Table of Contents
So many people have high blood pressure that we might almost think it’s okay. The 140/90 number on the blood pressure monitor doesn’t worry many people. But that’s a great pity, because elevated blood pressure in the blood vessels – expertly called hypertension, increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and other health problems. Overall, it contributes greatly to cardiovascular disease, the world’s leading cause of death. [11]
In doing so, it is a problem that can often be waved away quite easily. Did your doctor measure high blood pressure and you don’t know what to do about it? Let’s take a look together at what to do to get it under control.
What is blood pressure and why should we care?
Blood pressure is simply the pressure that blood exerts on the walls of blood vessels. The one we can measure with a blood pressure monitor is specifically the pressure in the arteries (the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart towards the body).
Your blood pressure is routinely measured by doctors and you may also measure it yourself at home. But have you ever wondered why it has two numbers? It’s because pressure changes throughout one heart cycle.
- Systolic pressure is the highest pressure of the blood and is produced when the heart contracts, when the heart sends blood into the bloodstream. It is the first number in the pressure value measured on a blood pressure monitor(120/80 mmHg).
- Diastolic pressure is the pressure that blood exerts on the walls of blood vessels when the heart is relaxing and not pumping blood. It is the pressure in the phase between two heartbeats, and it is the number after the slash in the pressure value (120/80 mmHg).
Can blood pressure be dangerous?
If the blood pressure reaches high values, it begins to cause problems. It can damage blood vessels and is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease. According to 2015 data, it is estimated that up to 14% of all deaths worldwide are related to systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg.
The worst thing about elevated blood pressure is that it usually doesn’t hurt and we don’t need to know about it at all. Therefore, it is good to think about it and check it from time to time.
How does high blood pressure harm us?
We’ve already established that elevated blood pressure increases the chance of developing cardiovascular problems. Specifically, the following health issues may occur, some of which have fatal consequences.
- heart attack
- stroke
- ischaemic heart disease
- heart failure
- kidney failure [21]
How to find out if I have high blood pressure?
High blood pressure (hypertension) is usually discovered by accident. Some people may have headaches, nausea or nosebleeds, for example, but typically these symptoms only become apparent when the pressure is already too high. Until then, it is typically hidden and invisible. [21]
It is therefore advisable to measure it regularly. Typically, it will be checked by your doctor at a preventive checkup that you have once a year or every two years. Ideally, however, you should keep a closer eye on your blood pressure and measure it once a month.
A great way to keep track of your blood pressure is to take regular measurements with a home arm blood pressure monitor. When you want to bring the check to perfection, always measure yourself three times and take its average value into account. As long as you regularly monitor your pressure yourself at home, you’ll be able to intervene quickly when it starts to rise.
What are the values of optimal blood pressure?
A healthy blood pressure is the one that has both systolic and diastolic pressure values in order. When either of these values is higher than the norm for a long time, it can indicate a problem.
| Optimal blood pressure | < 120 | < 70 |
| High normal blood pressure | 120 – 139 | 70 – 89 |
| Hypertension | ≥140 | ≥90 |
[19]
You may have noticed that there is no value for low blood pressure in the table. This is because low pressure is not a problem if it does not cause a person difficulties. That’s why the classification doesn’t give a specific threshold – everyone’s pressure becomes too low at a different point, and it’s the symptoms that are important. If someone is not dizzy or weak, even lower pressure can be perfectly normal for them.
Causes of high blood pressure
Some people have high blood pressure written in their genes, while others get it from an improper lifestyle or a disease. Depending on where the main cause of hypertension lies, it is divided into two different types.
- Secondary hypertension arises as a consequence of another disease, for example, kidney disease.
- Primary hypertension has no known clear cause, but lifestyle factors (diet, exercise, etc.) and genetics play a major role. About 90% of people with high blood pressure have this type. [2]
What lifestyle factors promote the development of high blood pressure?
When high blood pressure is caused by lifestyle, it is a combination of several factors. Each of them acts through a different mechanism.
