There are several possible lifestyle changes to reduce blood pressure. I will talk about five of them below. The first is, in my experience, the most important. Eliminate the most common cause of hypertension:
Hypertension is often the product of the so-called metabolic syndrome , especially in people with some excess weight. This means that you can get great benefits for your health by reducing the consumption of (bad) carbohydrates.
There are multiple studies on low carb diets that show improvements in blood pressure and more of these improvements than other diets. In addition, as an extra advantage, a low carb diet also often causes weight loss and an improvement in blood glucose:
This not only works in scientific studies, but also in real life. Many of my patients and readers have tested it with positive results.
2. Use salt or not
Consuming less salt can reduce blood pressure a bit. There are studies that have shown that this effect is, however, minimal in the long term: only an average reduction of 1 mmHg was recorded .
There is not enough contemporary evidence to say that less salt in food will have an effect on the risk of heart disease or death. This was demonstrated in a recent meta-study of all research on the subject. It is not clear if you can be healthier by eating less salt or not. Nobody knows.
Much of the salt we eat comes from fast food, prepared foods, bread and soda: things we should avoid when following a low carb diet. This will reduce salt intake automatically. In addition, the hormonal effects of the low-carb and high-fat diet can make it easier for the body to get rid of excess salt through the urine; This explains the slight decrease in blood pressure.
In short, demonizing salt is somewhat exaggerated. In any case, if you follow a low carb diet, you should be able to enjoy the salt in moderation with a calm conscience.
3. Avoid other things that increase blood pressure
Blood pressure can be reduced simply by avoiding what increases it. Here are the most common causes of hypertension:
- Common pain relievers (called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDs) can increase blood pressure by inhibiting salt production in the kidneys. This includes over-the-counter pills such as Ipren, Ibumetin, Ibuprofen, Dicoflenac and Naproxen, in addition to prescription medications such as Celebra. Analgesics with the active substance paracetamol are better for blood pressure.
- The cortisone pills as prednisolone
- The oral contraceptives (for some people)
- The coffee (caffeine)
- Alcohol in large quantities
- Nicotine (smoking, other forms of tobacco) can cause short-term increases in blood pressure of 15-20 units
- Drugs such as amphetamines and cocaine
- Licorice in large quantities
This does not mean that it is essential to avoid coffee or alcohol completely; However, if you are a big “consumer,” it may be sensible to reduce your intake. On the other hand, it is always a good idea to quit smoking completely: quitting this habit is excellent for your overall health, not just for blood pressure.
4. Exercise
It has been shown that exercising regularly lowers blood pressure slightly. And at the very least, you are at least burning carbohydrates and thus increasing your tolerance to them.
5. Avoid deficiencies of omega 3 or vitamin D fats
There are studies that indicate that omega 3 fats can reduce blood pressure a bit (especially the value of systolic blood pressure). More on omega 3 .
There is a study that demonstrates the decrease in blood pressure in about 4 systolic units and 3 diastolic units when administering vitamin D supplements to people with deficiency (something common during the winter season). More on vitamin D .
Keep track of blood pressure
Keeping track of blood pressure reduction is easier at your local medical center or with devices to do it yourself .
