Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure & Cholesterol

Elevated cholesterol levels (hypercholesterolemia) and high blood pressure (hypertension) are conditions that often coexist within the human body. Although the majority of hypertension diagnoses have no known cause, the relationship between hypercholesterolemia and hypertension are well understood and documented. Many of the natural ways to reduce one of these conditions may well aid in reducing the other condition, too.

Basics

• Health care providers, nutritionists and scientists in all realms of medicine agree on two important things any individual can do to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

  The first is to eat an adequate, nutritionally sound diet that provides only the amount of calories necessary to sustain body weight. The second is for an individual to get adequate physical activity most days of the week, with 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day the average recommendation.

  Both of these methods to lower and control hypertension and hypercholesterolemia are natural, but perhaps the most frequently unheeded recommendations a health care provider gives, considering the rate of obesity in the United States.

Diet

• The Mayo Clinic recommends the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet to help lower blood pressure. The DASH diet has many of the same recommendations as the diet advice given by the Mayo Clinic to lower cholesterol levels.

  Diets high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products are common factors in the dietary recommendations to lower both blood pressure and cholesterol.

  A limited daily salt intake of 1,500mg to 2,400mg is recommended by the Mayo Clinic to help lower blood pressure.

  To control cholesterol, the Mayo Clinic advises that 200mg per day of cholesterol in the diet is the recommended goal for individuals with heart disease. For individuals without heart disease, but who are interested in lowering or preventing high cholesterol levels, 300mg of daily cholesterol intake is the goal.

  To lower both blood pressure and cholesterol levels it is recommended that individuals who are overweight should lose weight. Even a weight loss of 5 lb. to 10 lb. can have a positive impact on health.

Physical Activity

• Physical activity---exercise--is another natural method to both lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. At the minimum, 30 minutes per day of moderate activity is recommended.

  If exercise has not been part of your daily routine for some time, work up to 30 minutes after checking with your health care provider about the safety of physical activity.

  Activities such as walking, riding a bicycle or dancing for 10 minute intervals three times a day equals a daily total of 30 minutes and may be less stressful to your body until you're used to more physical activity.