Ways to Lower Blood Pressure Naturally 12 Easy Tips

My mother has struggled with high blood pressure for many years. I have conducted research on natural ways that individuals can work to relieve their high blood pressure.

A summary of the results of my research follows. 

Make sure you consult your primary care physician before you make any dramatic changes to your diet or exercise routine.

Some studies have indicated that the following steps can help individuals lower their blood pressure, naturally.

1. Get Regular Exercise — Build exercise into your daily routine. Even walking 30 minutes daily at a vigorous pace can help lower high blood pressure. You should also try to incorporate a rigorous cardio workout at least 3 times per week. When you give your body a solid workout, you help your heart consume oxygen more efficiently. If you have led a sedentary life recently, be sure to start slowly and consult your doctor about the best routine for your age and health.

2. Practice Deep Breathing — Every morning and night take a 10 minute breathing moment. Sit in a quite place, take some deep breaths, inhale and exhale calmly. You can also benefit by learning and practicing daily meditation. Another option is to sign-up for a local yoga class. Check with nearby gyms or local parks and recreation programs.

Bio-feedback can also help you learn to breath deeply the best device on the market for at-home bio-feedback is the RESPeRATE. Ten clinical studies have proven the effectiveness of RESPeRATE on lowering blood pressure. It is a simple FDA-approved device that teaches unique breathing exercise to relax constricted blood vessels and reduce high blood pressure.

While the RESPeRate (available from Amazon below) is expensive, many users report that it works very well as a breathing aid to reduce high blood pressure. If this exceeds your budget, try the yoga tapes first.

3. Maintain Optimum Weight — Carrying extra pounds affects blood pressure because overweight individuals may have a higher blood volume. Also, when your body is overweight, it may produce more insulin. Your body uses insulin to convert sugar into glycogen and stores it. Once the body fills its glycogen stores, it stores any additional sugar as saturated fat. If you are overweight, even losing as little as 5 or 10 pounds can help lower blood pressure.

4. Learn to Relax — Today’s lifestyle seems to load on the stress. If you are working long hours and suffer from high blood pressure, try to reduce your hours in the office. If that is not possible, try to build in more time for exercise. For example: can you take a long break at lunch for a brisk walk. You can also try listening to relaxing, soothing music combined with meditation and deep breathing. The American Society for Hypertension recently reported that listening to music for 30 minutes each day may significantly lower your blood pressure. The study’s researchers discovered that people with mild hypertension who listened to classical, Celtic or Indian music for just 30 minutes a day for one month had significant reductions in their blood pressure. 

5. Eat potassium-rich foods — Your body uses potassium in balance with other nutrients to regulate your blood pressure. Potassium in your body can help counter the effects of sodium on blood pressure. If your diet consists of fast food meals, you are probably deficient in potassium. Several vegetables and fruits are potassium-rich foods. Good sources for potassium include almonds, sweet potatoes, potatoes, peas, tomatoes, orange juice, bananas, prunes and raisins.

6. Eat magnesium-rich foods — Magnesium helps regulate blood sugar levels and supports normal blood pressure. Many dark green vegetables such as spinach are great sources of magnesium. These vegetables contain the chlorophyll molecules, which gives green vegetables their color and contains magnesium. Other good sources for magnesium include some legumes (beans and peas), whole, unrefined grains and nuts and seeds.

7. Eat Dark Chocolate – Dark Chocolate has flavonols, which make blood vessels more elastic. WebMD reports that consuming a healthy portion of dark chocolate every day can help lower blood pressure. Look for chocolate that is at least 70 percent cocoa. Some studies indicate that dark chocolate can thin your blood similarly to low-dose aspirin. Try this as a night-cap: Mix one teaspoon of 100% cocoa powder with 2 tablespoons of cold low-fat milk to form a paste. Bring one cup of milk to a boil and poor the hot milk over the prepared cocoa paste. Sweeten the combined mixture with a little maple syrup, brown sugar or stevia and mix well. You can read more about WebMd’s report on chocolate and blood pressure at this link:

8. Eat Garlic — Some studies indicate that raw garlic can reduce blood pressure. In February 2010, the MayoClinic reported that while small reductions in blood pressure have been reported in studies of garlic and blood pressure, they believe the evidence is preliminary. If you enjoy raw garlic, it can be very useful in improving the flavor of low-fat food and it might help your blood pressure.

9. Follow the Dash Diet — The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is an eating plan for lowering blood pressure developed by the US National Institutes of Health. The researchers at NIH conducted an extensive research study to identify foods that affect blood pressure. The DASH diet includes a lot of fruits and vegetables, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, sufficient calcium and foods low in fat and sodium. The DASH researchers also found that diets rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium can help reduce high blood pressure treatment. You can download a 64-page PDF of the DASH diet at this link or purchase this book from Amazon below.

10. Drink Tea — WebMD reports that drinking a tea blend that includes hibiscus can lower systolic blood pressure by of 7 point on average.  In the US many herbal teas contain hibiscus. Other studies show that green tea and oolong tea can also help reduce blood pressure, though the caffeine can temporarily increase pressure. Each individual is different. To see how caffeinated tea works in your body, check your pressure within 30 minutes of drinking the tea and as always consult your physician.

11. Reduce Salt  — Your kidneys regulate the amount sodium (salt) in your body. When your body consumes more sodium than it needs and the kidneys cannot expel it, your blood stores it. Since sodium attracts and holds water, blood volume increases. When your body’s blood volume increases, your heart works harder to move the increased blood through your blood vessels. All this work in the blood vessels increasing pressure in your arteries (meaning higher blood pressure). According to WebMD, healthy adults should consume between 1,500 and 2,400 milligrams (mg) a day.  In the US 77% of an individual’s salt intake comes from processed food. Try to purchasing more whole foods. Healthful alternatives to salt include lime, pepper, herbs and spices. If you have high-blood pressure and are not sure of your daily salt consumption, keep a food diary. You will probably be surprised by the amount of sodium you consume.

12. Consume Alcohol Sparingly — Drinking excessive alcohol can increase blood pressure. The Mayo Clinic suggests that individuals with high blood pressure should avoid alcohol or drink in moderation. For the typical male (younger than 65), moderate alcohol consumption is two drinks per day. For men older than 65 moderate drinking would be one alcohol serving a day. For women of any age, moderate drinking is one serving of alcohol per day.  A serving of alcohol is defined as 12 ounces (355 milliliters) of beer, 5 ounces (148 milliliters) of wine or 1.5 ounces (44 milliliters) of 80-proof distilled spirits.   Some studies do indicate alcohol has some benefits, particularly for the heart. The key is moderation. Never participate in binge drinking. If you consume many drinks (4 or more) in a row, you can cause a sudden increase in blood pressure

Make sure you check with your primary care physician before you make changes to your diet.

For basic information on blood pressure visit:

Blood Pressure Causes for High and Low Readings

For additional information on lowering high blood pressure, visit these links:

Healthy Blood Pressure Checklist

Having Trouble Reducing Salt?