Do you have high Blood Pressure and not sure what to do to get it down? Are you hesitant about starting HBP medication to get your blood pressure under control? There are things you can do to work on getting it down, naturally.  

Are you looking for an easy way to get it down without the work?  Well, there is no such thing as having excellent health without work.  Sorry, friend.  It’s going to take some action.

It’s essential that you not get overwhelmed by the list and think you have to do all of these to get your high blood pressure down.  Of course, incorporating all of these things will help lower your blood pressure, but you can start with one item and build on that over time.  

What Causes Hypertension?

One of the primary underlying causes of high blood pressure is related to your body, producing too much insulin and leptin in response to a high-carbohydrate and processed food diet.

As your insulin and leptin levels rise, it causes your blood pressure to increase. Research published in 1998 in the journal Diabetes reported that nearly two-thirds of the test subjects who were insulin resistant also had high blood pressure, so the link is significant.

Dr. Mercola

What Can Help Lower Your High Blood Pressure?

1. Potassium

If you are consuming a lot of salt in your daily eating, it may be beneficial to add potassium (a mineral) to your daily intake.  

Potassium allows your body to process the sodium/salt intake and expel it from your body.  In doing so, potassium relaxes your blood vessels’ walls, allowing your blood to flow more easily.  Thus, contributing to high blood pressure. Potassium also helps with muscle cramps.

2. Calcium/Magensium

These minerals go beyond stronger bones and teeth.  Calcium/Magnesium is also beneficial for women in regards to PMS/PMDD. 

Calcium helps lower your blood pressure by relaxing your blood vessels and tightening when needed. Magnesium also assists you by preventing your blood vessels from constricting, causing high blood pressure. Try this Calcium/Magnesium supplement.

3. Garlic 

Allicin is found in garlic and is what’s responsible for lowering high blood pressure. You can add garlic to your meals, salads, etc. or you may prefer to take a Garlic supplement like this one. 

4. Nitric Oxide

Nitric Oxide allows your blood vessels to open and blood to flow more efficiently, which in turn lowers your blood pressure. You may have low nitric oxide levels, which you can quickly test with at-home testing strips.  

5. Omega 3

Fish oil omega 3 has helped me in so many ways, including lowering my triglycerides. But, it also helps lower high blood pressure by improving your overall cardiovascular system. 

6. Folic Acid

This supplement helps to open your blood vessels in addition to improving your skin, hair, and nails. Try this Folic Acid. 

7. CoQ10

You’ve probably heard about Coq10 for antiaging benefits but it also helps lower high blood pressure.  CoQ10 is and an antioxidant that helps your body convert food and produce energy.  I use this CoQ10.

CoQ10 is thought to improve heart-related conditions, like high blood pressure, by increasing the production of energy in cells, neutralizing free radicals that cause cell harm, and preventing the formation of blood clots.

Verywellhealth

8. Lower Salt Intake

Increased levels of salt make it harder on your kidneys to eliminate water. Adding this extra strain causes your blood pressure to increase.  Limit your intake of salt by avoiding processed foods (contain high levels of sodium), ready-made meals, soups, sauces, and more.  Read the food label and see how much sodium that bottle of ketchup, soup, or pasta sauce contains. 

9. Food Changes

Making a change in your regular food or diet (I’m not too fond of the word diet) is essential.  In making healthier food changes, you may, by default, lower your sodium intake, increase your potassium, calcium, etc. naturally with food. 

You can begin with whole 30, paleo, or keto ways of eating.  Everyone is different, so your body may respond better to one of these over the other.  Try these out and see which is the best option for you.  

I’ve found a winning balance with all 3 of these methods of eating healthier.  I’m not 100% off cheese (paleo), as I do enjoy fat bombs from the keto method.  I do avoid grains, and make most meals with whole foods at home.  Find what works for you.  You don’t have to follow each method as die-hard as you think. Sure, in the beginning, it’s easier to make the complete change, but with experience and paying attention to your body’s response, you can adapt what works best for you. 

Still, the main culprits like sodium, sugar, grains, and fried foods, will stay off the list. No matter how you modify your eating habits.  These offenders are not beneficial to any healthy lifestyle.

10. Exercise

You knew it was coming. You can’t improve anything health-related without moving.

How are high blood pressure and exercise connected? Regular physical activity makes your heart stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort. If your heart can work less to pump, the force on your arteries decreases, lowering your blood pressure.

Mayo Clinic

You don’t have to go from 0 to 100 in one day. If you’re not used to going out side and walking around then it’s time to start. It’s that simple get up and start walking. Exercise doesn’t mean starting a full on gym routine, running miles on end or body building.

Make it easier on yourself by walking. Start by doing what you can and build up from there. Find things you enjoy like walking outside, yoga, hiking, biking whatever it is, just do it.

Be safe if your going to the gym during COVID. Stay with it and get moving! It’ll improve your stress levels too.

