High Blood Pressure or Hypertension can occur due to many factors like age, family history, poor eating habits, lifestyle etc. Here’s a checklist of 25 home remedies for lowering high blood pressure and keeping it under control.
1. Go for Walks/Exercise
Regular exercise can help you lower blood pressure. Pick an appropriate pace, start with 10 mins (if you haven’t been working out) and eventually add 5 mins daily.
Oatmeal is a healthy breakfast which is rich in fiber, low-fat and is low in sodium. Including oatmeal in your diet may help to maintain a healthy blood pressure.
3. Limited intake of Salt
When you eat too much salt, it retains water in the body. This extra water stored in your body raises your blood pressure. Avoiding high sodium foods like packaged meat and processed food is a great way to control high blood pressure naturally.
4. Dark Chocolate
The heart-healthy benefits of flavonoids found in unsweetened dark chocolate cause dilation of the blood vessels. Consume chocolates having 70% and more cocoa with less sugar.
5. Coenzyme Q10
CoQ10 is an antioxidant that makes cells healthier and dilates blood vessels, which can help reduce pressure inside blood vessels. 200-300 mg CoQ10 per day may help reduce blood pressure. Include cauliflower, spinach and broccoli in your diet to ensure adequate intake of CoQ10.
6. Drink Tea
Sipping 1-2 cups of tea a day for 12 days can lower blood pressure. Hibiscus tea is an especially effective way to control high blood pressure naturally because it contains flavonoids that prevent clotting of blood, improves the function of the coronary artery, and stimulates insulin production in the body.
Laughter causes the inner lining of blood vessels (the endothelium) to expand to increase blood flow, making it a natural remedy for high blood pressure. Tune into some laughter shows, YouTube comedies and laugh often for a healthy heart. Nothing like choosing health with laughter.
Isoflavones, found in soy, boost the body's production of enzymes that create nitric oxide that dilate the vessels. Include a little soy in your diet. Soy contains Isoflavones which increase the production of enzymes that create nitric oxide (NO), a substance that helps to dilate or widen blood vessels, thereby reducing the pressure created by blood against the vessel walls.
Ginger helps combat high blood pressure as it’s a mild stimulant and is a low sodium food. Try ginger tea by chopping ginger roots and boiling for 5 mins.
10. Sesame Oil
Sesame oil contains PUFAs, vitamin E, and sesamin which help in lower high blood pressure. Replace your cooking oil with cold pressed sesame oil and indulge in a healthy cooking.
Taking powdered cardamom daily for several months has significant reductions in blood pressure. You can sprinkle cardamom over soup or your oatmeal breakfast for a healthy savory meal.
12. Vitamin D rich foods
Vitamin D helps regulate blood pressure. List of foods containing Vitamin D - orange juice, soy milk, cereals etc.
60ml of Pomegranate juice daily lowers your blood pressure, improves cholesterol, and cleanses plaque from your arteries reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Make a heart-healthy smoothie with few frozen blueberries, pomegranate juice, and some cocoa powder.
Radish contains potassium that lowers blood pressure, especially if you suffer from hypertension and has a cooling effect on the blood.
15. Omega-3 (Fatty Acids)
Healthy foods like flaxseed, walnut, and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel contain Omega-3 fatty acids tend to lower blood pressure. So, in your next meal sprinkle some flaxseed on your veggies or have some salmon parcels.
16. Leafy greens
Try mixing leafy greens like celery, spinach in your salads or add them on sandwiches as they are low in calories, high in fiber, packed potassium, folate, and magnesium which help in lowering and maintaining healthy blood pressure levels.
Lycopene present in tomatoes lowers blood pressure. Incorporate tomatoes in your cooking like spaghetti sauce or a cup of tomato juice.
Carrots are high in potassium and are powerful antioxidants which are effective in reducing high blood pressure. Carrot juice regulates heart and kidney functions thus controlling high blood pressures.
Using garlic is a natural remedy for high blood pressure. It helps lower cholesterol levels and simultaneously acts as a blood thinner. You can add chopped garlic to soups and sauce or while sautéing greens.
Raisins are rich in potassium and dietary fiber reducing the stiffness of blood vessels resulting in normal blood pressure levels.
21. Stop Alcohol
Consumption of alcohol is not good for health especially if you have got a high blood pressure. Alcohol is high in calories, which leads to weight gain. So, avoid alcohol.
Beet helps lower blood pressure improving exercise capacity and endurance. Make a smoothie with oats and beets.
23. Sunflower Seed
Sunflower seeds are rich in protein, folic acid, Vitamin E, and fiber. They promote heart-health and regulate blood pressure. Have this nutritious snack but unsalted, to reduce consumption of sodium.
Beans are rich in potassium, magnesium, and fiber. You can add beans to your soups, salads or chilies for amazing health benefits.
25. Egg Whites
Egg whites are rich in protein and contain a peptide that lowers blood pressure. Have 2-3 egg whites daily for adequate protein intake.
High Blood Pressure is a menace in today’s fast lifestyle. Follow these home remedies for high blood pressure, monitor your blood pressure regularly, and visit your nearest medical center in case of any emergency.
About the Author:
Jessica, a registered dietitian, a wellness guru that loves to read, research and write. A fitness freak who believes in healthy living and doesn’t like to miss her yoga. When not reading she can be found relishing her favorite foods.
Article Categories: Health Conditions & Chronic Disease