Getting your own blood pressure machine or testing yourself at your local pharmacy is a good way of managing your overall health. While it is beneficial to take your readings at home, it’s better to see a doctor regularly as they can help you make sense of any worrisome results. If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure – or blood pressure that’s close to high – you need to work on managing it and stopping it from getting higher.
Traditionally, doctors might prescribe you some medication to deal with high blood pressure. You can get all sorts of medication from a pharmacy that treat high blood pressure, but they obviously come with side effects. For more long-term benefits and maximum results, you need to add a natural approach too.
3 different ways you can control high blood pressure naturally:
Cut down on sodium
Sodium is in a lot of the foods we eat, and we do need it for the normal functioning of our body. However, too much sodium is bad for the body as it can lead to a dramatic increase in blood pressure. So, focus on reducing your sodium intake every day, which can be as easy as checking food labels for the sodium content and cutting down on salt. And stop reaching for that salt shaker too. Especially before you have even tasted your food. Trust me, your taste buds will adjust to the less salty taste.
Maintain a healthy weight
If you are overweight and have a high body fat percentage, your blood pressure is likely to go through the roof. This is because there is more pressure on your heart to pump blood around your body because there’s a lot of you! Therefore, you need to try and maintain a healthy weight at all times. This can sound challenging, but it’s actually rather straightforward. All you need to do is make some lifestyle changes and follow them.
- Exercise frequently – Try to stay active for at least 30 minutes a day. Exercise can consist of just about anything, even the household chores might be classified as exercise if you’re moving around a lot. Stay on your feet and avoid sitting for long periods, this helps you burn more calories, which contributes to losing weight.
- Eat a balanced diet – To coincide with exercise, you need a good nutrition plan. Eat a balanced diet that gives you the calories you need to sustain your energy levels throughout the day. However, ensure you aren’t consuming too many calories as you won’t lose weight. Exercising helps you burn calories, and if you are burning more than you’re consuming, you’ll lose weight and reduce your blood pressure.
Try to stay relaxed
Where possible, avoid long-term bouts of stress. Some stress is good stress as we learn how to overcome it. However, chronic stress is a problem as it raises your blood pressure. Find ways to relax and lower your heart rate, allowing your body to naturally heal itself and drop your blood pressure. This will mean you have to figure out what’s the biggest cause of stress in your life, then deal with it.
Having high blood pressure should be a wake-up call that you need to improve your overall health and wellbeing. Medication can help with this, but the best approach is to tackle your blood pressure through natural means when possible!