- Improper nutrition can, for example, create an environment for hypertension through excessive intake of calories, unhealthy fats or, on the contrary, a lack of fibre.
- A high intake of salt and the sodium it contains promotes water retention in the body, increasing blood volume and pressure on the walls of blood vessels.
- Low potassium intake impairs sodium excretion.
- Alcohol consumption activates stress hormones and increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. This part of the nervous system cannot be controlled by will and its role is to prepare the body for action, which includes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.
- Lack of physical activity impairs blood vessel elasticity and blood flow.
- Overweight and obesity increase the pressure on blood vessels due to the amount of body fat. [3]
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How to reduce high blood pressure naturally?
1. Adjust your diet
If you’re wondering what to change in your lifestyle first to lower your blood pressure, a diet is a great option. Nutrition plays a key role in controlling it. And it’s pretty easy to start making changes right now. In fact, a normal, rational diet is also effective for relieving hypertension, with an emphasis on a few rules.
- higher vegetable and fruit intake
- eating whole grain foods and legumes
- restriction of highly industrially processed foods (confectionery, cold cuts, semi-finished products, sweet pastries, etc.)
- limited intake of saturated fats and trans fats, which should be limited when they come from sweets, salami, sausages and other cold meats or, for example, semi-finished products
- lower salt intake
- lower intake of red meat, especially processed meat (salami, sausages, etc.) [8]
So just make these changes and you’ll be well on your way to lowering your blood pressure. However, in addition to a balanced, rational diet, researchers have also studied the impact of other dietary practices. The Mediterranean diet or vegetarianism, for example, are proving to be effective.
You can read more about how to make the right diet in the article What is a Healthy Diet and how to Learn to Eat Healthy?
Vegetarian or Mediterranean diet to lower blood pressure
- The Mediterranean diet ensures a high intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, other healthy fats and lean meat (fish, poultry).
- Vegetarians avoid meat and, in stricter forms, other animal foods. A properly formulated vegetarian diet has a high content of fibre, antioxidants, potassium and, conversely, little saturated fats. In order to avoid deficiencies of certain nutrients, it is important to ensure a sufficient intake of protein, iron and vitamin B12.
DASH diet to lower blood pressure
In addition to a balanced, rational diet, the Mediterranean diet or vegetarianism, scientists have also developed a diet designed to help directly with hypertension. DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) consists of principles that together help to reduce high blood pressure. In many ways, it is similar to other diets, but in some ways it is unique. [5]
DASH is also recommended by the American Heart Association, and interestingly, in addition to blood pressure, it also helps to reduce insulin resistance, inflammatory processes in the body, and oxidative stress, for example. [18]
What to eat on the DASH diet?
| vegetables, fruit | red meat |
| whole grain foods | sweets |
| low-fat dairy products | highly industrially processed foods |
| lean meat (fish, poultry) | sweetened beverages |
| nuts |
[4]
In addition to appropriate and inappropriate foods, the DASH diet has other important rules
- Reduced salt intake to 5 g per day or 3.75 g for people at higher risk of cardiovascular problems.
- Higher intake of potassium. Rich sources of this mineral are, for example, beans, lentils, avocados, unpeeled potatoes or bananas.
- Emphasis on the intake of calcium and magnesium.
- Diet rich in fibre, which is why the diet favours plant-based foods.
- Restriction of saturated fats.
- Controlling calorie intake so that a person has an ideal body weight. [18,22]
2. Move regularly and play sports
Movement is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to lower blood pressure without medication. Regular physical activity helps improve blood vessel elasticity, blood flow and reduces sympathetic nervous system activity.
Studies repeatedly confirm that aerobic activity is the most effective in combating hypertension. Therefore, it is advisable to walk, run, swim or, for example, cycle a lot. These activities have been shown to help lower blood pressure in people with both hypertension and high normal blood pressure. [3]
- Expert societies such as the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise at least 5 days a week. This means brisk walking, light jogging or light cycling. [5]
- In addition, strength training is also suitable, 2 – 3 times a week. [5]
- It is ideal to combine these types of sports.
