High blood pressure: how to treat it without medication?
Blood pressure naturally increases with age. Doctors recommend measuring it at least once a year after the age of fifty. We speak of high blood pressure when the Blood pressure in the arteries is too high. To reduce the risk of heart disease, kidney failure, and associated strokes, the right strategy is to eat better, move more, lose weight and manage stress can be a profitable strategy!
How to reduce blood pressure through physical activity?
According to the High Authority for Health (HAS), a sedentary lifestyle alone explains 5 to 13% of cases of high blood pressure (HTA). To better control your blood pressure, choose endurance activities (in other words, “cardio”) during which the effort, of moderate intensity, can be sustained for a long time.
Why does it work?
During physical exertion, pressure increases in the arteries. Due to their expansion, the tension then drops below its initial level, of the order of 10 to 20 mmHg less. This mechanism maintains the flexibility of the arteries. With training, the heart puts less effort into pumping blood. It therefore maintains normal pressure in the arteries. Finally, during physical activity, the metabolism of sugar and cholesterol is more efficient, which helps maintain normal blood pressure.
In total, regular and supervised physical activityhas a positive effecton the tension and helps prevent high blood pressure. In hypertensive patients, it is an excellent complement to drug treatment. “For some patients, sport is recognized as medicine and it is possible to be prescribed a sporting activity », Indicates Doctor Marilucy Lopez-Sublet, general secretary of the French Society of Arterial Hypertension.
What activities to practice?
In case of high blood pressure, endurance activities are the most effective. According to the HAS, this type of exercise (walking, brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling, skipping rope, etc.) is enough to lower the blood pressure of a hypertensive person by 5 to 7 mmHg. THE muscle strengtheningat a moderate level, also has an impact on blood pressure numbers, which it lowers by 3 to 4 mmHg.
The right intensity?
To have an effect on blood pressure, you must feel the heat rising, or even start to sweat, and be slightly out of breath, a sign that the heart rate is accelerating gradually, not suddenly. You have to remain able to speak. After a long period of sedentary lifestyle, it is better to consult before resuming, especially in a person whose hypertension is poorly controlled. Stress electrocardiogram is recommended in patients at high cardiovascular risk.
In all cases, and whatever its age, the appearance during the effort of alarming symptoms such as abnormal shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort, prompts consult quickly.
How to lower blood pressure naturally by moderating salt?
To function well, the body must maintain a certain balance of water and salt. “This regulation must be perfect,” observes Dr. Lopez-Sublet. Basically, if you consume too much salt or don't drink enough water, this imbalance will affect your blood pressure numbers. The recommendation is to do not exceed 6 g of salt per day (i.e. 1 teaspoon of fine salt) in a person prone to hypertension.
What are the salty foods to avoid that raise blood pressure?
Certain foods and products in our daily lives hide their role well. The saltiest products (source 1):
- Soy sauce – 18.6 g*
- Dry sausage – 4.75 g
- Smoked salmon – 3.51 g
- Roquefort – 3.22 g
- Aperitif biscuit – 2.43 g
- Merguez -2.33 g
- Haddock – 1.91 g
- Cooked ham – 1.87 g
- Emmental ham and butter baguette sandwich – 1.54 g
- Camembert – 1.45 g
- Traditional baguette – 1.33 g
* Average salt content (sodium chloride), in grams per 100 grams.
Anti-hypertension diet: what should you eat? What should you drink?
On both sides of the Atlantic, researchers have tried to model the ideal diet for high blood pressure. Whether it is the Dash diet (Dietary approach to stop hypertension) of the Americans or the Mediterranean diet of the Europeans, the conclusions are similar:
- We reduce: salt, saturated fats, red meat, sugar, sodas, alcohol consumption;
- We increase the following foods: fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, poultry.
Yogurt on the menu to fight hypertension
According to a scientific study published in November 2021 by theInternational Dairy Journalregularly adding yogurt to your menu would reduce the blood pressure of seniors.
The researchers here analyzed data from 915 adults with an average age of 62.1 years, 62% of whom had high blood pressure, around 140/90 mmHG. They observed a modest but significant reduction in systolic blood pressure in people with hypertension who often ate yogurt. On the other hand, no such phenomenon was observed in people who were not prone to hypertension. This study is not the first to highlight a possible benefit of dairy products in the fight against hypertension.
What drink to lower blood pressure?
The recommendation is to drink 1 to 2 liters of water per day. But you have to be careful with certain mineral waters rich in sodium (more than 360 mg per liter), which contribute to salt intake, such as Saint-Yorre, Vichy Célestins or Quézac!
What to do in case of hypertension? What lifestyle?
In addition to diet and sport, certain lifestyle habits allow you to better control your blood pressure.
Stop smoking
Under the influence of tobacco, the arteries are no longer able to dilate normally. Their caliber is reduced, promoting high blood pressure. One piece of advice is in order: stop smoking!
Learn to manage your stress well
Blood pressure is very sensitive to emotions and rises in stressful situations. Today, relaxation techniques have their place in the management of hypertension. “We offer some of our patients the practice of yoga, meditation and hypnosis. These techniques should be encouraged, but they do not replace treatment when necessary », assures Dr. Lopez-Sublet.
Practice cardiac coherence
Cardiac coherence exercises may also be helpful. This technique aims, through the control of breathing, to slow down the heart rate. It consists of taking six breaths per minute for 5 minutes, three times a day (morning, noon, late afternoon). The free app RespiRelax + can guide you.
Natural treatment of high blood pressure: effective plants
Shana Sarfati, therapist, naturopath and nutritionist, shows us beneficial plants for relaxing and relieving high blood pressure:
- Chamomile : helps calm the nerves and promote relaxation;
- Valerian : promotes relaxation and can be used to improve the quality of sleep;
- Passionflower : can help relieve stress and promote relaxation;
- Hawthorn : can help regulate blood pressure and relax blood vessels;
- Garlic : useful for maintaining healthy blood pressure. It acts on the fluidity of the blood;
- Olea europaea : olive leaves are known for their hypotensive properties. They lower blood pressure and reduce blood cholesterol levels;
- Moringa oleifera: it is a plant that fights against hypertension, a concentrate of vitamins and minerals which helps in the production of nitric oxide and the dilation of blood vessels.
do not forget to consult a health professional for medical advice before integrating these plants into your routine, especially if you have existing medical conditions or are taking medications.