Most adults in the world today experience blood pressure problems. For some, this is inherited and for others, it develops over time due to their eating habits or the stressful life that they follow.
Natural remedies to control blood pressure
Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure at which blood flows through the walls of blood vessels. This pressure is created by the heart in the process of circulating blood throughout the body. The normal range of BP is between 90/60 mmHg and 120/80 mmHg.
Natural ways to control blood pressure
- More training – Normal exercise, such as walking, is also said to regulate blood pressure. This is because walking stretches the muscles and this gives the blood vessels much more room to expand when more blood flows through them. One should walk for at least 30 minutes a day for regular stretching of the muscles.
- Decrease your salt intake – Salt has high amounts of sodium, which is said to affect blood pressure. In many people, if too much sodium is ingested, the body begins to retain water. This causes dehydration and increased blood pressure.
- Reduce your excess body weight – High weight also leads to blood pressure, as the extra fat around the waist area, also called visceral fat, can be fatal and cause a lot of problems. Visceral fat surrounds the many organs in our abdomen and this obstructs the flow of blood through the blood vessels causing a long-term increase in blood pressure.
- Decrease your nicotine intake – Each cigarette you smoke raises your blood pressure for several minutes. This is the feeling that you know as high. However, if you smoke daily and don’t exercise, your blood pressure will stay high for a longer period of time, eventually causing a lot more problems. Smoking also causes other diseases such as cancer, heart attack, or stroke.
- Decrease your alcohol consumption – Drinking alcohol once in a while or having red wine with your meal is perfectly healthy. This even has its benefits, however if you are a heavy drinker this leads to complexity as alcohol reduces the effectiveness of some blood pressure medications. Also, if a large amount of alcohol is consumed, dehydration occurs, which also causes an increase in blood pressure.
- Relieve stress – Stress is considered to be the main factor for most people who experience high blood pressure. Stress is typically seen in people who have very busy work hours. The solution for this is to compartmentalize your work and do some self-help exercises like breathing techniques or yoga is said to be the most effective in fighting stress.
- Higher potassium intake – Potassium helps eliminate excess sodium intake in the body, which in turn helps keep blood pressure regulated. Avoid processed foods as they are high in sodium, while eating more leafy vegetables or fruits like melons and bananas that are rich in potassium. Milk and yogurt are also good options.
- Get more green tea – Blood pressure is directly associated with the oxidants present in the body. Green tea has high amounts of antioxidants that reduce oxidation levels in the body, thus maintaining blood pressure in the body.
- Eat more dark chocolate – Dark chocolate is not to the liking of many, however, dark chocolates are rich in flavonoids that help dilate blood vessels, which in turn helps maintain blood pressure in our system. Like dark chocolates, cocoa powder also helps control blood pressure levels in our body.
- Eat more berries – Berries contain an enzyme known as polyphenols which reduces the risk of stroke, diabetes, heart conditions and lowers blood pressure. The berries also make your heart pump blood more effectively by maintaining the correct amount of blood pressure in the body. Berries should be included in our diet and are easy to obtain.
The above methods help to greatly regulate blood pressure at home and are fairly easy to follow once you get used to it. However, it should be noted that if the blood pressure continues to rise, one should visit the doctor or seek professional help at the appropriate time.
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