Use a Blood Pressure Monitor

If you’re dealing with high blood pressure, be sure to monitor your BP daily.  Use a blood pressure machine and log your results daily to track changes. I’ve used this base model and just upgraded to this one. 

Tracking your blood pressure daily will also help you see improvements in your blood pressure with the changes you are making with food and supplements. 

What Happens If You Do All This, and There Is Still No Change in Your High Blood Pressure?

Then it’s time to get more serious and drill down.

If you’re doing the necessary steps, then perhaps you need to make more specific modifications for your body.  

Did you eliminate or lower your salt /sodium intake? Seriously, did you take the time to calculate how much salt is in each of your meals?  You’d be surprised to realize that some of your food and snacks are still high in sodium.  Use a tracking app like Lifesum, or Shopwell (not an affiliate) to assist you in drilling down on your intake and find alternatives. Take the extra steps, and you may find some eye-opening answers. Both of these apps will help you and make it a little easier on you too.

Are You Consistent in Your Healthier Changes?

Be honest with yourself.  You will only be hurting your health if you’re not totally honest.  

Are you consistent with taking your supplements?  Are you taking them every day for at least a month before determining they’re not working?  Are you eating healthier consistently every meal? Even “bad” or “cheat” meals will send your blood pressure back up.  Are you monitoring your bp every day and keeping a log?

As I mentioned above, you’ll need to take action to lower your blood pressure and to begin to feel better.  Everything listed here is useful for your overall health.  All of the eating healthier, avoiding sugar, sodium, and grains will help in your overall health too.  You may lose weight, yay! You may start to have more energy; you may have a clearer mind; you may not feel so sluggish and worn down; you may have lower blood pressure!

All of these things in your health intertwine.  Focusing on lowering your blood pressure is a great place to start and will have a domino effect on the rest of your health.

Don’t fall into the trap/myth that high blood pressure runs in your family, so there’s nothing you can do about it, it’s hereditary.

Nope.

Not a good answer. 

It’s also a myth.  It is so common to hear this, and it drives me crazy because it allows people to have a victim mentality that your health is not your own.  It is your own.  You may have a family history, but you also can make the necessary changes in your life not to follow the same path. Do everything you can to not be just like your family. 

Let’s Take a Closer Look Into Your Family

In observation, you’ll have the same outcome or health issues as your family because you also eat and live the same lifestyle as said family member.  Which is probably what caused or led to their high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or what have you.  

It’s always interesting to me to see a healthy and active family where the parents are fit and active with kids following the same suit.  It’s what the kids know and are taught to be.  Likewise, if you see unhealthy parents, the children are usually the same as their parents.  It may not be every single case, but more so than not.  Reflect on what you’ve seen in your family. How have healthy or poor habits been passed on to you?

I, too, was raised with regular, fatty meals, saturated fats, sugar, high sodium foods, etc.  My parents now live pretty healthy eating habits only after both having a stroke and diabetes, after the fact of poor dietary eating leading up to that point. 

So I’m there with you friend. I used that as a wake-up call to not follow suit and live my healthiest life by making healthy lifestyle changes. I work on it every day.  You’ll have to do the same if you want to be around a long time.

It is no one’s fault, I’m not blaming our parents of course. You know better you do better. Use these observations as a way to improving our own health.

You’ve made all of these changes for months, and still, your blood pressure is high.

At this point, if you can say without a doubt you’ve done these things at 100%, then it may be time to look at starting BP medication.  Talk with your doctor, as I am not a doctor, and see what steps can be taken to get you to a healthier state.  However, I have a strong inclination that making these changes will help you lower your blood pressure.

Personally, after making the change to going more Paleo as well as avoiding foods with high sodium, my BP went back to normal ranges.  Now I know when I eat out at a restaurant that my BP will go up due to the amount of sodium used.  

It will take about 24 hours for my levels to get back to normal.  It’s essential to be mindful of how your blood pressure reacts to certain foods or meals.  This way, you know what to avoid.  It’ll be different for everyone. You can also try an elimination diet to find foods that cause reactions.

Where Do You Begin?

First, I would start with modifying your daily meals and intake of sodium.  This way, you start with an improved diet change and can begin to pinpoint what change or supplement is helping you lower your blood pressure.

No two people are the same; therefore, no two people will respond the same or need the same supplements or diet changes to see the benefits. 

What works for one may not work for you. This is the key to making lasting changes in your life.  You’re not like anyone else. You’re unique and need to find what works for you and not someone else.  

I enjoy sharing my journey and everything I’ve tried to help you on your journey.  Give you some tips and know you’re not alone. 

I will be releasing a reference guide that you can print and quickly go back to instead of stopping what you’re doing to try to find that one site you saw that one thing on, check back, and that’ll be available soon. 

I wish you peace and guidance on your journey. Take care and be well.