The first thing you need to address if you want to lower blood pressure is the reason you have high blood pressure to begin with. Your physician will complete a thorough examination and blood workup. Once your results are in, often you can lower blood pressure with a simple change in diet and exercise regimen.
Excess weight has often been associated with hypertension. You may be advised to go on a low-fat diet in order to lower your blood pressure. You may also be advised to increase both potassium and magnesium intake, along with dark green vegetables and fresh fruit. In addition to reducing salt, the sodium/potassium ratio needs to be kept low in order for your blood pressure to return to normal levels.
Some holistic practitioners might suggest that in order to lower blood pressure, you need to satisfy your intellect. If your intellect is too consumed in diversity, it makes the blood race around. Diet can often help change the mind-set, so once again, your food must be addressed.
Holistic practitioners will also tell you to lower your blood pressure by drinking more water. The thinking is that if you have hypertension, your body is in a state of drought and dehydration. When your blood vessels do not have enough water to diffuse water into vital cells easily, it will take extra pressure to accomplish this.
Inflammatory conditions will establish themselves in the arteries and cells which are being deprived of proper hydration. Holistic doctors consider that pharmaceutical diuretics will only aggravate this condition. Natural diuretics can remove your excess fluid without contributing to further dehydration.
Natural diuretics are foods or herbs that increase urine flow, removing built-up fluids. Supplementing electrolytes can help to not strip your body of important vitamins and minerals lost by the flushing and cleansing of the diuretics.
Green tea, cranberry juice, apple cider vinegar, artichokes, watercress, dandelion, nettle and fennel are all excellent natural diuretics that can be used safely to eliminate excess fluid from the body and lower blood pressure. Other natural foods like cucumbers and watermelon also flush out toxins by increasing urination. Cucumbers in particular are excellent in removing uric acid from the kidneys.
Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, beets, oats, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, garlic, horseradish, raw onions and radishes all have unique qualities of being natural diuretics as well as flushing out toxins from the system. Any and all of these food products can be prescribed when you want to lower blood pressure.
Sleep apnea can be implicated as a cause of high blood pressure. Symptoms such as snoring, headaches, acid reflux, frequent urination, unexplained weight gain and elevated carbon dioxide in the blood can be indications that you have sleep apnea. Your doctor will offer measures to correct this condition in order to lower blood pressure.
You will also be advised to stop smoking and limit alcohol consumption in order to lower blood pressure. Managing diabetes and cholesterol are also important. If after all these guidelines and lifestyle changes are followed and your blood pressure is still not at a desired level, your doctor may suggest blood pressure medication.