(Mary Grace Taylor/ Prevention) — Having high blood pressure (a.k.a. hypertension) is a serious health risk—it boosts the likelihood for major health scares like heart attack and stroke, as well as aneurysms, cognitive decline, and kidney failure. What’s more, high blood pressure—which is any reading above 130/80 mmHg—was a primary or contributing cause of death for nearly 670,000 people in 2020, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC also says only 24% of people with high blood pressure have it under control. So you might be wondering how to lower blood pressure. While it’s important to take any prescribed medication (and there is no shame in that!), there are actually ways to lower blood pressure naturally.
If your own numbers are climbing, you might consider making some lifestyle tweaks. Below, experts share their best tips for doing just that.
Regular exercise, even as simple as walking, seems to be just as effective at lowering blood pressure as commonly used BP drugs, according to a 2018 meta-analysis of hundreds of studies. Exercise strengthens the heart, meaning it doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood. (…)