國外總結的15種降血壓的自然方法

▲全球視野 本土思考

高血壓是一種危險的情況，全球有10億人罹患此病。如果不加以控制，高血壓會增加患心臟病和中風的風險。但有個好消息:可以採取多種措施自然地降低血壓，即使沒有藥物也可以。

高血壓影響世界上很大一部分人口。

雖然藥物是治療該病的一種方法，但還有許多其他自然技術，包括食用某些可以幫助治療的食物。

通過本文中的方法控制血壓最終可以幫助您降低患心臟病的風險！

這是對抗高血壓的15種自然方法。

1.定期走路和運動

運動是降低高血壓的最佳方法之一。

有規律的鍛鍊可以讓心臟更強壯，更有效地泵血，從而降低動脈的壓力。

事實上，每周進行150分鐘的適度運動，如散步，或75分鐘的劇烈運動，如跑步，可以幫助降低血壓，改善心臟健康。

總結：每天步行30分鐘可以幫助降低血壓。更多的運動有助於進一步減少它。

2.減少鈉攝入量

全世界的鹽攝入量很高。在很大程度上，這是由於加工食品和預製食品所致。

由於這個原因，許多公共衛生努力的目標都是降低食品工業中的鹽。

許多研究表明高鹽攝入與高血壓和心臟病，包括中風有關。

然而，最近的研究表明，鈉和高血壓之間的關係目前還不太清楚。

原因之一可能是人們處理鈉的遺傳差異。大約一半的高血壓患者和1/4的正常人似乎對鹽敏感。

如果您已經患有高血壓，則有必要減少鈉的攝入量，看看是否有幫助。將加工食品換成新鮮食品，並嘗試用草藥和香料調味，而不是加鹽。

總結：大多數降低血壓的指南建議減少鈉的攝入。然而，這一建議可能對對鹽敏感的人最有意義。

3.少喝酒

喝酒會導致血壓升高。實際上，酒精與全世界16％的高血壓病例有關。

儘管一些研究表明，少量或適量的酒精可以保護心臟，但這些好處可能會被負面影響抵消。

在美國，中度飲酒的定義是女性每天飲酒不超過一杯，男性每天飲酒不超過兩杯。如果您喝的比這個多，請減少。

總結：大量飲酒可能會導致血壓升高。根據建議限制飲酒量。

4.多吃富鉀食物

鉀是重要的礦物質。

它可以幫助身體清除鈉鹽並減輕血管壓力。

現代飲食增加了大多數人的鈉攝入量，同時減少了鉀的攝入量。

為了在飲食中更好地平衡鉀和鈉，請集中精力少吃加工食品，而要吃新鮮，完整的食物。

鉀含量特別高的食物包括：

· 蔬菜，尤其是綠葉蔬菜，西紅柿，土豆和地瓜

· 水果，包括西瓜，香蕉，鱷梨，橘子和杏子

· 乳製品，例如牛奶和酸奶

· 金槍魚和三文魚

· 堅果和種子

· 豆類

總結：吃富含鉀的新鮮水果和蔬菜等可以幫助降低血壓。

5.減少咖啡因攝入

如果您曾經在測量血壓之前喝一杯咖啡，您就會知道咖啡因會導致血壓立即提升。

但是，並沒有很多證據表明定期飲用咖啡因會導致持續的增加。

事實上，喝含咖啡因的咖啡和茶的人患心臟病(包括高血壓)的風險往往比不喝咖啡和茶的人低。

咖啡因可能對不經常食用咖啡因的人有更強的作用。

如果您懷疑自己對咖啡因敏感，請減少攝入以查看它是否會降低血壓。

總結：咖啡因可能會導致血壓短期升高，儘管對於許多人來說，它不會導致持久的升高。

6.學會管理壓力

壓力是導致高血壓的關鍵因素。

當您長期處於壓力狀態時，您的身體處於持續的戰鬥或逃跑模式。從身體的角度來看，這意味著更快的心率和血管收縮。

當您感到壓力時，您也可能會從事其他行為，例如飲酒或吃對健康有不利影響的不健康食品。

幾項研究探索了減輕壓力如何幫助降低血壓的方法。這裡有兩個基於證據的技巧可以嘗試：

·聆聽舒緩的音樂：平靜的音樂可以幫助您放鬆神經系統。研究表明它是一個有效補充其他血壓療法。

·減少工作：工作很多，工作壓力大，通常與高血壓有關。

總結：慢性壓力會導致高血壓。找到管理壓力的方法會有所幫助。

7.吃黑巧克力或可可

雖然吃大量的黑巧克力可能對心臟沒有幫助，但是少量的黑巧克力可能會有好處。

那是因為黑巧克力和可可粉富含類黃酮——是導致血管擴張的植物化合物。

一項研究綜述發現，富含類黃酮的可可能在短期內改善心臟健康的多個指標，包括降低血壓。

為了獲得最強的效果，請使用非鹼性可可粉，其中的類黃酮含量特別高，並且不添加糖。

總結：黑巧克力和可可粉中含有植物化合物，有助於放鬆血管，降低血壓。

8.減 肥

對於超重的人，減肥可以對心臟健康產生重大影響。

根據2016年的一項研究，減去5％的體重可能會顯著降低高血壓。

在先前的研究中，體重下降17.64磅（8公斤）與收縮壓降低8.5mmHg和舒張壓降低6.5mmHg有關。

從正確的角度來看，健康的讀數應小於120/80mmHg。

當減肥與運動相結合時，效果會更大。

減肥可以幫助您的血管更好地進行擴張和收縮，從而使心臟左心室更容易抽血。

