Ah, the human heart… such a miraculous thing! To keep it healthy, we need to nurture it from the side of the physical body, as well as from the side of our feelings that add to hypertension. In this article, we give details for how to lower blood pressure quickly at home, to keep our hearts healthy.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a common ailment that a majority of people in the world suffer from every day. Still, it is mysterious, because the actual cause of most high blood pressure is still not 100% clear. Although numerous factors can contribute to high blood pressure, essential blood pressure has still not been attributed to a single cause.
Here are some common factors suspected to cause high blood pressure::
- too much alcohol
- poor diet
- cigarette smoking
- obesity
- high salt with high fat intake (as in fast food)
- tension
- over-eating/poor diet choices because of tension
- vitamin/nutrient deficiencies
In this article we will outline we can do at home to lower high blood pressure. We are always focused on natural remedies for health ailments, so we’ll cover lifestyle changes, diet changes and herbal remedies that can reduce blood pressure. And we will cover some very important practices you can use to reduce your high blood pressure, naturally. Some of these options can even bring immediate results!
What is High Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is defined as the pressure of the blood in the arteries, as it is pushed against the walls of the heart. This pressure varies, as the heart muscle contracts. Age, weight, and strength of the heart muscle determine blood pressure, and this pressure will rise and fall naturally during the day.
Blood pressure is measured by two factors, systolic and diastolic pressure.
Systolic pressure (the first of the two blood pressure numbers) is determined when the blood pumps out of the heart and into the arteries that circulate the blood throughout the body.
Diastolic pressure (the second of the two blood pressure numbers) measures how much pressure is being exerted against the artery walls in between heart beats, when the heart is at rest.
According to the NHBI (National Heart and Blood Institute in the USA) blood pressure is considered normal when the systolic reading is less than 120 and the diastolic number is less than 80.
Elevated blood pressure is noted with numbers of: systolic 120-129 or diastolic less than 80.
High blood pressure is registered with numbers: systolic 130 or higher, and diastolic of 80 or higher.
High blood pressure can lead to coronary artery disease, heart attack, stroke and diabetes. The only way to know for sure whether or not you have high blood pressure is either to check it yourself with a blood pressure cuff, or to have a doctor check it for you.
Regardless, it is surprising that while a large percentage of the world’s population has high blood pressure, there are many natural ways to lower blood pressure quickly at home!
Some people have symptoms when they have high blood pressure, but you’ve probably hear. high blood pressure referred to as “the silent killer” because quite often people do not have symptoms at all, Yet, they might have a near fatal or fatal event due to high blood pressure.
The most common symptoms of high blood pressure are:
- irregular heartbeat
- chest pressure or pain
- dizziness
- tiredness or unusual fatigue
- bloody nose
How To Lower Blood Pressure Quickly At Home
1. Foods
There are some foods that can actually reduce blood pressure within a few hours. Not permanently, but if you want to lower your blood pressure, you can take these when you are hypertensive and get relief in about 20-40 minutes. (choose one; you don’t have to drink both at the same time!) Then, continue to consume them in your diet. These are:
Beet and Apple Juice – drink one large glass
Pomegranate Juice – drink one large glass
2. Acupressure
It’s amazing that simply pressing certain acupressure points will lower your blood pressure quickly! It is very easy to do. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) operates on the principle of meridian lines or subtle pathways throughout the body. Blockage in any of these pathways results in disease.
To lower blood pressure, you can press points on the hands, wrist and feet, which will open the pathways that lead to the heart. This allows the pressure of blood flowing through the arteries to lessen and blood pressure to regain normal levels.
Hands: Pressing the webbing between the thumb and first finger (also called the Hand or Union Valley point) can also lower blood pressure. Press in the center of this webbing on the top of your hand with thumb and forefinger of the other hand and hold between 3-5 minutes, exerting medium pressure.
Wrists: On the outside of your wrist (palm facing toward you), lightly press the section right below the outer wrist bone on the side of your pinky finger. You can locate this point (known as the Shenmen point) by folding your hand toward you until you see a crease at the wrist. You can lightly press on this point for about 30 seconds, then release and repeat as needed.
Feet: The pressure point on the feet that reduces blood pressure quickly is known as the Tai Chong Liver Point. This important point located in between the first and second toe, on the foot where the bones between the two toes meets, as in image below:
Simply press and knead this point for between 3-5 minutes in a crisis and it can also be done each day.
3. Get Some Exercise
Moving the body reduces blood pressure quickly. Even taking a brisk walk for about 10 minutes will do the trick, in most cases.
4. Bask in The Sun
Sunlight (vitamin D) exposure can also reduce blood pressure, and help decrease vitamin D deficiency. Nitric oxide in the skin reacts positively to sunlight, and reduces blood pressure. Even 20 minutes per day is enough for a positive effect. Making a habit of getting sun exposure daily, over time, will help to keep blood pressure lowered.
Note: It’s important that you don’t overexpose yourself to sunlight daily… just a little bit will be beneficial!
5. Practice Deep Breathing
Deep breathing can create calmness and reduce blood pressure almost immediately. Sit cross-legged and do this breathing exercise for 5 minutes – breathing 4 seconds on the inhalation and then 8 seconds on the exhalation. If you continue to practice this deep breathing exercise, you will also see long lasting results of lowered blood pressure.
