10 tips for lowering blood pressure naturally
/Blood pressure is a measure of how hard the heart is having to work to pump blood through our arteries. The stiffer and more narrowed the arteries, the more strain is placed on the heart, and the higher our risk of heart disease, vascular problems and stroke. A small rise in blood pressure is inevitable for all of us, due to general wear and tear on our vascular system, but attending to certain lifestyle factors can reduce undue blood vessel damage and future disease. The usual culprits are well known to most of us - obesity, smoking, high cholesterol, stress etc; listed below are some ideas for tackling these known hypertension risk factors, that you may not previously have considered:
Weight maintenance - Weight is usually gained slowly. Those who keep their weight under control are often good at noticing when they've gained even just a few kilos, and can adjust their habits accordingly. Consider monitoring your weight or waist circumference every 6-12 months and then, if you've gained weight, make small changes to your lifestyle for a time, to bring your weight back down. This is much easier than waiting until you have a big amount to lose.
Lowering your salt intake - It's the hidden salts that catch us all out. Try to keep your salt intake under control by reading the labels of packaged foods. When buying bread, crackers, sauces etc compare brands and go for the lower sodium option.
Reduce your saturated fat intake - Sometimes it seems that the advice on dietary fat changes as often as the weather forecast. One way you can minimise intake of transfat/saturated fat/interestified fat/sugary-low-fat products is by cutting down on processed foods and eating more whole foods, with less manufacturing involved in their production. Processed food is a loose term meaning many things, but as a rough guide try finding alternatives for products where the ingredient list contains more than 5 items or has multiple ingredients you don't understand.
Minimise sedentary activities - Don't forget the importance of incidental exercise. Try to keep moving for as much of the day as your schedule allows - walking, housework, gardening, playing with kids etc. Plan ahead and try to minimise the amount of time you spend sitting - wear a pedometer, use the stairs, walk instead of driving, arrange to meet friends for a walk instead of a coffee, walk the kids to school, even get a dog. Small changes can add up to a big difference.
Exercise to raise your heart rate - 30 minutes of moderate exercise, 5 times a week, can be a tough ask for busy people with sedentary jobs. But research suggests 30 mins of vigorous exercise, 2-3 times a week, will acheive the same benefit. Check here for examples of moderate versus vigorous exercise.
Don't deprive youself of sleep - Research shows that sleeping for less than an average of seven hours per night can lead to an insiduous rise in blood pressure. If your sleep is below par, click here for advice on how this can be improved.
NSAIDs - Anti-inflammatory medication is very effective for a range of conditions, but it can affect your blood pressure. If you're taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatories regularly, ask your GP if there's a better alternative for you.
Give up smoking - If you've always tried to quit smoking on your own and not yet been successful, maybe it's time to take advantage of the many supportive resources out there. Make an appointment with your GP, and give QUITLlNE a call (13 7848), for advice on the best approach suited to you.
- Alcohol - A little alcohol has some health benefits, but are you sure you're drinking within safe limits? If you're having a drink every day, or love a big session every weekend, make sure your drinking is not putting your health at risk - recommended limits.
Make sure your lifestyle is not making you chronically stressed - So you feel like you're burning the candle at both ends, but how do you even begin to make changes? Small adjustments can make a big difference. Take some time to sit down and assess your current commitments. Is there any circumstance, or any time, where you feel particularly stressed? Tackle one of those things at a time. Why is it stressful? Try and dig deeper, to work out exactly what it is about that thing or the schedule that day, that makes you feel stressed. Brainstorm to see if there's another way of doing it. And then make a small change and see if it helps. Then repeat the process the other way around - what are your highlights? What do you enjoy? What relaxes you and takes your mind off things? Why does it help? How can you build this into your everyday or week? Prioritise a small change. A few weeks later, repeat the process and work on another area. There are some other excellent resources out there for helping with stress, but if you're concerned your stress levels are starting to affect your health - talk to your GP.