總結：減肥可以顯著降低高血壓。鍛鍊時，這種效果更加明顯。

9.戒 煙

戒菸的眾多原因之一是該習慣是心臟病的重要危險因素。

每吸一口煙都會引起血壓短暫的輕微升高。菸草中的化學物質也會損害血管。

令人驚訝的是，研究還沒有發現吸菸和高血壓之間的決定性聯繫。也許這是因為隨著時間的推移，吸菸者對煙的耐受性逐漸增強了。

儘管如此，由於吸菸和高血壓都會增加患心臟病的風險，因此戒菸可以幫助降低這種風險。

總結：關於吸菸和高血壓的研究存在矛盾，但是很明顯的是，兩者都會增加患心臟病的風險。

10.減少添加糖和精製碳水化合物

越來越多的研究表明添加糖和高血壓之間存在聯繫。

在《弗雷明漢女性健康研究》中，每天喝一杯蘇打水的女性比那些每天喝不到一杯蘇打水的女性有更高的血糖水平。

另一項研究發現，每天少喝含糖飲料與降低血壓有關。

而且不僅僅是糖——所有精製碳水化合物，例如白麵粉中發現的碳水化合物——在您的血液中迅速轉化為糖，可能會引起問題。

一些研究表明，低碳水化合物飲食也可能有助於降低血壓。

一項對接受他汀類藥物治療的人的研究發現，與那些沒有限制碳水化合物攝入的人相比，接受為期6周的限制碳水化合物飲食的人在血壓和其他心臟病標誌物方面的改善更大。

總結：精製碳水化合物，尤其是糖，可能會導致血壓升高。一些研究表明，低碳水化合物飲食可能有助於降低血壓水平。

11.吃漿果

漿果不僅充滿多汁的味道。它們還富含多酚——對心臟有益的天然植物化合物。

多酚可降低中風，心臟病和糖尿病的風險，並改善血壓，胰島素抵抗和全身性炎症。

一項研究將高血壓人群分別分配給低多酚飲食或含有漿果，巧克力，水果和蔬菜的高多酚飲食。

那些食用漿果和富含多酚食物者的心臟病風險指標得到了改善。

總結：漿果富含多酚，可幫助降低血壓和心臟病的整體風險。

12.嘗試冥想或深呼吸

雖然這兩種行為也可以歸為「減壓技巧」，但冥想和深呼吸值得特別提及。

冥想和深呼吸均可激活副交感神經系統。當身體放鬆，減慢心率並降低血壓時，該系統就會啟動。

有相當多這方面的研究，有研究表明，不同風格的冥想似乎對降低血壓有好處。

深呼吸技巧也非常有效。

在一項研究中，要求參與者要麼在30秒的過程中進行六次深呼吸，要麼只是靜坐30秒。深呼吸者比靜坐者降低的血壓更多。

總結：冥想和深呼吸都可以激活副交感神經系統，這有助於減慢心率並降低血壓。

13.多吃富含鈣的食物

鈣攝入量低的人經常患有高血壓。

雖然補鈣並沒有確鑿的證據表明可以降低血壓，但富含鈣的飲食似乎確實與健康水平有關。

對於大多數成年人來說，推薦的鈣攝入量是每天1000毫克。對於50歲以上的女性和70歲以上的男性，則是每天1200毫克。

除了乳製品，您還可以從羽衣甘藍和其他綠葉蔬菜，豆類，沙丁魚和豆腐中獲取鈣。

總結：富含鈣的飲食與健康的血壓水平有關。您可以通過食用深色多葉蔬菜和豆腐以及乳製品來獲取鈣。

14.服用天然補品

一些天然補品也可能有助於降低血壓。以下是一些有證據支持的主要補品：

·陳年大蒜提取物：研究人員已經成功地將陳年大蒜提取物作為單獨治療方法，並與傳統療法一起用於降低血壓。

·黃連素：在阿育吠陀和中國傳統醫藥中有使用，黃連素可能會增加一氧化氮的產生，有助於降低血壓。

·乳清蛋白：2016年的一項研究發現，乳清蛋白改善了38位參與者的血壓和血管功能。

·魚油：長期以來被認為可以改善心臟健康，魚油對高血壓患者的益處最大。

·芙蓉花：芙蓉花可製成美味的茶。它們富含花青素和多酚，對心臟有好處，並能降低血壓。

總結：研究人員已經研究了幾種天然補品降低血壓的能力。

15.多吃富含鎂的食物

鎂是幫助血管鬆弛的重要礦物質。

雖然鎂缺乏症很少見，但許多人攝入不足。

一些研究表明，鎂攝入過少與高血壓有關，但臨床研究的證據卻不那麼明確。

儘管如此，吃富含鎂的食物是預防高血壓的推薦方法。

您可以通過食用蔬菜，乳製品，豆類，雞肉，肉類和全穀類食品將鎂攝入飲食中。

總結：鎂是一種必要的礦物質，有助於調節血壓。可以在天然食物中找到它，比如豆類和全穀物。

15 natural ways to lower your blood pressure

High blood pressure is a dangerous condition that can damage your heart. It affects one in three people in the US and 1 billion people worldwide

If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure raises your risk of heart disease and stroke.

