According to the World Health Organization, high blood pressure affects more than 1.13 billion people worldwide. If you’re diagnosed with high blood pressure, a conventional doctor may prescribe an antihypertensive. The efficiency of antihypertensive medicines vary for every patient, and they come with a long list of potential side effects. Natural strategies to prevent and/or treat high blood pressure may be an afterthought for some, but they shouldn’t be. There are plenty of drug-free ways to lower your blood pressure, including exercise.
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A recent review supports the idea that exercise can be considered a potent medicine, but questions how many people are actually thinking of their workouts as natural remedies for health issues. Since drugs are rarely compared side by side with exercise to treat the same condition, review authors decided to do just that.
Researchers at the London School of Economics, Stanford University and other institutions focused on systolic blood pressure. They collected data from over 50,000 volunteers and found that all of the drugs and any type of exercise lowered blood pressure.
Formally prescribing exercise as a treatment for various health conditions, such as high blood pressure, insulin resistance, obesity and osteoarthritis, is becoming more of a consideration among physicians and scientists. The review, which shows that both approaches are able to reduce high blood pressure, is further proof that lifestyle changes such as exercise should be the first step.
In addition to regular exercise, other safe and natural ways to beat high blood pressure in a drug-free approach include:
• A healthy diet — Processed foods contain hidden amounts of sodium, trans fat, fructose and grains. Adopt a diet that consists of healthy and organic foods instead.
• A healthy weight — Being overweight can strain your heart, so make sure you maintain a healthy weight to lower your blood pressure levels.
• Manage your stress — Stress can cause short-term spikes in blood pressure levels and encourage habits that may be bad for your heart. Determine your stress triggers and find a way to manage your emotions when faced with difficult situations. Yoga, meditation and breathing techniques may help.
• Optimize your vitamin D levels — Vitamin D deficiency can cause arterial stiffness, which may lead to high blood pressure. Increase your vitamin D levels through sensible sun exposure or by eating foods that are rich in vitamin D, such as wild-caught Alaskan salmon and organic eggs.