Lowering Blood Pressure Naturally

The majority of people diagnosed with high blood pressure (hypertension) and treated conventionally will be given medication to lower it. Yet, there was over a 13% increase in hypertension related deaths from 2001 to 2011. So what is missing? The underlying core cause of high blood pressure and improving overall health is not being addressed.

Naturopathic doctors, like myself, take the time to identify the core cause of elevated blood pressure and make recommendations to change these factors. Many people find that they can reduce or eliminate the need for blood pressure medications when following such suggestions. In addition, these changes may improve other conditions such as diabetes and high cholesterol and they lead to a lower risk of developing complications from these conditions.

What You Can Do To Lower Blood Pressure

• Lower stress by learning coping mechanisms that work well for you. A good place to start is to practice deep breathing using your abdominal muscles for 20 minutes twice daily.
• Manage anger, anxiety, depression, and social isolation as these can all increase blood pressure.
• Regular massages and chiropractic care can lower blood pressure.
• Incorporate exercise into your life.
• Work towards reaching and maintaining your ideal body weight.
• Follow lifestyle recommendations and use natural supplements to lower inflammation in your body and to control pain. Try to avoid the use of NSAID’s, as they may increase blood pressure.
• Reduce consumption of salt (especially beneficial for the African American population).
• Replace processed foods, sugar, and simple carbohydrates with whole foods. The Paleolithic diet lowers blood sugar, blood pressure and improves lipid profiles.
• Replace alcohol, caffeinated beverages, and sodas with water, herbal teas, and organic decaf coffee.
• The more veggies you eat, the lower your blood pressure will be.
• Limit fruit consumption to one serving a day and focus on berries for a great source of antioxidants.
• Go organic. Exposure to herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, and insecticides can increase blood pressure.
• Avoid chemicals and pollutants by using air purifiers and supporting your body with regular detoxification programs. Exposure to these chemicals can increase blood pressure.
• Keep your vitamin D level between 70-90 all year round by taking vitamin D daily and having regular blood work done each year.
• To reduce cardiovascular risk, aim for 8-9 hours of sleep per night.
• Nutritional supplements that may lower blood pressure include essential fatty acids, calcium, magnesium, potassium, taurine, arginine, and Co-Q-10.
• Herbal supplements that may lower blood pressure include garlic, dandelion, berberine, beet root powder, and hawthorn.

It is best to speak with a qualified naturopathic doctor, like myself, for individualized recommendations to optimize blood pressure and manage other health concerns you may have for the best results. I offer complimentary 10 minute consultations for new patients interested in learning more about how my services may be beneficial and I would be happy to work with you. Feel free to contact me for more information.