But there’s good news. There are a number of things you can do to lower your blood pressure naturally, even without medication.

Here are 15 natural ways to combat high blood pressure.

1. Walk and exercise regularly

Exercise is one of the best things you can do to lower high blood pressure.

Regular exercise helps make your heart stronger and more efficient at pumping blood, which lowers the pressure in your arteries.

In fact, 150 minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, such as running, per week, can help lower blood pressure and improve your heart health (3, 4).

What’s more, doing even more exercise than this reduces your blood pressure even further, according to the National Walkers』 Health Study (5).

Bottom line: Walking just 30 minutes a day can help lower your blood pressure. More exercise helps reduce it even further.

2. Reduce your sodium intake

Salt intake is high around the world. In large part, this is due to processed and prepared foods.

For this reason, many public health efforts are aimed at lowering salt in the food industry (6).

Many studies have linked high salt intake with high blood pressure and heart events, including stroke (7, 8).

However, more recent research indicates that the relationship between sodium and high blood pressure is less clear (9, 10).

One reason for this may be genetic differences in how people process sodium. About half of people with high blood pressure and a quarter of people with normal levels seem to have a sensitivity to salt (11).

If you already have high blood pressure, it’s worth cutting back your sodium intake to see if it makes a difference. Swap out processed foods with fresh ones and try seasoning with herbs and spices rather than salt.

Bottom line: Most guidelines for lowering blood pressure recommend reducing sodium intake. However, that recommendation might make the most sense for people who are salt-sensitive.

