10 SIMPLE WAYS TO LOWER HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE You may have heard about high blood pressure or hypertension as it is also known. You may even have high blood

pressure for which you are being treated. But why are we so concerned when your blood pressure is too high? And,

more importantly, what can you do to help lower it and reduce your risk of serious illness?

Having high blood pressure or hypertension, means that your heart must pump harder and your arteries must carry

blood under greater pressure. This puts a strain on your arteries and your heart. However, high blood pressure

can be lowered by making some lifestyle changes. So, let’s press on with the other changes you can make to bring

down blood pressure naturally.

“I Have High Blood Pressure… But I Don’t Feel Any Different!”

As our bodies get older, our blood vessels don’t stretch as a well as they once did - they become more rigid. Also,

the blood vessels get ‘furred’ up, that’s where cholesterol and inflammation have a part to play. Everyone has

these things going on inside them to some degree, but for some people it can be faster than for others.

High blood pressure doesn’t necessarily make you feel any different. You may have high blood pressure right now

and not know it. That’s why if you are over the of age of 50 it is particularly important to keep an eye on your

blood pressure and get it checked regularly, so that you can get the right treatment and make any lifestyle

changes required to help lower your blood pressure.

There is nothing any of us can do to stop physical ageing, but there are things we can do to slow down the process

and lower the risks of problems from high blood pressure such as kidney disease, heart attacks, eye damage and

stroke.

#1. REDUCE THE SODIUM CHLORIDE... (SALT TO YOU & ME!) Having too much salt and highly processed foods in your diet is a major cause of high blood pressure. We should

all be reducing how much salt we eat, and we can do this in several different ways.

But before we get into that, my top tip would be to slowly reduce your salt intake over a period of time - say 2 or

3 weeks, rather than going ‘cold turkey’ - the reason for this is that if you suddenly stop salt, you’ll just start to

crave it and then subconsciously start eating all those salty foods again!

Top Tips to Cut Down on Salt To start with, if you add salt when eating you should remove the salt shaker from the table.

Once you have got used to this, try reducing the salt you add when cooking. Stock cubes, soy sauce, sea salt, rock

salt, even salt substitutes are all very high in salt. Ditch them and add flavour with pepper, herbs, spices, vinegar,

mustard, garlic, chillies. Try making more use of these herbs and spices in all your food instead of salt.

There is no need to add salt

if you are using a stock cube

as they contain lots of salt;

try using a reduced-salt stock

cube.

Some people like to use a

salt substitute, made from

potassium chloride, where a

dish really needs it. However,

this doesn’t allow us to get

used to eating meals with a

less salty taste.

Salt is hidden in

manufactured and processed

foods, canned foods,

microwave meals and takeaways, so it will help if you eat less of these. Processed foods contain lots of salt

because it is a preservative and it enhances flavour and keeps us coming back for more! Try to reduce the amount

of processed foods you eat.

If you are unable to cook from fresh, check the label for lower salt varieties when you do need to use them.

Now you don’t have to avoid these foods all together if you aren’t able to cook from fresh, but look for reduced

salt versions and as a guideline, less than 0.25g salt (or 0.1g sodium) per 100g of food is ‘a little’ and over 1.25g

salt (or 0.5g sodium) per 100g is ‘a lot’. Adults should aim to have less than 6g of salt a day - in fact, even less is

better!

#2. LIMIT ALCOHOL

“Binge drinking sends high blood pressure cases soaring by 74%” Says UK’s Daily Mail

Its true alcohol can send blood pressure sky high and regularly drinking too much contributes to high blood

pressure. In fact, if you drink double the recommended amount you are likely to at least double, and even

quadruple your chances if you are a man, of developing high blood pressure.

Alcohol also affects body weight. Alcohol itself contains calories which increases weight gain, and a double

whammy is that alcohol also stimulates the appetite, thus leading to increased food and calorie intake. To make

matters worse, weight gain also can lead to high blood pressure.

However, drinking small amounts of alcohol is thought to protect the heart, although recent studies now question

this, and this may not be the case if you are overweight. So, whatever the latest research tells us, it’s probably

best to stick to small amounts of alcohol if you do drink.

