Doctor reveals easy ways to control high blood pressure without pills

Blood pressure measures the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps. When it stays consistently high, a condition known as hypertension, your heart and blood vessels have to work harder.

What high blood pressure does to your body

Over time, this strain can lead to serious health problems, including heart failure, heart attacks, strokes, kidney damage, and even vision loss.

Because hypertension often shows no obvious warning signs, it’s known as a “silent killer.” That’s why keeping it under control is crucial, not just with prescription medications, but also through healthier lifestyle habits.

Lifestyle changes that really make a difference

“The foundation for lowering blood pressure starts with what we call general measures,” says Dr. Markus van der Giet of Charité, also president of the German Hypertension League. “If you’re overweight, focus on a balanced diet, regular exercise, reducing salt intake, getting enough sleep, managing stress, avoiding smoking, and limiting alcohol.”

Doctors also recommend eating more fruits and vegetables. Vegetables, in particular, are rich in potassium, a natural counter to sodium. Since salt causes the body to retain water, which increases blood volume and pressure, potassium helps balance things out.

The importance of shedding extra pounds

Shedding extra pounds is key for preventing or managing high blood pressure because carrying excess weight puts added strain on your cardiovascular system. Your heart has to work harder to pump blood throughout the body, which can gradually raise blood pressure.

Obesity can also damage the endothelium, the inner lining of blood vessels, making arteries stiffer and less able to expand. This increases pressure on the heart. Losing weight helps reverse this damage and improves the flexibility of your blood vessels.

Extra weight also overactivates the sympathetic nervous system, the part that speeds up your heart rate and constricts blood vessels, leading to higher blood pressure. Dropping pounds reduces this activation, helping your heart and arteries relax.

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