Health Coach Tip - Lower Your Blood Pressure Today
Too many of us struggle with high blood pressure yet there are many things you can do to significantly lower your blood pressure, naturally! Experiment and see if any of these simple tips help you to reduce yours.
Reduce Sugar Intake
We are always talking about reducing your overall intake of carbohydrates and sugar, and with high blood pressure, there's no exception. Cut back on the obvious carbs/sugars - sweets, bread, pasta, pastries, white rice - but also watch out for fruit, fruit juice, other beverages marketed as "healthy." Plus cutting back on excess carbs/sugar can help you lose those extra pounds which can also decrease your blood pressure!
Cut Back on Caffeine
Caffeine contributes to constriction of blood vessels which increases blood pressure, as well as makes you a bit more on edge and less capable of handling stress. It could be a short lived spike, but worth an experiment to see how your body responds when you reduce your intake - everyone metabolizes caffeine differently!
Take a Walk
Exercise, even something as simple as a walk, can help reduce blood pressure. You might even feel the reduction immediately. Plus the cumulative effect of a daily walking habit can help reduce your blood pressure in the long run.
Head to Knee Foward Bend (aka Janu Sirsasana)
Do this simple yoga pose daily to calm the mind and lower blood pressure! Get into Janu Sirsasana with one leg stretch out and the other knee bent with the foot placed against the inner thigh, lean forward over the outstretched leg keeping the spine curved in and up.
Change Up Your Salt
You might be getting too much overprocessed table salt in your diet from the type of foods you are eating. Avoiding junk food, fried food, and take out and instead focusing on homecooked, whole foods salted with sea salt might just do the trick! One of our favorites is Pink Himalayan salt. It has larger, flavorful granules, and is mined from clean sources, deep inside the earth - free of ocean contaminants.
Listen to Relaxing Music
Listening to calming music can help to lower your blood pressure. This might seem obvious, but in the world of prescription drugs, simple tricks like relaxing to your favorite song have been overlooked. Some studies have shown music to lower blood pressure (and others haven't) - it's worth an experiment to see if your favorite classical music helps you.