Interestingly, the pressure-reducing effect appears after just one activity and can persist for another 24 hours. In the long term, regular exercise can reduce systolic pressure by an average of 5 mmHg. Therefore, it is very important to persist in sport. To do well, choose a movement that you enjoy so that it becomes a natural part of your lifestyle. [5]
3. When overweight and obese, reduce your body weight
If you are overweight or obese, losing weight is one of the most effective ways to improve your blood pressure. Even if you don’t change your diet or exercise habits. It works simply – as you lose weight, the amount of abdominal (visceral) fat that literally presses on your blood vessels, increasing the pressure in them, decreases. When you get rid of it, it naturally benefits your elevated blood pressure.
Researchers estimate that obesity causes about 40% of cases of high blood pressure. But the good news is that even a modest weight loss, namely 5-10%, can bring significant improvements in blood pressure. [3]
- The key to weight loss is to create a calorie deficit, a state where the body takes in less energy than it uses. You can read how to achieve it easily and without suffering in the article How to Lose Weight Quickly Without Counting Calories.
4. Stop smoking
Smoking is one of the most significant risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure is no exception. Today, we know that repeated cigarette smoking throughout the day leads to a transient increase in both blood pressure and heart rate. This happens because smoking stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which constricts blood vessels and raises pressure. [16]
Moreover, research also says that nicotine promotes endothelial dysfunction. Specifically, it impairs the quality and function of blood vessels. Smoking can increase the stiffness of large arteries, which means the heart has to pump blood against greater resistance. The result can be higher blood pressure, more wear and tear on blood vessels, and an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. [14,17,23]
The good news is that quitting smoking makes sense at any age, as the positive effects are felt in just a few weeks. Pressure drops quite quickly, blood vessel elasticity improves, and the risk of cardiovascular events decreases.
5. Avoid alcohol
Although a glass of wine seems to relax us, in the long run, regular alcohol consumption is a silent accomplice to high blood pressure. Alcohol increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which leads to constriction of blood vessels and an increase in heart rate. It also impairs insulin sensitivity, increases levels of stress hormones, and promotes sodium and water retention. All this contributes to an increase in blood pressure. [28]
Regular alcohol consumption is a problem, but binge drinking is even more risky. But it’s never too late to do something about it. Even people who drink regularly and larger amounts of alcohol experience a drop in blood pressure when they cut down. [7]
If you drink alcohol, try to set limits. According to the WHO, the less alcohol you drink, the better. There is no completely safe limit to alcohol consumption, because even low consumption increases the risk of health problems. [24]
- You can read about the effects of alcohol on the body in the article What Does Alcohol Do to Our Bodies and Is There Even a Healthy Dose?
6. Sleep more
Sleep is commonly neglected, but if we want to maintain the best possible health, we are making a big mistake. This also applies to blood pressure. A good night’s rest allows the body to regenerate, reducing the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and the associated blood pressure in the blood vessels.
Research shows that sleeping less than 6 hours a day increases the risk of hypertension. So if you want to help your heart, give yourself at least 7 hours of quality rest. Remember that both the length and the quality of sleep are important, so it pays to follow the rules of sleep hygiene. [1]
7. Learn to manage stress
Chronic psychological stress, whether it comes from work, personal problems, anxiety or life changes, significantly increases the risk of high blood pressure. Stress activates the nervous system, increasing levels of cortisol and adrenaline, which raises the heart rate, constricts blood vessels and can also lead to hypertension. [9,12]
Research shows that people under long-term psychosocial stress are up to twice as likely to develop high blood pressure. The good news, however, is that there are many ways and techniques to help manage stress that also produce good results. [9]
Relaxation techniques for stress control
- breathing exercises
- yoga
- meditation, for example, mindfulness
- progressive stress relaxation
But if you are serious about managing stress, don’t forget to exercise regularly and have a healthy diet. You can also help yourself with adaptogens. These are supplements that help the body to adapt to stressful conditions, i.e. to adapt and cope better.
