BP Impact = 8
Transformational Impact = 3
Upon discovering my high blood pressure, I intuitively knew of a few strategies related to diet and supplements that would help lower my blood pressure naturally.
From a diet perspective, I remember hearing on several different occasions that salt and processed foods contribute to high blood pressure. So I adopted a strategy of consuming “single ingredient” foods; which, unbeknownst to me at the time, is also known as “clean eating”.
I didn’t make this complicated. If I knew what I was eating was a “whole” food, I allowed it into my diet. If it came from a bag or a box (and had words that I couldn’t pronounce in the ingredients), I stayed away from it.
While staying away from processed foods was definitely the right call (for reasons other than high sodium content) recent research suggests that salt isn’t as much of a contributor to high blood pressure as previously thought.
Salt’s Effect on the Body:
Salt makes your body hold more water, and the extra water is what causes high blood pressure.
It’s true that salt has been the labeled a bad guy when it comes to high blood pressure for a long time, but research is indicating that there’s a little more to the story than this and that sodium might not be as much of a culprit as once thought.
Research presented at the Experimental Biology 2017 meeting in Chicago compared over 2500 men and women between the ages of 30 and 64 (all starting the trial with normal blood pressure) over the course of 16 years. The researchers observed that participants who consumed UNDER 2500 milligrams of sodium a day (2300 is the recommended daily intake) had higher blood pressure than those who consumed MORE than 2500 milligrams of sodium per day; the opposite of what they expected to see.
Research has shown that there is a “J shaped relationship” between cardiovascular risk and sodium; low sodium diets, along with very high sodium diets BOTH carry a higher risk of heart disease.
On the flip side, one thing that was clearly determined was that increased consumption of foods rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium were positive contributors for the purposed of maintaining healthy blood pressure.
At the end of the day, it might just be a matter of leaving the salt shaker on the counter, and not worrying too much about sodium content. Individual salt sensitivity might establish which individuals need to be more careful.
The Benefits of Clean Eating:
When we eat processed foods, the body has to sort through all the chemicals and preservatives and go through the work of digesting things that have no nutritional benefit. This takes energy. When the body can’t extract the nutrients it needs from the food we eat in an efficient manner, it gets bogged down and our organs, hormones, and vital functions can’t operate at their best.
The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) was developed to lower blood pressure without medication. This diet also reduces the risks of other diseases and promotes overall health. At its core, the DASH diet is an eating plan that consists of lots of fruits and veggies, non-fat and low fat dairy, nuts, seeds, and beans. For the most part, it is about staying away from the empty carbs and focusing on heart healthy fats and proteins. This is basically what I was doing in my weight loss journey. I just didn’t know it was called the DASH diet.
Limiting carbohyrdates:
Carbohydrates are the sugars and starches that are in food. Simple carbs are also known as empty carbs, and are found in soda, candy, syrup, etc. Complex carbs are often known as “starchy foods” and are found in foods like whole grain breads, potatoes, and corn.
Research suggests that high blood pressure is connected to insulin resistance; a scenario in which cells become resistant to insulin’s attempts to let glucose in.
Insulin resistance can be reduced or eliminated by cutting out empty carbs (pastries, white bread, sugar) and instead eating fruits and veggies, whole grains (limited), legumes, heart healthy proteins, etc.
In my experience, cutting out empty carbs was a significant contributor to my weight loss success. I also felt a lot better, clearer, and had more energy by eliminating simple carbohydrates from my diet. Knowing that cutting them out would also help lower my blood pressure was further motivation to stay away from them. I did not make a huge effort to eliminate all carbs from my diet, but when I consumed them, I made sure that there was some nutritional value to them, or that they were complex carbohydrates. For example, a piece of fruit instead of a candy bar, a piece of whole grain bread instead of white bread, etc.
Supplements that help lower blood pressure:
There are a lot of supplements out there that claim to aid in lowering high blood pressure.
These are the supplements I take:
>Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar lowers blood pressure by suppressing renin, an enzyme that raises blood pressure. ACV also has other health and digestive benefits and I have read a lot of claims that it assists in weight loss as well.
I drink one tablespoon in the morning, and one at night. It doesn’t bother me to just drink it straight, but a lot of people will dilute it with water to make it a little less intense.
>Garlic
Another supplement that helps lower blood pressure, but also carries many other health benefits with it.
>CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10)
The research suggests that CoQ10 has the potential to lower blood pressure without significant side effects. CoQ10 also claims to have other health benefits related to the heart and that it functions as an anti-oxidant.
>Magnesium/Calcium/Zinc
I took this supplement before I knew I had high blood pressure for my post-menopausal state. I took the magnesium and calcium for bone health, but magnesium and calcium also provide blood pressure related benefits. While too much zinc can actually elevate blood pressure, there are also many zinc health benefits. The supplement I take has all 3; calcium, magnesium and zinc.
>Ashwaghanda
From an Ayurvedic perspective, the best way to lower high blood pressure naturally involves reaching a balance in body and mind. Ashwaghanda is an adaptogenic herb, meaning that it helps the body resist the damaging effects of stress. I don’t think my high blood pressure was caused by stress so much as poor lifestyle choices. But knowing that my high blood pressure could lead to some serious health consequences if I didn’t correct it definitely caused me a LOT of stress. Ashwaganda very subtly helps me to achieve inner calmness and increases my ability to deal with stress.
>Turmeric
Turmeric contains curcumin (the bioactive ingredient of turmeric) and black pepper, which are found to reduce hypertension by inhibiting the activity of an enzyme called angiotensin converting enzyme (ace), which results in a relaxing of the blood vessels. Turmeric also works well as an anti-inflammatory, and as an antioxidant.
>Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency may be linked to heart disease and a higher risk of high blood pressure, but more research is needed to say for sure. I took vitamin D supplements before I knew about my blood pressure because I was deficient, so I’ve just continued with it mainly for that reason, and not primarily because of anything to do with my blood pressure.
>Fish Oil
Fish oil contains Omega-3 fatty acids, which promote heart health. These fatty acids may also help to slow the development of plaque in the arteries and reduce triglycerides.
>Carditone
I provide my review of this herbal supplement on my home page and a more detailed backstory here. I can’t say enough about how helpful this supplement was for me, especially in the beginning.
What worked best?:
If I had to choose which has had the bigger impact on my blood pressure – the diet or the supplements – I’m not sure that I would be able say. Intuitively, of all the things I’ve mentioned here, I would probably say that eliminating processed foods and especially simple carbohydrates (empty carbs – sugar and foods containing white flour) have been the most important. The Carditone definitely made the most important contribution to lowering my blood pressure in the beginning of my transformation, until all of my other changes had a chance to kick in.