Another deep breathing technique that is very effective for lowering blood pressure is the Ayurvedic practice called pratiloma pranayama. In pratiloma, resistance is created by holding the nose 75% closed with your fingers during inhalation and releasing the fingers during exhalation. This procedure should be done for 30 breaths at a sitting.
When there is a buildup of waste in the cells, this stagnation can cause heart problems, and digestive issues, such as GERD. The object of creating resistance is to strengthen the diaphram, which helps us to breathe better. When we breathe better, waste is removed from the cells. This clears the lymphatic system and contributes to lowering blood pressure.
If you regularly suffer from anxiety and tension, you can also check out our other articles on how to relieve anxiety using essential oils and how to relieve brain fog and anxiety with herbal remedies
6. Practice Meditation & Yoga Asanas (Postures)
When you practice meditation regularly, it is natural that blood pressure is lowered. Meditation is relaxing, calming and helps to alleviate tension. Meditation is one lifestyle practice that you can include on a regular basis in your routine, along with a set of yoga exercises (asanas). Light stretching exercises are excellent for relieving tension and helping to lower blood pressure. Both meditation and yoga asanas can be done at home.
Herbal Remedies For High Blood Pressure
Note: If you are under a doctor’s care for high blood pressure, or are taking prescription medication for high blood pressure, please consult your doctor before adding herbal remedies, as you will want to avoid possible interactions, or doubling of effects.
There are numerous herbal remedies that are very effective for reducing high blood pressure over time. The best of these remedies also have other positive health effects, so you win all around for your better health.
1. Arjuna
Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna) is the king of heart remedies, according to the ancient Indian healing science, Ayurveda. Not only does arjuna lower blood pressure naturally, it also repairs the blood and heart muscle. We already covered arjuna in our article about natural remedies for myocarditis, because it is so wonderful! But rest assured, Arjuna is unsurpassed for all aspects of heart health!
2. Triphala
Triphala is yet another Ayurvedic herbal remedy. It is a combination of three fruits – amalaki, bibhitaki, and haritaki. Together, these fruits are known as tri (three) phala (fruits). This anti-inflammatory herb is a combination of the three fruits in exact proportions. It not only lowers blood pressure when taken regularly, but it also lowers cholesterol and reduces plaque in the arteries and veins (blood vessels) and helps with elimination. Triphala is normally taken powdered in capsules.
Organic India Triphala capsules ✓
3. Oregano Oil
Oregano contains phytonutrients that are excellent for reducing blood pressure. It’s primary active nutrient, carvacrol, is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and actively reduces high blood pressure. Although fresh or dried oregano is always a healthy addition when you are cooking, the best way to get enough carvacrol to affect blood pressure is to take oregano oil orally (about 600 milligrams per day).
Note: We are talking about oil of oregano, not oregano essential oil!
The added benefit of taking oregano oil is that it is also a powerful natural antibiotic and is great for preventing and treating bacterial infections so you can take 2-4 drops of pure oregano oil daily.
Nature’s Truth Oil of Oregano capsules ✓
4. Blood Pressure Blend
If you’d like to take one supplement that contains a blend of powerful herbs that lower blood pressure, you can try this one by Life Seasons. It contains arjuna, hawthorn, gotu kola, ashwagandha, and several other heart healthy herbs, plus calcium. It’s a fantastic blend for lowering blood pressure!
Life Seasons B/P Stabili-T Blood Pressure Support capsules ✓
Diet
Changes in diet can definitely help to lower blood pressure. There are many foods that help reduce blood pressure and should be included in your diet.
The most effective way to lower blood pressure quickly is to switch to a more Mediterrean-style diet. This diet includes olive oil, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, potatoes, herbs and spices. It also limits red meat and favors poultry and fish, although these are eaten in moderation, as are dairy products and eggs.
If you have extra sodium in your diet, reducing your salt intake will help to lower blood pressure. Additionally, you can include foods that are high In potassium, such as mushrooms, spinach, prunes, avocados and bananas. These foods will help to flush out excess sodium that can cause higher blood pressure.
You should try to get more magnesium in your diet by eating foods such as spinach and other leafy greens, bananas and nuts,. Magnesium acts as a calcium channel blocker, helping to relax blood vessels and relieve chronic blood vessel constriction.
Take Vitamin Supplements if You are Deficient
Sometimes vitamin and mineral deficiencies can contribute to high blood pressure. If you are deficient in these vitamins and have high blood pressure, try taking some supplements:
Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Omega 3’s found in fish oil are well known to help lower blood pressure by supporting healthy arteries, balancing heart rate, and improving blood platelet quality (for correct blood clotting capacity). A minimum of 200 mg per day is useful for maintaining heart health. If you don’t like the taste of fish oil, try capsules:
Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Fatty Acid tablets ✓
Vitamin C – helps to remove sodium from the body, which helps to relax blood vessels and lowers blood pressure; recommended dosage is around 700 mg per day.
HealthForce Superfoods, Truly Natural Vitamin C ✓ (we like this product because the vitamin C is sourced from whole food sources, and does not contain chemically derived vatamin C, as do many others)
L-Arganine is an amino acid that reconverts to nitric oxide into the blood, which supports blood flow and opens up blood vessels.
Conclusion
High blood pressure is fairly common these days, although it is never a good idea to be unaware of it, or to let it go without using some of these easy methods to control or eliminate high blood pressure.
Fortunately, as you can see, there are many natural ways to lower blood pressure quickly at home and to keep your blood pressure normal and healthy. Do try out some of these methods and let us know how they worked for you!
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