High blood pressure is a serious medical condition that can cause stroke, heart attack, and kidney disease. It affects more than 30 percent of American adults, contributing to more than 300,000 deaths in 2006, according to the Centers for Disease Control. High blood pressure is very treatable, and a variety of effective remedies require no medication. The Mayo Clinic offers seven suggestions for reducing high blood pressure naturally.
Step 1
Lose weight, reducing your waist measurement to below 40 inches if you are an adult male, and below 35 inches if you are a female. These measurements will vary, based on your height and ethnicity (the numbers are 36/32 for Asian men/women) but in general, lower weight correlates to lower blood pressure. Consult with your doctor for your best weight.
Step 2
Exercise regularly, at least 30 to 60 minutes most days. Even moderate physical activity in bouts of 10 minutes or so can help. Spacing moderate and vigorous exercise throughout the week is preferable to high-intensity exercise done once or twice per week.
Step 3
Create and follow a diet that reduces saturated fats, sodium, and cholesterol, and includes fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Add potassium-rich foods to your diet, such as bananas, potatoes, kiwi, orange juice, milk, avocados, tomatoes, lean meats, fish, and poultry. Dark chocolate may improve blood pressure numbers, as well. Eat no more than 1/2 oz. daily, containing at least 70 percent cocoa.
Step 4
Drink alcohol in moderate quantities or not at all. Alcohol consumption actually has several health benefits, including lowering your blood pressure. However, more than two drinks per day for men and one drink for women can reverse the positive benefits from alcohol and raise blood pressure.
Step 5
Avoid tobacco and secondhand smoke. Nicotine can temporarily raise blood pressure after smoking, so smoking throughout the day can elevate and keep blood pressure higher than normal. Other chemicals in tobacco can have adverse effect on blood pressure as well.
Step 6
Reduce your intake of caffeine, which is frequently found in coffee, tea, and soft drinks.
Step 7
Reduce stress and anxiety levels, which can cause temporary spikes in blood pressure. Use deep-breathing exercises and form a support group where you can talk about problems.
