Things you can do to lower your blood pressure without medication

In Spain, more than 40% of the population between 35 and 64 years old has arterial hypertension, and this figure rises above 65% after this age. The habits that we tell you below help lower blood pressure. They are very simple but very effective. Do not hesitate to incorporate them into your day to day because, together with a healthy lifestyle, they will help you lower your blood pressure without medication.

Make soap bubbles

Making soap bubbles is a good exercise to work your breathing and breathing well calms you down and helps control high blood pressure. Focus on trying to make the pomp as big as possible without exploding.

More breathing exercises. Take a few minutes to sit or lie down in a relaxed place. Put your hands on your abdomen and see how it rises when you fill your lungs with air and how it empties when you expel it. Then, bring your hands to your ribs and repeat the operation, but noting how the ribs open when you take in air and how they close when you expel it. Don't force your breath, just follow its rhythm.

And also … And if you want to go further, both yoga or Pilates, which are exercises that take breathing into account and can help you control high blood pressure, as well as meditation. To get started in yoga at home, don't miss these 27 poses for beginners.

Listen to music

Music calms beasts and, according to various studies, also the beast of hypertension. Bring your playlist to hand to listen to your favorite music while you walk or do other activities.

If you want to go further. Become a fan of classical music. According to the American Hypertension Society, listening to classical music for an hour a day while you relax doing breathing exercises helps control hypertension without medication. It is also one of the tricks to be happy in the morning and in a good mood all day, which removes stress and does a lot to prevent tension from rising.

Sunbathe

According to a study by the Universities of Southampton and Edinburgh (United Kingdom), the sun reduces nitric oxide levels in the blood and lowers blood pressure.

Keep in mind. In this case, taking supplements of vitamin D, the vitamin that is synthesized by sunbathing, has no effect on hypertension.

Eat yogurt (and other fermented foods)

Several studies have linked the consumption of foods that contribute probiotics to the diet with a healthier blood pressure. Add yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, etc. to your diet. Precisely a German study has determined that probiotics with Lactobacillus, like those in yogurt, can counteract the increase in blood pressure caused by consuming too much salt.

Walk in a hurry

A brisk walk of about 30 minutes a day helps control hypertension. Other exercises that help are swimming, cycling … In general, all exercises that are cardiovascular, even the association of two of these exercises, such as walking and running.

Keep in mind. When hypertension is not well controlled, isometric exercises, lifting weights, etc. are not recommended.

Almost half of Spanish adults have high blood pressure and in almost 40% of cases they do not have it well controlled, which is very dangerous, since hypertension is the first risk factor in cardiovascular diseases, the first cause of death in our country.

When is blood pressure considered high?

When taking blood pressure, fasting, without having done sports before or having smoked and the values are 140 mmHg for systolic blood pressure and 90 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure, we speak of high blood pressure, although sometimes we speak of hypertension from a value of 140/85.

In addition, in the seventh Report of the Joint National Commission on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of Arterial Hypertension, a new category of prehypertension was established when systolic pressure is 120 to 139 mmHg and diastolic pressure is 80 to 89 mmHg . This category is a kind of wake-up call for the person who reaches these values to make changes in their lifestyle in order to avoid hypertension.

Symptoms of high blood pressure

High blood pressure does not usually give symptoms and is detected by measuring it, although it is true that many people associate a rise in pressure with different symptoms, especially headache.

Having high blood pressure is a risk factor for many diseases

Risk of heart attack. Hypertension causes blood to circulate too fast, putting excessive pressure on the walls of the veins. As a consequence, the heart "enlarges" and can lead to coronary insufficiency that can lead to heart attack. And the worst, as this is more difficult to diagnose in women because our symptoms are different from those of men, it can end up being fatal.
Risk of stroke. High blood pressure hardens the arteries, which can cause an artery to rupture and cause a brain hemorrhage. And remember that just because you are a woman, your risk of having a stroke is higher.
Kidney damage. When the pressure is high, the kidneys work harder, which damages the blood vessels in the kidney. This results in fluid retention, and retention, in turn, influences hypertension, creating a very dangerous vicious cycle.
Eye problems Uncontrolled hypertension can cause alterations in the retina and damage to the optic nerve (neuroretinopathy). In both, the warning sign is to see blurred, which should lead us to consult, since in severe cases it can lead to blindness.
Senile dementia. Diabetes-associated hypertension is related to senile dementia and cognitive decline.

How to lower high blood pressure

When hypertension is not very severe, it can be controlled by making lifestyle changes. In general, these are habits that can be applied to blood pressure but also to other diseases, such as eating a balanced diet, such as the traditional Mediterranean diet, being at the ideal weight, exercising regularly and getting adequate sleep. Of course, incorporating the five habits that we have told you in the gallery is also very effective.

Make soap bubbles. It is an exercise that works breathing, calms us and helps control high blood pressure.
Listen to music. According to the American Hypertension Society, listening to classical music for an hour a day while you relax doing breathing exercises helps control hypertension without medication.
Sunbathe. The sun reduces nitric oxide levels in the blood and lowers blood pressure.
Eat fermented foods. Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, miso, or yogurt can counteract the increase in blood pressure caused by consuming too much salt.
Walk. A brisk walk of about 30 minutes a day helps control hypertension.

Take less salt, essential

In the case of hypertension, it is also very important to reduce salt intake. According to the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition, which has prepared a study jointly with the Complutense University of Madrid, 80% of Spaniards consume more salt than recommended. While the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends taking about 5g of salt a day (2000mg sodium / day), the average consumption in our country is 9.8g / day (4000mg sodium / day).