Cutting Down on Alcohol One of the best things you can do to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level is to drink within the daily unit

guidelines.

In the UK, the current guidelines are 3-4 units a day for men and 2-3 units a day for women. Drinkaware

www.drinkaware.co.uk has some really good information about alcohol and health. And it’s a good idea to have

at least two days, preferably more, every week when you don’t drink any alcohol.

So, salt and alcohol are two things to cut back on if you have a lot, but there are some important foods you can

have more of that will also help lower blood pressure.

#3. FRUIT & VEG - FIVE-A-DAY FOR A REASON Vegetables and fruit are rich sources of the potassium, magnesium, calcium, fibre, vitamin C and folate as well as

lots of other good stuff. They can help lower blood pressure or even help prevent high blood pressure developing

in the first place.

Why Are Fruit and Vegetables Good for Me? Having plenty of fruit and vegetables can benefit your health in several other ways too. There are lots of studies

which show that having a diet rich in fruit and veg can help prevent heart attacks, strokes and even some cancers.

Fruit and vegetables are good sources of vitamins and minerals, which we need to stay healthy. They are a great

source of fibre, which helps keep your gut healthy and prevent constipation and other digestion problems. A diet

high in fibre can also reduce your risk of bowel cancer. They have other good properties like antioxidants and

polyphenols which help prevent diseases.

Fruit and vegetables are also usually low in fat and calories. That’s why eating them can help you maintain a

healthy weight. They help you feel fuller for longer and stop you from snacking on high calorie foods.

A balanced diet contains at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables each day. That’s five portions

of fruit and vegetables altogether, not five portions of each. Having a variety of different fruits and vegetables

will mean you get all the different nutrients.

Fruit and vegetables are part of a balanced diet and can help us stay healthy. That’s why it so important that we

get enough of them.

Unfortunately, the same effect isn’t achieved with supplements, but all forms of fruits and vegetables count - fresh,

frozen, dried and canned (although watch the salt content in cans).

Are There Benefits to Drinking

Juice and Smoothies? Fresh juice and smoothies are a great in

helping you to meet the five-a-day

recommendations, in a quick and

convenient way. Mixed juices and

smoothies will also have a variety of

different fruits and vegetables in, so

you’ll be getting a good range of the

vitamins, minerals, fiber and other good

nutrients which are important for

maintaining good health and cutting your

risk of heart disease, stroke and some

cancers.

How much can I drink? A serving of unsweetened (i.e. no added

sugar) fruit or vegetable juice is about

150ml. 150ml is the size of a small wine

glass or about 3/4 of a mug. However,

much you drink, juice counts as of one

portion a day. That's mainly because

juice contains less fiber than whole fruits

and vegetables.

Because smoothies contain all of the

fiber, as well as the vitamins, minerals

and other nutrients they count as more

than one portion. Smoothies can count up

to two portions per day.

So, Juice and smoothies are also ok and can help you keep healthy, but watch how much you have, it’s very easy

for people to over do it on juices, and they aren’t calorie-free.

And the Same Goes for Whole-Grains Whole-grains – including whole-grain breakfast cereals, brown pasta, brown rice, quinoa, oats and whole-grain

bread also contain some of the good stuff, like potassium, folate and fibre which help lower and prevent high

blood pressure developing. Aim for two to three servings every day if possible.

#4. EMBRACE THE OMEGA 3 Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to have some

positive effect on reducing blood pressure. Omega 3

fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA gives rise to

substances in the body that reduce inflammation, reduce

the stickiness of the blood and relax the blood vessels.

All of which is protective to the circulatory system and

blood vessels.

In contrast, Omega-6 fatty acids, from red meat, eggs

and dairy products gives rise to substances in the body

that promote inflammation, promote blood clotting and

narrow the blood vessels.

Oily fish is the best source of Omega 3. Oily fish also

has several other health benefits from protecting

against strokes and heart attacks to healthy brain

function.

