As you advance in life, your body will develop different health issues. One of which is changes in blood pressure. The normal range is 120/80; you may fall lower or go higher. Systolic and diastolic pressures collectively make up total blood pressure. To get it back in range, you can’t just lower diastolic pressure alone. Both need to be targeted.
There are a wide variety of options to choose from to lower your blood pressure as a whole; targeting diastolic only is not possible.
A word of caution; make sure to work with your pulmonologist so that your strategies do not drop the diastolic level more than 60 mmHg.
Let’s have a look at the reasons for increased blood pressure. Then, we will move on to 7 effective ways to lower diastolic and systolic blood pressure together.
Causes for Increased Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is scientifically named hypertension. It is a condition developed by the human body in which the force of blood flow against the arteries is very high. Simply put, the more your heart pumps blood in narrow arteries, the higher the blood pressure.
Several reasons contributing towards high blood pressure include
- Obesity
- Decreased physical activity
- Smoking
- Alcohol consumption
- Excessive salt
- Stress
- Age
- Genes
- Kidney disease
- Thyroid issues
7 Effective Ways to Lower Diastolic Blood Pressure
We can’t emphasize this enough, the first line of treatment is always making changes in the routine. It is a much better option than to gulp a handful of drugs.
Here’s what you can do to manage your blood pressure. The changes will lower down both systolic and diastolic if they exceed the range.
1. Intake of Healthy Food
Dietary modifications have proven fruitful in the longer run. Some of the food that can help lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure alike are
- Fiber enriched food items – whole grain wheat or brown rice
- Vegetable – spinach, carrots, broccoli
- Fruits – apples or bananas
- Lean cuts of animal protein – beef
- Chicken or turkey without skin
- Low fat dairy products
- Protein and fats from nuts and beans
- Eggs
The dietary changes have proven to lower around 11mmHg on the whole. A specialized eating regime for blood pressure patients devised is named DASH, short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
2. Reduction of Sodium Intake
Sodium, commonly known as salt, has direct impacts on the blood pressure levels of an individual. Even if there is a slight reduction in the salt intake, it approximately lowers 5 to 6 mmHg, which is a significant change. Ideally, limit the salt or sodium to 2.3 grams per day for staying in the normal blood pressure range.
To achieve this, read the labels at the back of your item, and select accordingly. However, wide varieties are available now to cater hypertensive individuals so that they can buy those items freely. Also, make it a habit not to top your food with table salt. Try adding herbs and spices to make your food flavorsome.
3. Exercise
The next best thing you can do with your dietary change is regular exercising. A good workout of at least 30 minutes effectively lowers 5 to 8 mmHg off the total blood pressure. However, consistency is the key. Once you stop physical work, the issue might arise again. Aerobics, cycling, jogging, brisk walking, etc., are some forms of activity that help reduce BP.
4. Shed Extra Weight
Obesity is a direct cause of hypertension. Work out to reduce extra weight off. High intensity interval training and strength exercises can help reach your goal. Also, make sure to watch your waistline. If you are carrying too much weight in that area, you have increased susceptibility to this condition.
5. Stop Smoking
Smoking is one of the many evils that increase blood pressure. Nicotine present in cigarettes tends to narrow the vessels which carry blood. This causes the heart to beat faster thereby, increasing blood pressure. Quitting this habit can lower blood pressure.
6. Reduce Stress
The world we live in has made it quite difficult to lead a stress free life. Everyone is in a rat race, going above and beyond to build a good life. Continued stress can be a reason for hypertension. Meditation is a good call to deal with such a condition.
7. Medication
Various classes of medications targeting specific mechanisms to lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure as a whole are available—couple lifestyle changes with medications for a healthier life.
Suppose the condition gets worse, and lifestyle modification does not seem to improve your condition. In that case, we advise you to get an appointment with one of the best doctors at Pulmonary Medical Consultants to devise the changes and medications you need to follow. Call now to set an appointment at 281 357 1300.