Hypertension Hacks: How To Lower Blood Pressure Without Medication

It’s called the silent killer. The disease is usually symptom free. There often aren’t any warning signs. People can have it for years, completely unaware until they’re being strapped onto a gurney and placed in an ambulance as yet another heart attack victim. 

Untreated hypertension often leads to strokes or heart attacks. One out of two Americans have it. Many of them are unsure of what to do for high blood pressure. Fortunately, unlike many other chronic conditions, hypertension is reversible. There are also medications available to lower blood pressure. 

Prescribed drugs carry unique challenges. Most medicines come with potential side effects, added costs, and the inconvenience of refilling a prescription. Properly administered, medication can extend life. Still, for many millions inhabiting a border region between having a healthy heart and having heart disease, the biggest question is how to lower blood pressure naturally. There are some incredible hacks available that can delay or prevent the need to take high blood pressure medication. Here are five ways doctors recommend to lower blood pressure fast.

What is Hypertension?

Heart disease isn’t just a silent killer. It’s the deadliest. Cancer and Covid kill fewer Americans. Every year, over 700,000 people die from heart disease. That’s more than fifteen years worth of U.S. annual auto fatalities. 

Many heart disease deaths are avoidable. Prevention starts with knowing about heart health. No one should assume they’re fine because they feel okay. Symptoms are rare. So anyone wondering what to do for high blood pressure should know that getting tested is a crucial first step. 

In fact, there are two tests that need to be done before tackling how to lower blood pressure. The first test should be a simple blood pressure test. This can be administered at home, at a chain drugstore or even a doctor’s office. Anyone opting to test blood pressure at home should make sure the cuff that goes around the arm is neither too large, nor too small. Incorrect sizing can affect the test – it’s likely that a cuff may not be appropriate for everyone in a household. Home tests can be very beneficial because they allow for multiple readings taken over several days in a comfortable, familiar environment. 

After all, most people’s blood pressure rises at the doctor’s office. One trick to lower blood pressure fast is to lie down and take deep, cleansing breaths. Breathe in through the nose for five seconds, hold for five, then exhale through the mouth for five seconds. This slows down the heart rate which can lower blood pressure fast.

Blood pressure readings provide two numbers, one atop the other. The first number is called the systolic and occurs when the heart’s beating creates arterial pressure. The bottom number is the diastolic reading. This represents the blood pressure between heart beats. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 while elevated is 120-129 with the diastolic still below 80. Slightly elevated blood pressure is the sweet spot for anyone trying to lower blood pressure.  Higher readings indicate hypertension which begins when BP hits 130 over 80-89. At this point a doctor should definitely be consulted. 

Still, for anyone wondering how to reduce high blood pressure, the BP test is just the first bit of information. It can also be helpful to get a more comprehensive test like the ones offered by Kyla Clinics. 

The next step is a more comprehensive test that includes not just a heart health examination but an overall look at health and wellness. The safest way to lower blood pressure fast is to work with a highly trained medical professional. The process starts by completing a simple health quiz. This helps identify areas where it’s possible to make improvement. Then select an at-home blood test. For example, along with tests to determine heart health (vital for anyone who wants to lower blood pressure) the primary care panel examines hormone and blood sugar levels while also addressing kidney and liver function. While other at-home testing companies charge hundreds of dollars for similar tests, Kyla charges just $99 – which is often covered by insurance. 

However, anyone wondering how to reduce blood pressure should know that testing is not the last step but the first. That’s because after receiving the blood test results, patients have an opportunity to consult with a Kyla doctor who provides personalized advice to improve or maintain test results. Accessing the Kyla app also helps patients track their progress with nutrition and lifestyle enhancements which can help lower blood pressure. There are many ways to achieve this but here are the five best ways to lower blood pressure naturally. 

1. Battle The Belly

Healthy, sustainable weight loss lowers the risk for a wide variety of chronic diseases and conditions including cancer and diabetes. It can also improve mood and sleep. Losing weight is one of the best ways to lower blood pressure. In fact, blood pressure often worsens as the waistline grows. 

That’s why doctors believe in the “tale of the tape.” Simply wrapping a measuring tape around the midsection (where the belly button is) reveals whether or not someone has an elevated risk for high blood pressure and heart disease. Men whose measurement exceeds 40 inches are more likely to have high blood pressure. Women fact the same risk with a slightly smaller measurement of 36 inches. Losing weight isn’t easy. That’s why the next hack for how to lower blood pressure naturally focuses on food.

2. Adopt a Heart-Healthy Diet

There are many diets claiming to be heart healthy but only a few are truly a high blood pressure diet. However, the number-one rated diet for hypertension was developed by doctors for just that purpose. The DASH diet for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet “has been proven to lower your blood pressure—sometimes as much as a medication can,” points out family physician Neha Sachdev, MD, of the AMA.“The DASH diet is also one that many people can follow because it does not restrict certain foods like a low-carb or low-fat diet might. You can eat many foods, and especially lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.” 

Potassium is also an extremely beneficial way to lower blood pressure. It works by helping the kidneys flush out sodium (or salt) which can cause hypertension. It also relaxes the walls of blood vessels which reduces pressure. Bananas, cantaloupes, and kiwis are a rich source. 

Part of a high blood pressure diet is not just about what to add to the dinner plate but also what to subtract.  Of course reducing salt intake means the kidneys won’t have to work as hard to expel it. Added sugar along with processed foods should also be reduced or eliminated. 

