World Hypertension Day is observed each year on May 17 to create awareness about this silent killer called 'High BP'. Read on to discover simple & natural ways to incorporate into your lifestyle to reduce BP & own a healthy heart.

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Smart and natural solutions to bring down your BP and keep it under control in daily living

Abnormal Blood Pressure readings ring a bell for most people, reflecting that it is time to start popping pills for life. However, Nature Cure tells us that abnormal health parameters are an indication by your body that now is the time to take charge of your health and lifestyle. 

We can’t deny that having high blood pressure has associated health risks that can later lead to the development of coronary diseases, damaging your arteries and weakening your heart. When left undetected and unchecked, high blood pressure can cause:

• Heart Attack - High BP damages the arterial walls, they usually get lined with cholesterol also. Blocked arteries prevent blood flow to the heart chambers, leading to Myocardial Infarction or heart attack.

• Kidney Failure - High BP can damage the arteries around the kidneys, reducing the ability of kidneys to filter blood and carry out the removal of body wastes.

• Stroke - Blood vessels in the brain can get clogged due to high BP and can even rupture in certain cases. 

• Vision Impairment: High BP can damage or strain various blood vessels connected to the eyes, causing vision problems. 

In addition to these, regularly high blood pressure can result in angina, heart failure, and atherosclerosis too. 

How Does Your Body Naturally Regulate Blood Pressure?

Your body is a very intelligent machine. It has an in-built system for regulating blood pressure. In fact, various vital organs have their own intrinsic blood pressure regulation systems - such as the brain and kidneys. For example, the brain has its mechanism to keep the pressure the same while the main cardiac pressure is decreasing or increasing. The brain doesn’t like to be disturbed during its functioning so protects itself from sudden rise or fall in blood pressure. The same thing goes for the kidneys. They have a self-regulating mechanism that is very intricate and it makes sure filtrations don’t get disrupted at different blood pressure levels.

What Is Your Natural Blood Pressure?

When the body is active, blood pressure increases. When it is resting, blood pressure decreases. For example, when you are sleeping at night your BP will be at the lowest. It will start rising as it is time to get up and start your day. It will be usually higher in the mornings and peak during the afternoon. As the sun sets down, and your body is prepping for the resting period (night), your BP also starts lowering down.

When Does Your BP Rise?

When you are in a stressful situation or when you are anticipating a tense circumstance, when you are anxious about something, or when you are experiencing a threat - these could be daily life situations. For example, just before a big presentation or a crucial meeting with a person in authority you might feel a little anxious or stressed. That’s when your BP rises temporarily. However, it comes back to normal as you get out of that situation. This is a normal body function. 

The problem arises when your blood pressure is not able to come back to normal, even when the circumstances are normal or undemanding. 

Lifestyle Habits Leading To High BP

1. Eating Lot of Processed Foods: Foods low in natural ingredients, natural nutrition, enzymes, and fiber lead to obesity as well as high blood pressure

2. Smoking: The nicotine in cigarettes and other tobacco products constricts your blood vessels, leading to high blood pressure.

3. Alcohol: Drinking alcohol increases your blood pressure, and also leads to the accumulation of harmful toxins in your body. These toxins can cause multiple diseases over time. 

4. Caffeine: Coffee is a vasoconstrictor  - that means it narrows down your blood pressure, leading to High BP. Intake of caffeine also induces adrenal glands to release adrenaline hormones, which causes your BP to rise. 

5. Less Sleep: Getting fewer than 6 hours per night can lead to high BP. As explained above, your BP lowers down when you rest. However, when you are in a constant state of activity even when your body is demanding rest (at night, in sync with the circadian rhythm) your BP remains up. 

How Can You Lower High BP, Naturally?

It is possible to keep your BP in check without any medicines, purely by a change in your lifestyle, and eating habits. You need to get your lifestyle in sync with Nature’s rhythm and you will see the healing effect on your body very soon:

1. Natural Foods: As we have written above, eating a lot of processed foods leads to hypertension or high BP. That’s because processed foods lack natural nutrients, enzymes, and fiber. Fiber is a critical nutrient when it comes to controlling your BP, even Obesity, Diabetes & other heart diseases. Fruits and Vegetables are naturally rich in fiber. Eat a Fruit Breakfast, Include More Raw Salads in Lunch & Dinner, Switch To Whole Grains & shun processed grains. All these small changes will have a great impact on your BP. 

2. Eating Pattern: Eat only when you feel hungry, don’t overeat, binge eat, or eat for pleasure. These patterns cost a lot to your health. Sync your eating with the circadian rhythm - Have your first cooked meal post noon, till then eat only fruit or coconut water. Eat your dinner by sunset, don’t forget to include lots of greens and salad in your meals. 

3. Sugar: Although sugar and salt form the basis of the taste added to our food preparations, they must be consumed wisely. Processed white sugar is not a natural food and is responsible for causing many health problems. Opt for natural sweeteners like jaggery and dates.

4. Salt - Choose natural and unrefined natural salts - such as rock salt, pink Himalayan salt, etc. Eat salt in moderation, reduce the quantity of your daily salt intake. Also, cooking your vegetables with salt added during the cooking process, destroys the live enzymes present in the vegetables, reducing their nutritional value. Add salt to your food on the table or once the food is cooked. This practice helps retain the live enzymes in your food, makes it easier to digest, and increases the bio-availability of nutrients in food. 

5. Potassium: Potassium helps to ease the pressure or tension in your blood pressure, hence managing hypertension. Increase the intake of natural foods that are rich in potassium - such as bananas, spinach, beans, tomatoes, avocados, and watermelon.

6. Light Exercises - When your body is active the blood circulates better. Start with walks in the morning, lighter Yoga poses, and Pranayama. Read how to do Naadi Shuddhi Pranayama in this article. 

7. Sunbathing - Sun is the key energy source of our planet and our bodies. Our bodies are capable of using the healing properties of Sunlight. Absorb sunlight during the early morning or evening. Here’s how you can perform Sun Therapy for good health. 

8. Detox - Ensure that you are eliminating wastes from your body daily by proper bowel movements. Try to take a break from eating once a week - observe a fast or a half-day fast. This gives the body time to excrete toxins and rejuvenate your health. The more detoxed your body, the easier it is to maintain a healthy BP. 

9. Sleep Well - The quality and duration of sleep impact your overall health, wellbeing, and BP too. Here are 9 natural ways to help you sleep better. 

10. De-stress: Staying stressed has long-term consequences on your health, including blood pressure. Stress hormones impact almost every organ of your body. Here are 5 practical and natural ways to relieve stress.

How To Naturally Stabilize A Sudden Increase In BP?

1. Lie down straight on a flat surface without a pillow and let yourself relax.

2. Refrain from eating. If you feel really hungry, eat fruit or fresh fruit juice (diluted only with water, do not add salt or sugar).

3. Rest and relax. Don't work or get into any unproductive or useless, stressful conversation for a couple of days until the blood pressure settles down.

4. Pouring cold water on the head will help. If possible, take a spinal bath once in the morning and again in the evening.

5. Perform relaxed breathing exercises.

In addition to all of the above, it is very important to quit dairy, meat, eggs, and other animal foods. Eggs are rich in cholesterol, dairy and meat are high in fats (even lean cuts are tough to digest by the body), and often laced with animal growth hormones that harm your health in multiple ways.

Eating a natural diet, in sync with circadian rhythm, and following a healthy lifestyle is the key to keeping your blood pressure under check.

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