Lowering Blood Pressure Naturally

The following recommendations are essential for lowering your blood pressure without medication or salt restriction. Use these diet and lifestyle approaches to improve your blood pressure naturally.

1. Reduce excessive refined carbohydrate and sugar intake

• High blood sugar and insulin resistance contribute to the development of hypertension
• Stick to whole-food carbohydrates such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and fruit, instead of refined grains and sugars

2. Increase your intake of minerals

• Potassium, magnesium, and calcium are more important for reducing blood pressure than salt restriction
• Increase intake of potassium-rich plant foods such as white potatoes, bananas, and tomatoes
• Increase calcium intake through dairy products, bone-in fish, nuts and seeds, and leafy greens
• Supplement with 300–500 mg per day of magnesium glycinate

3. Supplement with vitamin K2

• Vitamin K2 may be the most critical nutrient for preventing cardiovascular disease
• Foods high in K2 include butter, ghee, hard cheeses, and poultry liver
• Supplement with 200 mcg per day of MK7

4. Eat one pound of fatty fish per week

• Omega-3 fatty acid in fish is found to reduce the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease
• It’s safer to get omega-3 fats from fish rather than from fish oil
• Healthy fatty fish options include salmon, sardines, halibut, mackerel, trout, tuna, anchovies, herring, and whitefish
• If supplementing with omega-3, take 1,000 mg per day of combined EPA and DHA

5. Drink tea

• Certain types of tea, such as hibiscus, hawthorn, gotu kola, oolong, and green tea, are effective at lowering blood pressure
• Drink one to two cups per day of tea (a combination of the above teas is most effective) to lower blood pressure

6. Eat beets

• Research studies have shown that beet juice can lower blood pressure as they are high in nitrates
• Which turns into nitric oxide and can promote vasodilation and lower blood pressure
• Other foods high in nitrates include celeriac, Chinese cabbage, endive, fennel, kohlrabi, leek, parsley, celery, lettuce, and spinach

7. Get some sunshine

• UV radiation also helps produce nitric oxide in our blood to lower blood pressure
• Aim for 20 to 30 minutes of unprotected, bare skin exposure daily

8. Reduce stress

• Chronic stress is a well-known cause of high blood pressure
• Meditation and deep belly breathing are two incredibly effective strategies that can be used daily to lower blood pressure

9. Focus on sleep

• Short sleep duration and poor sleep quality increase the risk of high blood pressure
• Sleep apnea is also associated with elevated blood pressure
• Aim for seven to nine hours of high-quality sleep nightly

10. Move

• All types of exercise have been shown to reduce blood pressure
• This includes aerobic exercise like walking, as well as strength training
• Increase daily non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) by standing (perhaps using a standing desk), walking, using the stairs, and being more active in your everyday life
• Aim for about 10,000 steps per day