Natural ways to reduce Blood pressure below 130/80

Are you worried about your 130/80 blood pressure? There are a lot of things that can contribute to high blood pressure. Eating healthy, working out, and other lifestyle changes are all factors in reducing 130/80 blood pressure naturally. Letting hypertension go unchecked can lead to some severe cardiovascular diseases. This article will give you some great advice on how to get 130/80 or below!

Blood Pressure Levels

Your blood pressure level consists of two measurements, systolic and diastolic pressure. The top number is systolic pressure. This is when your heart contracts to push blood through your body and exert force on your artery walls. The bottom number is the diastolic pressure and shows how much stress there is on those arteries once they are open again after the contraction of your heartbeat. High blood pressure can lead to heart attack, heart failure, stroke, kidney disease, and a lot more.

Make sure to follow the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association as they are the most trusted resource for blood pressure guidelines. You'll also want to stay updated in case any new guidelines come out.

Low Blood Pressure Levels

While having low blood pressure is ideal, it can become too low. A blood pressure reading below 90/60 mm Hg is considered low blood pressure. At 50/30 mm Hg, a person will faint and become disoriented. Having a blood pressure less than 50/30 mm Hg is dangerous because it does not provide enough oxygen for the brain or body cells in general to function properly.

Normal Blood Pressure Levels

Healthy blood pressure levels are anything below 120/80 mm Hg. Unlike resting heart rate, healthy blood pressure levels do not change as you age. A healthy lifestyle can help keep you in the healthy range.

Elevated Blood Pressure Levels

Once you get between 120-129/80-89 mm HG, you are in the elevated blood pressure range between normal and high blood pressure. At this point, you can take lifestyle steps to lower your blood pressure or take medication.

Do not be frightened if you get a reading at this range for the first time, as it may be a temporary jump. Relax and take a new blood pressure reading at a later time.

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) - Stage 1

The blood pressure 130/80 mm Hg or higher is stage 1 hypertension. When you multiple readings at this level, you are considered to have high blood pressure, you should visit your doctor or health care professional to discuss other options. Lifestyle changes may help get you out of the danger zone before medication is required.

Once systolic blood pressure reaches 130-139 or higher, You are at risk for complications like cardiac arrest, stroke, congestive heart disease, kidney disease, and more.

At stage 1, high blood pressure, your doctor will prescribe hypertension medications to try and get your systolic blood pressure under 120 and diastolic blood pressure under 80.

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) - Stage 2

Stage 2 hypertension starts at systolic blood pressure readings of 140 or higher and diastolic blood pressure readings of 90 or higher.

At stage 2, high blood pressure, some symptoms your chances of severe heart disease are increased. However, this is still treatable with medication and cutting out bad habits.

The American Heart Association suggests people in the stage 2 range make lifestyle changes in addition to medication to get their systolic blood pressure under 130 and a diastolic reading under 80.

Hypertensive Crisis

Hypertensive crisis is the most severe stage of high blood pressure. It occurs when there are extremely high readings and can be caused by an acute event such as drugs, alcohol, or stress. A hypertensive emergency happens when a severely elevated blood pressure causes symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, and nausea, which signals other health problems.

Hypertensive crisis is at a blood pressure reading of 180/120 or higher.

If you are experiencing high blood pressure readings in the hypertensive crisis stage, call 911 immediately because it is a medical emergency. Medical treatment is dire as your risk of cardiac arrest and stroke is extremely high.

Hypertensive crisis has no symptoms in the early stages but may develop into a hypertensive emergency if not treated with medication or lifestyle changes.

Causes of High Blood Pressure

The leading causes of hypertension are a poor diet, lack of physical activity, and smoking. Other attributed factors include things like kidney disease, obesity/ being overweight, and diabetes.

Most cases of hypertension are not the cause of one bad habit but a combination of bad habits.

Ways to lower blood pressure

There are many ways to lower blood pressure but doing just one thing is not likely to bring you back to normal blood pressure. It takes a lifestyle change to get serious results.

Medications

The first thing a doctor will want to address your high blood pressure (hypertension) is to put you on medication. They will prescribe high blood pressure medication to reduce your hypertension to normal blood pressure.

Medication can be a short or long term fix but keep in mind blood pressure medication can have side effects like :

- fatigue

- dizziness or lightheadedness when getting up too quickly from a seated position.

