5 Natural Methods to Supporting a Healthy Blood Pressure
Author: Julie
When it comes to maintaining your health, you may want to start taking your blood pressure to heart! There are natural ways to reduce blood pressure. As of November 2017, the American Heart Association & the American College of Cardiology established a new threshold for hypertension. Formerly a normal blood pressure, 130/80 is now considered stage 1 hypertension.2 And while hypertension can lead to a variety of life-threatening conditions like heart attack or stroke, roughly 1/3 of every American experiences high blood pressure but may not be aware of it.6
Supporting a healthy blood pressure with the right habits and methods can be a crucial way to maintain your own health, and can also be fairly simple! Here are some effective tips to supporting a healthy blood pressure.
1. Cut Back On Salt
One of the most commonly known contributors to high blood pressure is a high sodium intake. When our diet contains high levels of sodium, the sodium levels in our blood stream rise. The body compensates for this high level of sodium in the blood stream by drawing more water into the blood vessels.7 As a result, the pressure in our blood vessels rises.
Often times, restaurants integrate a higher content of sodium into food. And with no blatant way to read the nutritional facts of what you are eating or measure the sodium, consumers may not even be aware of the amount they are consuming in each take-out meal.6 Breaking the habit of eating out and preparing fresh foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner is a great way to start supporting a healthy blood pressure. Integrating more fresh fruits and vegetables, as opposed to canned foods or eating out can go a long way for your health!1
2. Exercise Regularly as One of the Natural Ways to Reduce Blood Pressure
Taking walks, going for a run, or going on bike rides is a great way to support a healthy blood pressure. Surprisingly, it doesn’t take much exercise to support a healthier blood pressure either! Just 30 minutes a day can lead you to a healthier state.2 Exercising regularly can support your blood vessels’ ability to expand and contract more efficiently.6 Explore your options and find a method that you actually enjoy to increase the chances that you integrate it into your daily routine!
Exercise and weight loss go hand in hand, and losing weight is yet another way to support your blood pressure. You don’t have to lose massive amounts of weight in order to impact your health. According to Harvard Health, even losing just 10 pounds can benefit you by lowering your blood pressure.2
3. Stress Management
Stress management is the most obvious way to naturally reduce blood pressure. Everybody experiences stress in their lives to some degree. And in the right amounts, stress can serve as a motivator and propel us to take action in different areas of our lives! But experiencing chronic stress can be detrimental to our bodies, our state, and even our blood pressure. Practicing different stress management methods can teach us ways to cope with constant stress. With the right methods and enough practice, you can manage a stressful state quickly and effectively.
When in a stressed state, notice your breathing pattern. Is it rapid and shallow? Divert your focus from whatever is creating stress in your life entirely to your breathing, and only your breathing. Then alter your breathing to becoming deep, and slow. This deliberate physiological change can actually influence your mental state as well.4 Other ways to manage stress can be to create an outlet, such as writing, or choosing calm music to listen to. All of these methods can support a healthier blood pressure, and maybe even your quality of life!
4. Cut Back On Drinking
Drinking too much alcohol can have a negative impact on your health, and also result in high blood pressure. If you are practicing methods and habits to support a healthy blood pressure, you may want to also cut back on drinking. You can cut back on drinking as a natural way to reduce blood pressure. Having more than just one drink a day can result in a higher blood pressure. Limit yourself to a maximum of one drink a day, or cut alcohol out of your diet entirely to support a healthy blood pressure.2
5. Integrate Watermelon & Berries Into Your Diet as One of the Natural Ways to Reduce Blood Pressure
Polyphenols, natural plant compounds, have actually been proven to support heart health and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.6 Berries are packed with polyphenols, and integrating them into your diet on a consistent basis can actually support a lower blood pressure. Consider integrating both berries as well as other polyphenol rich foods into your daily diet. This is a great natural way to reduce blood pressure.
In addition to berries, watermelon contains L-Citrulline. L-Citrulline contributes to the production of L-Arginine in the body, an amino acid which supports Nitric Oxide production. Nitric Oxide promotes blood vessel dilation, supporting better blood flow and in turn, a healthy blood pressure. Try integrating watermelon into your diet as a healthy snack!5
Cardio Defender Contains both L-Arginine and L-Citrulline to support Nitric Oxide levels in the body. Nitric Oxide acts as a vasodilator, promoting blood flow and a normal blood pressure. Try Supporting your heart health & blood pressure with Cardio Defender today.