Other sources of Omega 3 include green leafy

vegetables, flax seeds, soya and walnuts. These are

ideal if you don’t eat fish. much Omega 3 Do I need?

How much omega-3 do we need – and

how much fish does that translate to?

For cardiovascular health – i.e. to keep your blood vessels, blood pressure and heart healthy for the long term, the

recommended ‘dosage’ if you like is the equivalent of 500mg per day, which works out to be about 2 to 3 portions

of oily fish per week – a portion is one 150g fillet.

Now, Omega 3 is also known to have significant benefits for mental health. It’s important for brain development

and has been shown to reduce the symptoms of depression. When you think that the brain is over 60% fat – mostly

omega-3 you can begin to see why it is so important that we have plenty of it in our diet.

So, the recommendation is 1000mg per day to maintain good mental health and brain function – which is the

equivalent of 4 portions of oily fish per week.

Now, I appreciate that this might be a struggle for most people, and recently there were reports in the media

about the levels of omega-3 in farm-reared salmon being reduced.

So, this is the one occasion when we recommend a supplement for omega 3 – and you can buy them in most health

food shops or online – but I would recommend looking for high-quality brands that have also been filtered to

remove any heavy metals.

What About Heavy Metals in Fish? Heavy metals are a concern with oily fish – these are contaminants that accumulate over time – however, the

benefits of having enough omega 3 from oily fish – far outweigh the risks from heavy metals.

And in fact, eating oily fish does have more benefits over a supplement – because the fish also contains other

nutrients such as selenium and iron which are also important for good health.

So, the message is once again – eat more fish – I think this is beginning to sound like an advertisement for the fish

industry – but really, I can’t emphasize enough the importance to your health of having enough Omega 3

Just as a side note, the recommendation for pregnant women is to have 2 portions of oily fish per week – and this

is because of the concerns with the effects of heavy metals on the unborn baby – however, again the evidence now

emerging that omega 3 has far more of a positive effective that it outweighs the risk of the heavy metals– and the

advice around this has changed in the USA, because of the concern that a negative message of ‘Don’t eat more

than 2 portions of fish per week’ lead to a reduction in fish consumption during pregnancy – and therefore has

implications on the brain development of the baby.

Eat More Fish!

And a recent study in the US showed that

typical intakes of omega 3 are less than

150mg per day and even less for children –

so definitely a clear need to eat more fish.

Including at least one portion of these dark-

fleshed fish per week could lead to reduced

blood pressure and protect the heart.

Examples include salmon, pilchards,

sardines, mackerel, herring and trout. My

favourite dish is roast salmon with herbs and

a touch of olive oil.

#5. CUT THE CAFFEINE! Coffee is great for getting you going first thing in the morning, but what effects does it have on your health?

Regular coffee, of course, contains caffeine which is a stimulant. Caffeine can raise blood pressure, as well as

blood levels of the fight-or-flight chemical epinephrine (also called adrenaline), which is no good for stress levels –

another contributing factor in raising blood pressure. Too much caffeine can also disrupt sleep which has also been

linked to raised blood pressure and poor health.

Other foods and drinks that contain caffeine include tea (black and green), cola, guarana, Mate, and of course,

chocolate.

So, consuming a lot of caffeine can raise blood pressure along with the levels of stress-hormones as well as

potentially disrupting sleep patterns.

If you drink more than 5-6 cups of tea or coffee a day you may want to consider cutting down or swapping to

decaf. Do this gradually over time to avoid caffeine withdrawal headaches. Cola drinks and energy drinks also

contain lots of caffeine as well as sugar, so definitely ditch the fizz!

#6. GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP Getting a good night’s sleep is important for your overall wellbeing. Sleep affects many things – including mood,

looks, memory and your ability to lose weight! Despite making you feel tired and grumpy, getting less than 6 hours

sleep a night is thought to increase your blood pressure.

Help your body know when it’s time to sleep. Stick to a regular sleep / wake routine to get your body clock into a

good rhythm. Put down your phone long before bedtime and give your brain a chance to unwind! Aim to get 8-

hours of quality slumber each night.

