Hypertension affects more than a billion people worldwide and often goes unnoticed. However, it increases the risk of stroke, heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases. So, can you lower your blood pressure naturally? An American cardiovascular surgeon shares three habits to adopt every day.
Dr. London’s three tips for lowering your blood pressure
Dr. Jeremy London’s first piece of advice? Review the contents of your plate. The expert therefore recommends favoring minimally processed foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, fish and vegetable oils.
Conversely, he advises limiting foods very rich in salt, such as cold meats, certain cheeses or prepared meals. It also encourages you to stock up on potassium and magnesium through green vegetables, bananas and nuts, while gradually replacing salt with aromatic herbs, spices or lemon juice.
Second tip: move more. The World Health Organization recommends doing between 150 and 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, the equivalent of 30 minutes of brisk walking five days per week. Dr. Jeremy London also suggests adding two strength training sessions, with simple exercises like squats or push-ups against a wall.
Finally, the specialist invites you to sharply reduce your alcohol consumption, or even stop it. According to the European office of the World Health Organization, even moderate consumption increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
What health authorities recommend
Dr. London’s advice is consistent with that of health authorities. The World Health Organization estimates that about 1.4 billion adults aged 30 to 79 live with high blood pressure, often without knowing it. As this disease generally progresses without symptoms, adopting good lifestyle habits helps reduce the risk of long-term complications.
For its part, the American Heart Association considers that stage 2 hypertension corresponds to a pressure of at least 140 mmHg for systolic pressure and 90 mmHg for diastolic pressure. Above 180/120 mmHg, it is a hypertensive emergency which requires rapid contact with a doctor or emergency services.
Why measure your blood pressure regularly?
Adopting a more balanced diet or resuming physical activity is a good start, but it is just as important to monitor the evolution of your blood pressure. An automatic arm blood pressure monitor allows you to measure it at home, in agreement with your doctor.
To obtain reliable results, it is advisable to take your blood pressure in a sitting position, after a few minutes of rest, in the morning and evening for several days, then note the values. This monitoring makes it possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures put in place and to adapt, if necessary, the treatment with your doctor.