has anyone managed to reduce their blood pressure naturally?

[HatethedarknightsQW]

I'm on BP medication in my late 50s. GP is thinking of increasing it. My readings are around 140/90.

I do weights 2 to 3 times a week. I walk 3 miles a day - more at the weekend. Do Pilates once a week. I lost a stone and a half over the last 2 years but I'm still I'm a stone and a half overweight.

I eat healthily, lots of fibre, occasional ready meal - maybe once a week. Portions too big though..

What's actually worked for you?

Hibiscus tea can also lower BP

https://resperate.com/blog/hypertension/treatments/alternative-treatments/hypertension-diet-healthy-foods-hibiscus-tea-clinically-proven-to-lower-high-blood-pressure

How’s your iron? My BP rockets when my iron is low. Failing that beetroot, beetroot and more beetroot.

You need to do some cardio. Walking is great but to really impact your BP you need get your heart going.

Now there's a thought...

Husband is a complete stress monkey with bang on normal blood pressure - I think that happens because he passes the stress on!

Yes.

I cut out salty snacks.
I swapped filter coffee for filter decaf
I eat porridge made of rolled oats, with fruit for breakfast (it contains a compound that reduces blood pressure)
I run two 5ks a week and practice karate for an hour

I'm 63 and my blood pressure was 113/68 in July.

My blood pressure dropped when Mum moved into a care home. I felt sad that we could not continue to support her at home but I had to take the decision that looking after someone with dementia is making me ill. I’m sure that she really would not have wanted that. She said “oh you mustn’t worry”. That advice did not help

That's inspiring - thank you. Were you on medication for BP? And what did you start at.

I have porridge most mornings with fruit and nuts.

Need to work on the salty snacks...

Can't run as I've knackered my hips. But wondering about swimming...I think I need to up my cardio.

No I just went for the meds! Dr talked with me about lifestyle and quickly concluded that given my current weight/diet/exercise etc I was unlikely to be able to signficantly change my blood pressure through lifestyle changes. Not that it was perfect, but there wasn't room for drastic improvement. Sometimes it's best just to do it through medication I think.

😂

My blood pressure crept up to 138/92 while I was undergoing chemo (which was quite stressy) and they said it might be worth going on medication, but I hated the idea. By that point I'd had enough of medication and just wanted to get back to normal so decided to do it through diet.

The worst bit was switching to decaf coffee, I had the migraine from hell for a whole weekend. Otherwise it's been quite easy. Just make sure I have plenty of fruit and nuts in as snacks

If i eat crisps now, they taste disgustingly salty. 😁

I’m still about a stone overweight but my blood pressure has come down since losing a couple of stones. I just wish I had the motivation to lose more.

?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/general_health/5592165-reducing-blood-pressure-naturally?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=app_share

Agree mine is ops and loads of medics tell me it's fine 🤔

Lose the weight, increase the walking, reduce salt in your meals (especially hidden salt in processed foods and ready meals etc).

I am underweight and healthy but have anxiety to the point of panic attacks due to CPTSD - chaia seeds and weightlifting arent going to rewire my decades of fight/flight responses and buggered nervous system. If you aren't overweight stick to the meds.

They give me diorreah.

Following for info too!

I read something about coconut water https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368966417_EFFECTIVENESS_OF_COCONUT_WATER_CONSUMPTION_ON_BLOOD_PRESSURE

And bananas for potassium

The NHS website recommends doing planks. Can you do that with knackered hips?

Oddly I was reading an article this morning that said wall sits were identified as the single most effective individual exercise for reducing systolic blood pressure.
Which I found surprising as they are not that hard.
"Research indicates that performing four 2-minute wall sits, with 2 minutes of rest between each, three times per week can lower systolic blood pressure by approximately 10 mmHg and diastolic by 5 mmHg over eight weeks"
It was in the British Journal of sports medicine

Why on earth are they talking about putting people on (more) medication when it's in the 140s? That's mad.

Beetroot does appear to work but had "unfortunate" effects on my digestive system - but it brought my mum's into the 130s. But aged garlic is keeping mine in the low 130s so I'll go with that. My BMI is about 22 and I run and do Pilates and walk and do other exercise. I think there's a genetic element for some people. I gave up eating crisps which is my one salt-laden sin but it made no difference.

My DH is very stressy and his BP is about 118/80! Very unfair. He's older than I am, too.

Really interesting suggestions on this thread /thanks!
Have ordered coconut water and aged garlic from Amazon and had beetroot for lunch 😃😃

I was reading that stair climbing is very good for you

dont know if your hips will manage it.
the bbc have a good article on it and also the telegraph

It does kill me doing 5 flights of stairs a few times a day 🤣 but I have no choice

Swimming is great if you have painful joints/hips