Natural ways to lower high BP

News: Women with high blood pressure in their 40s and 50s are at higher risk of heart disease than their male counterparts. But it’s easy to slash your risk. Here’s how!

Nearly half of women struggle with high blood pressure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And a recent study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that women in their early 40s with even mild hypertension (a top number between 130 and 139 mm Hg and a bottom number between 80 and 89 mm Hg) have more than double the risk of heart disease as men of the same age with the same numbers.

But there’s good news too: “For most women, it doesn’t take much to get blood pressure down into a healthier range,” promises Nieca Goldberg, M.D., Medical Director of the Women’s Heart Program at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. You only need a few minutes a day to boost your heart health long-term. Read on for three feel-great strategies proven to slash blood pressure.

FIRST THING:

Marvel at the new day

The secret to keeping blood pressure in the healthy range? Take a morning stroll around the neighborhood. In a small study of postmenopausal women in Hypertension, those who got 30 minutes of exercise in the morning and took brief walking breaks during the day saw a drop in blood pressure comparable to that from medication. Why? It may be that morning exercise helps counter the normal rise in blood pressure that occurs during the day, says Kathryn Boling, M.D., a family medicine specialist at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. And taking 3-minute walk breaks every half hour may prevent blood pressure from climbing as the day wears on. To remember to get up, set a timer or use an app like Stand Up! The Work Break Timer.

THROUGHOUT THE DAY:

Don’t wait to exhale

When you feel frazzled during the day, stop and breathe. A Harvard study found that folks who practiced relaxation techniques like deep breathing for 20 minutes a day lowered their blood pressure so much, they no longer needed medication! The reason? When we’re tense, our breathing becomes shallower, dialing up blood pressure. But breathing deeply, especially on the exhale, activates a relaxation response that lowers blood pressure. To get the perks, try “equal breathing,” suggests Dr. Goldberg. Simply inhale through your nose for a count of four, and exhale for four.

AT NIGHT:

Treat yourself to a long soak

A new study of 30,000 people found that those who took a daily hot bath cut their risk of heart disease by 28%. “One theory is that heat from the bath dilates blood vessels, lowering blood pressure,” says Dr. Goldberg. Just check with your doctor if you take blood pressure medication because a warm soak may cause your blood pressure to dip low enough to trigger dizziness. Otherwise, climb into the tub, ideally submerging your shoulders—the more of your skin the water covers, the bigger the heart benefits.