- erectile dysfunction is also possible with blood pressure medication and some other rare side effects like an irregular heartbeat, pain in the chest and neck, swelling of feet or ankles due to fluid retention (edema).

Natural Ways To Lower Blood Pressure

If you want to avoid taking medication long term, there are lifestyle changes you can make like diet, exercise, and relaxation to bring blood pressure into the normal range. These changes will happen quicker if you only suffer from stage 1 hypertension.

Diet

A diet high in processed food and sodium can raise your blood pressure a lot. You need to focus on controlling your sodium and sugar intake.

Salt is a common culprit in high blood pressure, so try to cut down on salt consumption by seasoning with herbs or other healthy alternatives like lemon juice instead of adding more table salt.

Sugar too should be reduced as much as possible, especially the added sugars found in processed food. Sugar damages the heart by increasing triglyceride levels in the blood.

To make up for these changes, you need to increase your intake of healthy foods like fruits and vegetables as they help regulate sugar metabolism naturally.

The American Heart Association recommends keeping your sugar intake below 27 grams per day. They also recommend keeping your fat intake below 25 percent of your daily calorie intake.

Some studies show that saturated fats are bad for health, but the truth is monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats have a lot of benefits to offer, including reducing blood pressure levels. These types of fat naturally lower LDL cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart diseases like stroke or heart attack. Foods with these healthy fats are avocados, olives, nuts, and seeds.

Exercise

Exercise is also crucial because it helps control weight, which can significantly increase high blood pressure. Exercising will not only lower your weight but give you more energy.

Exercise lowers blood pressure by reducing weight and increasing the body's good cholesterol level.

Things like walking, running, or even dancing can be a great way to get your exercise in. If you have been inactive for a while, start slow by doing something as simple as walking each morning before work. A little bit of activity every day will help build up strength and endurance.

The American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise per day.

Weight loss

A result of a good diet and exercise is weight loss. Weight loss helps reduce blood pressure by reducing the stress that is put on your heart. Low weight causes less pressure to be placed on veins, arteries, and vessels, lowering blood pressure.

According to the American Heart Association, a BMI over 25 has a moderate risk of cardiovascular disease. At a BMI over 30, there is a high risk for heart disease.

Cut Alcohol, Caffeine, and Smoking

These three things are all addictive and lead to high blood pressure. Cutting them out of your life can help reduce blood pressure, which will improve the health of your heart over time.

Alcohol raises blood pressure by causing dehydration and having a dehydrating effect on the body. Nicotine causes your arteries to constrict, which increases blood pressure. Caffeine increases blood pressure by causing the body to have a higher basal metabolic rate and constricting blood vessels.

Reduce Stress

People with stage 1 hypertension tend to have a lot of stress. Your blood pressure is increased by stress by causing a fight or flight response. This causes vessels to constrict, and the heart rate increases, which both raise blood pressure.

Some simple ways to reduce stress are getting more sleep, spending time outside, meditating, and doing breathing exercises.

While hard to control, it's one of the best ways to get your blood pressure under 120/80 mm Hg.

CBD

An upcoming way that may be able to reduce blood pressure is CBD. Studies are ongoing, and no conclusions have been made about whether CBD can be effective in mitigating high blood pressure. It is widely available and may be worth trying. If you are on any medication, make sure you talk to your doctor about any possible interactions with taking CBD.

Health Benefits of lowering blood pressure

In addition to lowering your health risks, lowering your systolic and diastolic blood pressure can have other benefits. Living a healthy lifestyle can help you live longer. You will also save money on medical bills because your risk of other diseases and conditions will be lower.

You may be able to come off medications based on recommendations from your doctor too!

In conclusion

With your blood pressure, the top number is ideally below 120 and the bottom number 80 or 120/80. It's essential to keep your blood pressure under control with either medications or a healthy lifestyle. If you continue to have problems with high blood pressure, make sure to see a doctor.

With a healthy lifestyle, you can fight high blood pressure and help stay away from the doctor. We wish you the best of luck in maximizing your health.

 

Check out the American College of Cardiology and The American Heart Association for further reading on heart health.

Resources

https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/understanding-blood-pressure-readings

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20046974

https://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/blood-pressure-causes

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5470879/

Resources

https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/understanding-blood-pressure-readings

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20046974

https://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/blood-pressure-causes

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5470879/