- Read more about how stress affects the body and how to reduce it in the article Why is stress dangerous for us and how to reduce it?
Is it necessary to limit caffeine when having high blood pressure?
Caffeine can raise blood pressure in the short term, especially in people who drink it infrequently. However, in regular coffee drinkers, this effect is mitigated and long-term coffee drinking is not associated with a higher risk of hypertension. Coffee, therefore, does not need to be completely eliminated for high blood pressure if you are used to it and tolerate it well. However, everything in moderation. The ideal amount is up to 3-4 cups a day. In fact, the daily dose of caffeine for a healthy adult should not exceed 400 mg. [13,25]
Wondering what coffee does to the body and what benefits it has? Read the article Is Coffee Healthy? 7 Reasons Why You Should Give It a Go.
What supplements are suitable for high blood pressure?
The cornerstone of the road to a healthy blood pressure level is definitely the right lifestyle. But if you want to support it with something else, you can reach for nutritional supplements
- Potassium is an essential mineral that has been shown to help maintain normal blood pressure.
- Magnesium promotes optimal electrolyte balance. The latter plays an important role in the body in maintaining healthy blood pressure. [27]
- Fish oil and therein contained omega-3 fatty acids, namely EPA and DHA, contribute to normal heart function.
- Garlic contains organic compounds such as allicin, which promote the production of nitric oxide (NO). This dilates blood vessels (vasodilation), helping to lower pressure. [20]
- Beetroot powder naturally contains substances that contribute to lowering blood pressure.
- Arginine promotes the production of nitric oxide. It is also used as a NO supplement before training. [26]
- Citrulline is a precursor to arginine and is also involved in the formation of nitric oxide.
- Coenzyme Q10 acts as an antioxidant and can also increase the availability of nitric oxide (NO). [10,15]
Are herbs also used for high blood pressure?
Certain herbs and natural substances can help lower blood pressure and improve blood vessel health, especially when used as a supplement to diet and lifestyle. They can be especially helpful for people with mildly elevated blood pressure. The effect is shown, for example, with the following herbs.
- Sudan hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
- Chinese hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida)
- basil (Ocimum basilicum)
- ginger ( Zingiber officinale)
- Chinese tea tree (Camellia sinensis)
- cat’s claw (Uncaria rhynchophylla) [6]
Can high blood pressure be treated?
We may come into a situation where the doctor prescribes us medication for pressure. At that time, we should definitely take it in order to get the higher pressure under control. But even if we have the medicine, it doesn’t mean that we don’t need to deal with our lifestyle. On the contrary, the more we pay attention to exercise, sleep or nutrition, the more likely we are to be able to come off the medication over time.
The best-known and most widely used drugs for high blood pressure
- ACE inhibitors lower pressure by blocking the production of angiotensin II, a hormone that causes blood vessels to constrict.
- ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers) inhibit the action of the hormone, which constricts blood vessels and increases pressure.
- CCBs (calcium channel blockers) relax the muscles in the walls of blood vessels.
- Diuretics help the body get rid of excess water and salt by promoting urination, thereby reducing blood volume and pressure. [5,19]
What Should You Remember?
Everyone has high blood pressure nowadays, but that doesn’t mean that something doesn’t need to be done about it. On the contrary, we should try to avoid it at all costs. And when it does occur, get it under control as quickly as possible. Hypertension is one of the main causes of cardiovascular disease.
Fortunately, high blood pressure is not a problem to which we are completely at the mercy of once it appears. It can be influenced by good nutrition, exercise, stress management techniques, quality sleep and other lifestyle changes. And when it’s at its worst, doctors will help you get it under control with medication.
However, keep in mind that prevention is always better than dealing with the problems once they arise. So, check your blood pressure regularly and incorporate healthy habits into your daily routine.
Have we inspired you to take more care of your health? Share this article with your friends and acquaintances, and share useful information with them.
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