is highly effective in lowering blood pressure. Aerobic exercise forces the blood vessels to expand and contract, which keeps them flexible. They also increase blood flow and, among other things, encourage the creation of new blood vessels.

Effects: 150 minutes of aerobic activity a week can lower blood pressure by five to eight mmHg.

Another option is bicep curls. How much these lower blood pressure depends on how often they are performed, how many repetitions are done, and what weights are used. They have the potential to lower blood pressure by four to five mmHg.

Additional recommendations

Dr. Laffin adds two recommendations that he believes are important, but that have a less direct impact on blood pressure.

Do not smoke
“We know that smoking damages the lining of the blood vessels, as does high blood pressure. So it stands to reason that you shouldn’t smoke, ”said the doctor.

Get enough sleep
“We are just beginning to understand the importance of sleep. Six to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep a night can prevent high blood pressure and highly fluctuating blood pressure, which we now know is just as dangerous as high blood pressure, ”explains the expert.

Not everything is scientifically proven

There are numerous other ways to naturally lower blood pressure, especially on the Internet. They may be effective, but the evidence is limited or questionable, says the doctor.

Take, for example, stress relief. In 2017 the AHA gave a scientific Explanation on the role of meditation in reducing cardiovascular risk. The experts found the concept to be plausible, but the studies had too few participants and used different endpoints, making it impossible to draw any conclusions.

“Some studies showed a significant benefit, others showed none. There just wasn’t enough data to say that meditation consistently lowers blood pressure, ”says Dr. Laffin. “It is more likely that anything that relaxes you will temporarily lower your blood pressure, but is not a solution for people with persistent high blood pressure.”

The same problem applies to various foods, spices, herbs, and vitamins. They often have one or two studies at a time that say they lower blood pressure, but this effect has never been thoroughly studied, according to the medical professional. “If you are serious about lowering blood pressure naturally, choose one or more methods that have stood the test of time,” said Dr. Laffin. (ad)