5 Tips to Reduce Your Blood Pressure

Affecting one in three adults, high blood pressure is one of the most common health issues in America and most often the result of busy schedules and high-stress jobs. Sometimes it can be hard to slow down, however, addressing high blood pressure is very important to improving overall health and quality of life.

Below are 5 tips to help reduce your blood pressure:

Walk it out

Prolonged sitting has been found to be detrimental to our health. A very simple way to help reduce blood pressure is to start moving and walking is a great way to start! Walking can help with reducing tension, anxiety, and also stress levels. Your goal should be to try and walk everyday and see what days and times work really well for your schedule and to then make those days your longer walk days. Studies show that walking 7,000-10,000 steps a day has many health benefits including lowering blood pressure.

Calm the Mind

You have all probably heard of meditation by now but the benefits of calming the mind can do wonders for your health. One of the benefits of meditation is blood pressure regulation. Taking the time every day to listen to calming music to help relax is simple and effective. Also, trying guided meditations can help provide guidance as well. Meditation can also be an effective way to re-stress and reduce blood pressure. Great phone Apps to check out are Calm and Headspace.

Massage therapy

Massage therapy is well known for reducing stress and hypertension. Research massage can help to lower blood pressure because of its ability to promote sympathetic inhibition. Massage is non invasive and not only relaxes the body, but the mind as well.

Cut the 4’Fs in your diet

Simple dietary changes can have a profound impact on your blood pressure. An easy thing to remember is to eat as anti-inflammatory as possible and avoid the 4 F’s: Fried, Fatty, Fast, and Fake Foods. For optimal heart health, you want a diet that is balanced with good fats, fiber, and organic fruits and veggies. Especially veggies and fruits that are lower on the glycemic index scale.  Examples of good fats include: avocados, coconut oil, coconut milk, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fish. By eating a more centered “whole foods” diet (meaning nothing in a bag or an ingredients with 30 ingredients listed), can have a dramatic impact on your blood pressure, to the point where you maybe able to cut the medication!

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an effective natural treatment for hypertension. There are many ways that acupuncture has been found to impact blood pressure including helping to reduce the stress response as well as lowering high blood pressure.

A recent study looking at the effects of acupuncture treatment on hypertensive patients who were already on high blood pressure medications. This study did not change the patients diet or exercise routine but added in acupuncture treatment. Patients received treatments for one month in every two days for a total of 15 sessions. After the study patients receiving acupuncture had lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Lowering your blood pressure is not something that happens overnight. Sticking to a healthy diet and exercise plan and finding a natural treatment that works for you can help you get back on the road to health and reduce stress and hypertension.

If you are looking for safe and effective ways to help lower blood pressure. Give our office a call at (425) 686-4498 to schedule your initial consultation to learn more about how we can help.

Dr. Ellie Heintze, ND, LAc, is a naturopathic doctor and acupuncturist in Bothell, WA at her practice Starting Point Acupuncture. She specializes in chronic and complex cases and commonly treats neuropathy, fibromyalgia, migraines, autoimmune, and infertility cases. Dr. Ellie Heintze is also the author of the book, A Starting Point Guide to Going Gluten-Free  and Keep Calm and Zen Out available on Amazon.

Sources:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0020748910002981

https://journals.lww.com/jhypertension/Abstract/2017/04000/Meditation_and_blood_pressure__a_meta_analysis_of.5.aspx

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S174438810500040X

https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/aetr/2013/00000038/f0020001/art00001