Fast Ways to Lower Blood Pressure in 10 Days

There's a good chance you didn't develop a high blood pressure problem overnight, and the chances are just as good that you cannot solve your blood pressure problem overnight. But there are ways to lower your blood pressure quickly, even if it is only slight progress toward your goal. Hypertension medication will reduce blood pressure the fastest, but most of the long-term successful methods of reducing it will come from lifestyle choices.

Medication

• There are a number of prescription hypertension medications a doctor may prescribe you to lower your blood pressure. Most reduce blood pressure within a short time--some will begin working almost instantly and some may take a few weeks to begin showing results, according to Healthboards.com.

  Doctors typically prescribe diuretics for pre-hypertension and may include ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, beta blockers or calcium channel blockers to lower blood pressure quickly, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Foods

• Diet is one of the top contributing factors to blood pressure levels. A healthy diet usually means normal blood pressure, while a diet high in fats and salt can often lead to hypertension.

  Follow the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet put together by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the best ways to eat to lower blood pressure. A downloadable booklet about this diet is listed in the resources below.

  Avoiding high amounts of fat that cause increases in cholesterol levels and limiting salt intake to 1,500 milligrams per day will put you one the right track to quickly lowering your blood pressure.

Drinking

• Drinking alcohol can be good or bad for your blood pressure, according to the Mayo Clinic.

  Drink small amounts of alcohol occasionally to slightly reduce blood pressure and fight off coronary artery disease and heart attack. But if you drink more than one or two drinks a day, then your blood pressure will rise.

  Do not stop suddenly if you are a heavy drinker. Taper off slowly or your blood pressure may spike for several days, the Mayo Clinic says.

  Drinking of another sort can only help. Drink plenty of water, at least eight glasses per day, to help reduce blood pressure.

Exercise

• Within a short time the implementation, an exercise routine will lower blood pressure, according to the Mayo Clinic.

  Do 30 to 60 minutes of physical exercise for at least four days out of each week to quickly reduce blood pressure. Sticking to an exercise routine will sometimes prevent those with pre-hypertension from developing hypertension without ever needing medication.

De-Stress

• Take breaks for deep-breathing exercises during your day and attempt to eliminate any sources of stress in your life if possible. Try meditation or yoga to help relax. According to the Mayo Clinic, too much stress can cause a temporary rise in blood pressure.