New Science to Help Lower Your Blood Pressure, Naturally!

“Beyond Medication and Diet: Alternative Approaches to Lowering Blood Pressure” is the enticing title of a scientific statement from the American Heart Association.

The report examines methods other than medication or supplements for blood pressure control. These strategies are recommended primarily for those with only mildly elevated blood pressure (and as an add-on to for those taking blood pressure meds), but may not be appropriate for people with higher blood pressure readings. The following review is presented as background information only, so always check with your doctor before beginning any new program to determine the best approach for your particular situation.

Scope of the problem: more than 1 of 4 adult Americans have high blood pressure.

Here are some approaches that have been found useful:

Aerobic Exercise

This is the most strongly recommended of all strategies tested.

It’s defined as vigorous and repeated movement of large muscle groups, such as running, fast walking, workouts on a treadmill, elliptical trainer, or rowing machine. Even walking 40 minutes 4 days per week was found to make a significant difference.

Resistance Exercise

This includes strength training equipment in gyms, free weights, etc. Recent understanding shows that resistance training helps lower blood pressure—an effect previously linked to aerobic workouts. The article cautioned that resistance exercise may be risky in those with more than mild blood pressure (always check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program).

Hand Grip Exercises

This is one of the biggest surprises from this report. As little as 12 minutes three times a week of hand grip exercises (usually in 2-minute intervals at 30% maximal hand grip force) was shown to make a very significant difference in blood pressure, with up to a 14 point drop in the top number (systolic) and 8 points for the bottom number (diastolic).

Breath Work and Biofeedback

Breath work, part of most meditation and yoga practices, has been been more closely studies in recent years for blood pressure control. Small commercial products are now available to help guide a pattern of breathing exercises, with inconsistent but overall positive results when done about 10 minutes per day.

Transcendental Meditation

Although other types of meditation might have similar benefits, this one has been most intensively studied. A study published in 2012 showed a significant drop in blood pressure and fewer heart complications in patients with a prior heart attack who did Transcendental meditation for 20 minutes twice a day.

What About Nutrition?

Although not examined in this scientific statement, the role of nutrition in controlling high blood pressure needs to be emphasized. The most helpful nutritional strategy is to both avoid excessive salt and have a diet rich in potassium. Translated, that is a diet rich in fruit and vegetables and low in most prepared meals, fast food, and salty snacks. An eating pattern that combines DASH diet and low sodium intake has been shown to reduce elevated blood pressure readings by 20 mmHg.

References:

Beyond Medications and Diet: Alternative Approaches to Lowering Blood Pressure, A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Effects of Sodium Reduction and the DASH Diet