If you want to avoid suffering from a heart or stroke, then follow our guide to finding the most natural way to lower blood pressure and staying healthy.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one third of U.S. adults suffer from high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is damaging to the arteries and significantly increases the risk of kidney failure, heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.
By lowering systolic blood pressure to a max of 120 mmHg, you can reduce these risks.
In people with high blood pressure, medication and lifestyle changes usually go hand in hand.
Lower Blood Pressure Naturally
We’ll leave the medication to the doctors so we can focus on the lifestyle changes you can make to naturally lower blood pressure.
The following are three ways you can lower your blood pressure by changing your lifestyle.
1. Throw Out the Salt
According to preventative cardiologist Luke Laffin, M.D., “cutting your salt intake is probably the most important way to lower your blood pressure.
Studies have shown that a low-sodium diet has the same effect as one and a half to two blood pressure medications.”
The American Heart Association recommends that sodium intake should not exceed 1,500 mg a day (or one teaspoon).
Unfortunately, the average American consumes about 3,500 mg of sodium daily.
By cooking everything at home, not eating out, and avoiding processed foods (including bread), you can significantly lower your sodium intake.
While it may seem hard, you just have to push yourself for two weeks and it will be easier.
“It takes about 10 to 14 days to adjust to a low-sodium diet; then some foods will begin to taste salty,” says Dr. Laffin.
2. Eat More Potassium
Avoiding salt is complicated due to so many foods containing sodium.
If you eat a lot of meat, potatoes, carbohydrates, processed foods, and fast foods, then not only are your sodium levels high, but your potassium levels are low.
It is recommended to consume between 3,000 and 3,5000 mg of potassium daily through foods like bananas and tomatoes.
Dr. Laffin suggests that people with significant kidney disease should not consume too much potassium as the kidneys may not be able to get rid of it.
3. DASH Diet
Blood pressure, DASH diet, and feeling healthy are part of the same deal.
The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is made to specifically lower blood pressure through diet.
By following the DASH diet, you can meet the high-potassium, low-sodium guidelines (and lose weight to boot).
The DASH diet consists of eating whole grains, low-fat dairy, fruits, and vegetables.
Due to the research behind it, the DASH diet is considered one of the top non-pharmaceutical ways to control hypertension.
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