Life does not go on a linear path. Sometimes you are high, other times you may be low. In those low moment, life seems crooked. This would tell in one’s health. In such a situation, the first thing is to check your stress level. You find out that the likely cause why your blood pressure seems to rise is because of your lifestyle. It is also often related to heart diseases such as hypertension.
Hypertension is a silent killer disease with symptoms varying from individual to individual. Do you know that it even takes years or even decades for the condition to reach severe levels before its symptoms become obvious. But then, these symptoms may be attributed to other issues. The best way to know your health status regarding hypertension is to go for regular medical checkups.
The following are 5 ways to lower your blood pressure naturally:
1. Take Garlic
Garlic is one of those home remedy staples that addresses a wide range of ailments; one of which happens to be hypertension. Allicin, the organic sulphur-containing- compound, responsible for several of garlic’s health benefits, doesn’t fare as well in the human body when eaten raw. Allicin is relatively unstable and is typically deactivated when it comes in contact with a substance with a pH lower than 3, such as our stomach acid. However, when taken in tablet form, there is a guaranteed allicin yield that ensures you get the proper amount to have solid results when it comes to lowering blood pressure.
2. Coconut water
Coconut water found inside the shell of green, unripe coconuts retains its natural benefits in organic and raw form. It contains potassium and magnesium, both of which relate to regular muscle function, and of course, the heart is a big giant muscle. While there have been some limited studies on the effect of coconut water on hypertension, many people report anecdotally that it has helped lower blood pressure.
3. Cut the salt
Salt is not the problem when it comes to high blood pressure, per se, but rather its chemical component sodium. A little bit is fine, but too much sodium disrupts the balance of fluid in the body. To ‘flush’ the excess salt from your system, water is drawn from surrounding tissues. The higher volume of liquid results in the heart working harder to pump the blood: Hence, high blood pressure. We use a lot of table salt in our foods, but still, that amount isn’t enough to account for the rise in blood pressure.
4. Exercise
Along with diet, exercising will do your blood good. In a society where we are becoming increasingly sedentary, it can take a bit more effort to get out and get moving, but it’s worth it, especially if you have high blood pressure. The heart is a muscle, and it will grow stronger with exercise. It becomes easier to pump blood and takes less effort, keeping your heart in better condition and lowering how much force it exerts on your arteries; thus lowering blood pressure.
5. Watermelon
Watermelon is known for its delicious water content, but it can also help lower blood pressure. An organic compound called citrulline, an a-amino acid was first isolated in 1914 from watermelon; once ingested, the body can convert citrulline to the amino acid L-arginine, which is a precursor to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide talks to various cells and systems in our body that regulate, among other things. Watermelon does widen blood vessels, which lowers vascular resistance, and in return, ultimately lowers blood pressure.