If you’re having trouble getting a restful night’s sleep, talk to your doctor. Conditions such as sleep apnea and even

snoring can disrupt your sleep and leave you feeling tired – even though you think you slept 8 hours or more.

#7. SAY BYE TO BELLY FAT There is a strong link between high blood pressure and being overweight. This is especially true if the weight is

carried centrally i.e. around your waist.

But the good news is that even losing as little as 5-10% of your starting weight – will help. Slow, steady weight

loss of 1-2 lbs. (0.5-1kg) per week can be achieved on a calorie-controlled diet combined with regular physical

activity.

Aim for a healthy weight with a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18 - 25, and a waist circumference of less than

88cm for women and less than 102cm for men. The BMI helps to assess a healthy weight for your height.

Putting It All Together Follow the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan. The DASH eating plan:

• Aims for a sodium intake of 1500 mg (2/3 tsp) sodium or salt per day.

• Is high in vegetables, fruit, low fat dairy products and whole grains

• Is lower in saturated fat, cholesterol, total fat and sodium

• Is lower in lean red meats, white fish and poultry

• Is higher in oily fish - a good source of omega 3

• Includes nuts, seeds and legumes several times a week

• Is low in sweets, added sugars and sugary beverages

• Is rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium and fiber

The DASH diet can also lower LDL or bad cholesterol. Reducing blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels helps

to reduce your chances of developing heart disease.

That's enough about food, what else can you do lower blood pressure naturally?

#8. MOVE YOUR BODY! Being as physically active as you can is probably the most important things you can do to reduce your blood

pressure. If doctors could take the effects of exercise and make it into a pill, it would be the mostly highly

prescribed and successful medication known to civilisation!

Helpful Hints to Get More Active Go for a 10-minute brisk walk after each meal, this not only aids digestion but also helps you to burn more

calories!

Find an activity you really love doing, and then do it with people you enjoy being with - you can support each

other and keep each other motivated.

Always build up any activity gradually - don't try too much too quickly, especially if you have a clinical diagnosis

of high blood pressure. For example, start with 10 minutes walking a couple of times a week and increase to 15

minutes when you are comfortable at this level.

Any activity is better than just sitting around - simply standing up activates more muscles - try standing up during TV

adverts or when talking on the phone. Whenever I'm at my desk and the phone rings, that's my cue to get up - it

also has the added benefit of making me feel more engaged and energized when I'm talking on the phone!

Always remember to check first with your doctor if you are new to exercise.

#9. STRESS LESS! Being under stress can raise blood pressure. Being under chronic stress will keep it there.

Stress is a part of daily life, but if you’re stressed out all the time - that’s an issue. Try to identity the root cause of

your stress and tackle it head on. Maybe you’re doing too much, and something needs to give. Prioritize what is

important to you and look out for your own well-being. Ask for help if you need it – “a problem shared is a

problem halved!”.

Sometimes not dealing with a problem is the source of the stress. Emotional stress can come in many forms and

finding someone you trust who you can talk to and confide in will not only help release stress but has been shown to

lower blood pressure too - remember the phase "It's good to talk!"

Using relaxation techniques such as meditation can help reduce blood pressure. Performing daily deep breathing

exercises has been shown to be a drug free way to lower your high blood pressure. Taking time out to relax is an

important part of maintaining good health - both physically and mentally.

#10. NO SMOKING This could mean giving up the habit of lifetime – which is not easy, but it should come as no surprise that smoking

damages your health. Smoking is known to drastically increase your risk of heart disease and stroke – along with

other diseases such as cancer. If you’re still smoking and what to give it up there are plenty of public resources

available online and offline to help and support you.

GET YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKED Of course, all these dietary and lifestyle changes won’t necessarily mean you’ll get lower blood pressure, which is

why you should still get you blood pressure checked regularly, particularly if you are over the age of 50.

Changing your lifestyle can help to achieve a significant drop in your blood pressure levels, whether you are

taking tablets or not. The effects can often be seen quite quickly – usually within weeks of starting.

Remember this is not about doing everything perfectly, but about making a few small but significant changes that

will benefit your long-term health…

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