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Natural Home Remedy for High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is sometimes referred to as a "silent disease" because there are often no symptoms associated with it. High blood pressure increases the risk for stroke, heart disease and kidney disease. Smoking, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle all contribute to high blood pressure. In addition to antihypertensive medication, there are natural ways you can lower your blood pressure.

  1. Lifestyle

    • Having a healthy lifestyle is extremely important to reducing the risk or the severity of high blood pressure. Know your ideal weight and aim to stay around that range. The more you weigh, the more blood circulates through your arteries, causing increased pressure. This causes strain on the heart and cardiovascular system. Exercise daily, preferably five hours a week. Cardiovascular activities such as walking, jogging, bicycling or even vigorous daily activities like gardening can make a big difference.

      Hot tubs generally cause no risk to people with high blood pressure that exhibit no symptoms. According to the American Heart Association, the vasodilation (relaxing of blood vessels) associated with the heat is roughly the same as a brisk walk. If you suffer from chest pain, shortness of breath or other active symptoms, avoid the hot tub and sauna. Always avoid drinking alcohol in the sauna.

      Monitor your blood pressure at home at least several times a month. People who monitor at home can rule out white-coat hypertension (higher blood pressure at the doctor's office) and watch for any trends or worsening of the condition. Catching it as early as possible can avoid serious complications.

      Give up cigarettes, as they increase blood pressure for at least an hour after having one. If you smoke more than ten cigarettes a day, you blood pressure is constantly elevated from it. Also limit alcohol to one drink a day for women or two drinks a day for men.

    Diet

    • The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan is extremely important to heart health. The diet includes eight to ten servings of fruits and vegetables a day, seven to eight servings of whole grains a day, two to three servings of low-fat diary foods a day and two or less servings of meat. The diet results in lower systolic blood pressure. Aim for less than 2,300 mg of salt per day. African Americans, middle-aged, older adults and people already suffering from hypertension should eat less than 1,500 mg per day. Fish is important for omega-3 fatty acids, which lowers blood pressure and reduces the risk of blood clots. Ingest 1 gram of garlic per day for reducing blood pressure as well.

    Supplements

    • Hawthorne is an herb used by European and Chinese doctors for lower blood pressure. Dosage is 400 to 600 mg daily. The higher the potassium levels, the lower the sodium levels in the body. The recommended dose for potassium is 3,500 mg a day. Calcium and magnesium do not lower blood pressure on their own, but not having enough in your system can cause an increase in blood pressure. Make sure to get 1,000 to 1,200 mg of calcium and 400 mg of magnesium daily. Coenzyme Q-10 improves energy supplies to the heart and muscle cells, which helps them pump with less effort. Take 100 mg per day.

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