High blood pressure (HBP), or hypertension, is a medical issue that is disproportionately high in the African American community. Due to this fact, managing hypertension is crucial and finding ways to lower your blood pressure naturally is even better.
Blood Pressure Chart
To better understand hypertension and where you fall concerning blood pressure levels, being familiar with the blood pressure chart and knowing where you fall on the chart is helpful.
- Normal – Systolic: Less than 120 mm Hg; diastolic – Less than 80 mm H
- At-Risk or Prehypertension - Systolic: 120-139 mm Hg; diastolic – 80 -89 mm Hg
- High Blood Pressure - Systolic: 140 mm Hg or higher; diastolic – 90 mm Hg or higher
What Are Symptoms of High Blood Pressure
There are a number of symptoms that are associated with having hypertension. If you have HBP, your symptoms may include:
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- Breathing Difficulty
- Chest Pain
- Confusion
- Fatigue
- Headaches (severe)
- Irregular Heartbeat
- Nosebleed
- Blood in the urine
- Pounding in your chest, ears, or neck
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Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure
Just as there are a number of symptoms associated with hypertension, there are just as many natural ways to lower blood pressure as well. They include:
- Exercise – Physical activity, such as cycling, jogging, or walking, can make your heart stronger. Exercise is also a cheaper option that does not require you to go to the gym.
- More Sleep – Increasing the amount of sleep you get regularly can lower your blood pressure; try sleeping for seven to eight hours per night.
- No Smoking – Hypertension is just one of the many diseases that smoking complicates; nicotine can increase your heart rate and hypertension, as well as increase the risk of heart attack and blood clots.
- Stress Management – Stress hormones can increase the heart rate and also narrow blood vessels, so learning to deal with stress is a natural step toward lowering HBP.
- Reduced Alcohol – Too much alcohol can increase hypertension.
- Reduced Caffeine – Too much caffeine can result in a spike in blood pressure.
- Reduced Sugar – Too much sugar can contribute to hypertension.
Foods That Lower Blood Pressure
Diet plays a key role in helping to improve hypertension and health. Adding more vegetables and other healthy foods to your diet, as well as watching what you eat daily, are beneficial steps. There are other foods that can help you in lowering your hypertension as well. They include:
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- Dark Chocolate – Containing flavanols, dark chocolate promotes healthy blood flow, so it’s okay to sensibly add to your diet and weight loss routine.
- Garlic – High doses of garlic can lower hypertension, so try using cooked garlic or garlic powder in your dishes.
- Potassium – The increase in potassium is imperative in decreasing your HBP. Such foods as avocados, greens, potatoes, and yogurt (fat-free) are high in potassium.
- Protein – A high-protein diet can lower hypertension. Such foods include chickpeas, chicken, cottage cheese, eggs, green peas, lentils, oats, and tofu.
- Vitamin D – Hypertension can increase if you have a vitamin D deficiency, so eating foods rich in vitamin D will not hurt. These foods include eggs, fortified breakfast cereals, powdered milk, salmon, and sardines.
Final Words
HBP affects so many Americans, especially with cases of obesity being the norm in our society, but these rates for hypertension are even higher for African Americans.
Seeking medical attention and visiting your doctor for your regular check-ups will help you in knowing how about your heart health.
Having blood pressure monitors at home come in handy as well to assist you in managing your numbers. With the combination of monitoring your health, and the foods you take in, lowering hypertension is feasible.
