Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally

While not all doctors agree that high blood pressure inevitably leads to kidney damage, stroke, heart attack and/or heart failure, the reality is that approximately 50 million adult Americans are chronically hypertensive, and they don't have to be. Many rely on powerful pharmaceuticals to lower their blood pressure. High blood pressure occurs when the systolic blood pressure (when the heart contracts) is 140 mmHg or greater and the diastolic pressure is 90 mmHg or greater (when the heart is at rest).

We live in a high-stress, demanding world that constantly threatens our peace of mind, steals our free time, and practically compels us to eat unhealthy "convenience" foods on a regular basis. All of these factors can threaten our physical and mental health, make us fat, and increase our blood pressure.

If you want to avoid or reduce your reliance on drugs with often dangerous side effects that are routinely prescribed to treat high blood pressure, there are several natural modalities you can try, including meditation, diet and exercise.

Meditation-specifically transcendental meditation (TM)-has been found to lower stress, which has led to reduced blood pressure, in a number of studies. Why does meditation work? The profound rest engendered by TM in particular leads to a chain reaction of positive biochemical changes and a more balanced mental and physical state that encourages the body's self-repair. A 1995 study of African Americans who practiced TM showed a decrease in blood pressure in all those who tried it. To learn more about transcendental meditation, call 1-888-LEARN-TM.

Are you more interested in a nutritional approach? Dietary changes that may help lower blood pressure include lower salt intake; alcohol consumed in moderation; higher potassium intake; and a decrease in consumption of, or elimination of, meat and an increase in consumption of high-fiber, high-mineral fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products.

Salt intake should be reduced substantially. Some simple guidelines that will help you locate low-salt products available in every supermarket are: always buy fresh or no-salt-added vegetables; substitute herbs, spices and salt-free seasoning for salt; don't add salt to rice, pasta and hot cereals; look for low-sodium packaged and canned foods; rinse canned foods to remove some of the salt; if you consume animal products, make sure your meat and fish is fresh, not processed, and that your dairy products are low-fat or non-fat and low-sodium.

Because of its suspected diuretic ability, an increase in potassium intake is also recommended. You can find potassium in peaches, bananas, avocadoes, kidney beans, cantaloupe, spinach, potatoes with their skins and yogurt. When possible, eat fruits and vegetables raw or in their skins to prevent mineral loss.

Another helpful mineral in lowering blood pressure is calcium. Calcium is found in dairy products, sardines, kale, spinach, tofu, broccoli, soybeans and almonds.

Magnesium has the ability to relax blood vessels and may aid in lowering stress levels. You can find magnesium in spinach, black-eyed peas, baked potatoes, beans, nuts, seeds, okra, soy milk, whole wheat bread, cereals and oysters.

Vitamin C may enhance blood vessel wall tone, leading to lower blood pressure. Get your vitamin C in oranges, strawberries, broccoli, among many other vegetables and fruits.

In addition to the above vitamin- and mineral-rich foods, a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement is good insurance against occasional dietary indiscretions and nutritional shortages.

A very useful herb that improves heart function and controls blood pressure is hawthorn. It dilates blood vessels as well as protecting against plaque formation in coronary arteries. You can buy hawthorn at health food stores and pharmacies in capsule and tincture form.

Another important natural modality you can use to control hypertension is exercise. It has been shown in a 2002 study that regular exercise, which involves a half-hour or more of brisk walking or some other aerobic exercise every day, reduces blood pressure.

Other natural therapies for hypertension include chiropractic, which corrects misalignments of the spine and may lead to improved blood flow to the head and lower blood pressure. Acupuncture is another anti-hypertensive therapy used in traditional Chinese medicine, along with consumption of foods such as honey, water chestnut, turnips and hawthorn berries. Lastly, if you are on a drug regimen for your hypertension, always keep your physician informed of any alternative modalities you are using to control your blood pressure.