High blood pressure, also referred to as hypertension, is a risk factor for many diseases, including heart failure, heart attack, stroke, vision loss and kidney failure. There are numerous medications for lowering blood pressure, but natural ways are always the best because of their effectiveness, affordability, and ease of implementation. If you are planning to lower blood pressure, consider trying some of the natural ways.

The best way to lower blood pressure is to focus on its causes. High blood pressure is usually caused by excess weight gain, high sodium and potassium content in the body, smoking, alcohol abuse, lack of exercise, and stress, among others.

Simple ways to lower blood pressure naturally

1. Lose weight by eating a healthy diet

Being overweight increases the amount of pressure applied on artery walls, which translates to high blood pressure. To lower blood pressure, have a diet plan that largely comprises of lean proteins, vegetables, and fruits. You can increase your intake of fruits and green leafy vegetables by juicing them.

Regarding what to eat, it is also recommended that you increase your intake of potassium, garlic, omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil), hibiscus, cocoa or chocolate, low-fat dairy products, green coffee, and vitamin D. Additionally, reduce your intake of sodium. Avoid processed, canned and frozen foods or soups because they usually contain high levels of sodium.

2. Exercise regularly

It has been proven that being involved in physical activities, at least for 30 minutes a day, can lower your blood pressure. Regular exercise enhances heart health and lowers blood pressure. You can also participate in mind-body activities such as meditation, yoga, biofeedback or autogenic training. All these activities improve the health of the heart thus reducing risks of high blood pressure. Choose exercises that you like and enjoy, such as biking, swimming, running or even walking, and make it a routine.

3. Reduce alcohol consumption

Heavy alcohol consumption increases triglyceride levels in the body thus raising blood pressure. In order to reduce blood pressure, moderate your alcohol intake or quit alcohol consumption, if you can.

4. Quitting smoking

The nicotine and tobacco contained in cigarettes are directly linked to high blood pressure. This means that inhaling cigarette smoke, whether firsthand or secondhand, increases the risk of high blood pressure.

5. Managing stress

This may be family or work-related stress. Spending over 45 hours per week working under pressure may increase your blood pressure. You can also relax your mind with music.