Although supplements attempt to replace the vitamins and minerals found in food, it is far better to eat and drink the essential nutrients. Enjoying a healthy, well-balanced diet provides more than enough protein, fats, and carbs along with the necessary nutrients to lower blood pressure naturally. Anyone who needs supplements to compensate for deficiencies should reconsider their diet. 

Of course at-home testing from Kyla can deliver insights into what needs to be added or subtracted from any eating plan, because test results include vitamin and mineral deficiencies that can be addressed. 

3. Get Plenty of Sleep and Watch Out for Stress

It’s unfortunate but what should be the easiest hypertension hack is often the hardest one for people to achieve. Sleep. Study after study confirms that not getting the doctor recommended seven hours a night is bad for heart health. In fact, University of Oxford professor, neuroscientist Russell Foster has said that exhausted early birds are as dangerous on the roads as drunk drivers while those who don’t get enough sleep harm their bodies as much as if they were smoking.  

Anyone hoping to lower blood pressure must make sleep a priority. Sleep deprivation can lead to increased appetite and weight gain thanks to spiking levels of the hormones ghrelin and adiponectin. These hormones can make a person feel hungry no matter how much they have eaten. Weight gain often reduces the amount of quality sleep, creating a vicious cycle. 

Stress and lack of sleep are often connected. Managing stress may mean engaging in yoga, ballet, or meditation. Some benefit from gratitude lists, others are helped by talk therapy. Stress can raise cortisol levels, which is connected to the flight-or-fight response. Fortunately, Kyla Clinics includes cortisol testing as part of their male or female hormone panel – which is just $99 and includes fertility markers and testosterone or estrogen levels along with vitamin and mineral tests.

Anyone wondering how to reduce blood pressure should work hard to reduce stress and get enough sleep. The next heart health hack can really help – fitness. 

4. Make Exercise A Priority 

Anyone wondering how to lower blood pressure fast, should adopt a more active lifestyle. Although sedentary individuals with high blood pressure should always be careful when embarking on a new fitness routine, studies suggest that adding 30 minutes of physical activity daily can lower blood pressure by  5 to 8 mm Hg. This is a serious improvement. The key is finding an enjoyable activity and sticking with it. For those whose blood pressure is higher than normal but not yet hypertensive, exercise can keep it from getting worse. 

Everything from riding a bike to going for a brisk walk can help lower blood pressure naturally. However, it’s important to incorporate strength training into any fitness regime. That’s because it’s also been shown to lower blood pressure. Just spending thirty minutes twice a week lifting weights is one of the best ways to lower blood pressure. Aim to include strength training exercises at least two days a week. Talk to a health care provider about developing an exercise program.

5. Avoid Cigarettes and Excessive Alcohol 

Few lifestyle choices can derail otherwise healthy behaviors like smoking and excessively drinking. Although social smoking was long considered safe, today most doctors suggest there’s no amount of cigarettes that can be safely smoked. Certainly anyone on the brink of hypertension needs to eliminate tobacco consumption. Some studies have suggested that while e-cigs may affect blood pressure, that effect is transitory. One study showed that when smokers with high blood pressure switched to e-cigs they had a marked reduction in systolic blood pressure one year later. Those not smoking shouldn’t start but it appears that for those unable to quit e-cigs may be a safe alternative to smoking tobacco.

A glass of red wine may be a heart healthy option but it comes with the caveat that it should be limited. It may help lower blood pressure because of antioxidants that protect the lining of blood vessels. However more than two glasses of any alcohol nightly can worsen hypertension and a host of other health problems. 

No matter what techniques an individual uses to lower blood pressure, no one should try to do it alone. Guidance from a trained medical professional is vital. The key to achieve long-lasting changes not only with heart health but with the whole body is through anti-aging treatments. This means taking proactive steps to enhance well-being along getting with personalized recommendations from trusted healthcare professionals. 

Overcoming high blood pressure means addressing its root cause – not just its symptoms. That means receiving tailored lifestyle adjustments along with recommendations for the best medications and supplements. Kyla helps patients monitor their progress and extend their healthy life through targeted daily actions and goals. This means succeeding at not just reducing high blood pressure but at extending life itself. 

Sources:

1. ”Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention,” New York State Department of Health. https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/cardiovascular/heart_disease
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3. “10 Ways to Control High Blood Pressure Without Medication,” Mayo Clinic. July 12, 2022. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20046974
4. “How to Manage High Blood Pressure: Fighting back against the ‘silent killer,” May 21, 2022. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/changes-you-can-make-to-manage-high-blood-pressure
5. Berg, Sara, MS. “What doctors wish patients knew about high blood pressure,” The American Medical Association. January 7, 2022. https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/hypertension/what-doctors-wish-patients-knew-about-high-blood-pressure
6. “Secret Benefits of Weight Loss,” Piedmont. https://www.piedmont.org/living-real-change/secret-benefits-of-weight-loss
7. “How Potassium Helps Lower Your Blood Pressure,” Cleveland Clinic. January 26, 2022. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/potassium-lower-blood-pressure
8. “Sleep Deprivation ‘As Bad As Smoking’” Sleep Review. July 28, 2015. https://sleepreviewmag.com/curated/sleep-deprivation-bad-smoking/
9. van Egmond, Lieve. “Effects of acute sleep loss on leptin, ghrelin, and adiponectin in adults with healthy weight and obesity: A laboratory study,” Obesity. November 20, 2022. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.23616
10. Price, Leonie R, and Javier Martinez. “Cardiovascular, carcinogenic and reproductive effects of nicotine exposure: A narrative review of the scientific literature.” Journal List.  September 4, 2019. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7308884/