An estimated 103 million U.S. adults have high blood pressure—and most of those adults are older! Blood pressure is a measurement of the force of your blood flowing through the blood vessels. When that measurement is consistently too high, you enter a stage called hypertension. While high blood pressure itself is not inherently dangerous, the effects of long-term high blood pressure are.
Having high blood pressure causes your heart to work harder than it has to. This negatively impacts your cardiovascular health and can make you more susceptible to more dangerous heart conditions.
Let’s take a look at blood pressure and aging.
Why Does Blood Pressure Rise As We Age?
You have a higher risk of high blood pressure as you get older—that’s just a fact. A 2007 study describes it this way, “The increase in blood pressure with age is mostly associated with structural changes in the arteries and especially with large artery stiffness. It is known from various studies that rising blood pressure is associated with increased cardiovascular risk.”
As you age, your arteries become brittle and stiff, causing your blood pressure to rise significantly. Let’s take a look at the numbers to find out what is normal!
- Normal (less than 120 mm Hg systolic and less than 80 mm Hg diastolic)
- Elevated (120 to 129 mm Hg systolic and less than 80 mm Hg diastolic)
- Stage 1 hypertension (130 to 139 mm Hg systolic or 80 to 89 mm Hg diastolic)
- Stage 2 hypertension (at least 140 mm Hg systolic or at least 90 mm Hg diastolic).
What Can I Do to Lower My Blood Pressure?
The first thing you should do when you decide that you want to lower your blood pressure is go speak with your doctor! A healthcare professional can give you medication or other advice on what you should do. In addition to seeking professional medical advice, you can make a few lifestyle changes that will help you achieve lower blood pressure numbers!
Exercise Daily
Strengthening your heart is a great step that you can take toward lowering your blood pressure. Seek to exercise for 30 minutes per day. You don’t have to run 5 miles—you can take a walk, swim, cycle, or even dance! Moving around each day will make a huge difference in your overall heart health and especially in your cardiovascular health.
Eat a Healthy Diet
What you eat directly translates to how healthy your heart is. Eating a diet high in saturated fat and sodium will negatively impact your heart. Try to cut down on saturated fats and sodium and load up on healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds. Avoid processed foods like chips, candy, and ready-to-eat meals.
Take Supplements
Supplements like l-arginine, turmeric, beetroot, and CoQ10 are great for lowering your blood pressure. L-arginine is an amino acid that helps your body produce nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a molecule that helps your blood vessels dilate, releasing some of the pressure on your arterial walls, effectively lowering your blood pressure!
L-arginine Plus is a great supplement to take if you’re worried about high blood pressure and aging. It is packed with 5110 mg of l-arginine to give you the results that you need! Try it out risk-free today!