3. Drink less alcohol

Drinking alcohol can raise blood pressure. In fact, alcohol is linked to 16% of high blood pressure cases around the world (12).

While some research has suggested that low-to-moderate amounts of alcohol may protect the heart, those benefits may be offset by adverse effects (12).

In the U.S., moderate alcohol consumption is defined as no more than one drink a day for women and two for men. If you drink more than that, cut back.

Bottom line: Drinking alcohol in any quantity may raise your blood pressure. Limit your drinking in line with the recommendations.

4. Eat more potassium-rich foods

Potassium is an important mineral.

It helps your body get rid of sodium and eases pressure on your blood vessels.

Modern diets have increased most people’s sodium intake while decreasing potassium intake (13).

To get a better balance of potassium to sodium in your diet, focus on eating fewer processed foods and more fresh, whole foods.

Foods that are particularly high in potassium include:

· vegetables, especially leafy greens, tomatoes, potatoes, and sweet potatoes

· fruit, including melons, bananas, avocados, oranges, and apricots

· dairy, such as milk and yogurt

· tuna and salmon

· nuts and seeds

· beans

Bottom line: Eating fresh fruits and vegetables, which are rich in potassium, can help lower blood pressure.

5. Cut back on caffeine

If you』ve ever downed a cup of coffee before you』ve had your blood pressure taken, you』ll know that caffeine causes an instant boost.

However, there’s not a lot of evidence to suggest that drinking caffeine regularly can cause a lasting increase (14).

In fact, people who drink caffeinated coffee and tea tend to have a lower risk of heart disease, including high blood pressure, than those who don’t drink it (15, 16, 17, 18).

Caffeine may have a stronger effect on people who don’t consume it regularly (19).

If you suspect you’re caffeine-sensitive, cut back to see if it lowers your blood pressure (20).

Bottom line: Caffeine can cause a short-term spike in blood pressure, although for many people, it does not cause a lasting increase.

6. Learn to manage stress

Stress is a key driver of high blood pressure.

When you’re chronically stressed, your body is in a constant fight-or-flight mode. On a physical level, that means a faster heart rate and constricted blood vessels.

When you experience stress, you might also be more likely to engage in other behaviors, such as drinking alcohol or eating unhealthful food that can adversely affect blood pressure.

Several studies have explored how reducing stress can help lower blood pressure. Here are two evidence-based tips to try:

· Listen to soothing music: Calming music can help relax your nervous system. Research has shown it’s an effective complement to other blood pressure therapies (21, 22).

· Work less: Working a lot, and stressful work situations, in general, are linked to high blood pressure (23, 24).

Bottom line: Chronic stress can contribute to high blood pressure. Finding ways to manage stress can help.

7. Eat dark chocolate or cocoa

Here’s a piece of advice you can really get behind.

While eating massive amounts of dark chocolate probably won’t help your heart, small amounts may.

That’s because dark chocolate and cocoa powder are rich in flavonoids, which are plant compounds that cause blood vessels to dilate (25).

A review of studies found that flavonoid-rich cocoa improved several markers of heart health over the short term, including lowering blood pressure (25).

For the strongest effects, use non-alkalized cocoa powder, which is especially high in flavonoids and has no added sugars.

Bottom line: Dark chocolate and cocoa powder contain plant compounds that help relax blood vessels, lowering blood pressure.

8. Lose weight

In people with overweight, losing weight can make a big difference to heart health.

According to a 2016 study, losing 5% of your body mass could significantly lower high blood pressure (26).

In previous studies, losing 17.64 pounds (8 kilograms) was linked to lowering systolic blood pressure by 8.5 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 6.5 mm Hg (27).

To put that in perspective, a healthy reading should be less than 120/80 mm Hg (4).

The effect is even greater when weight loss is paired with exercise (27).

Losing weight can help your blood vessels do a better job of expanding and contracting, making it easier for the left ventricle of the heart to pump blood.

Bottom line: Losing weight can significantly lower high blood pressure. This effect is even more significant when you exercise.

9. Quit smoking

Among the many reasons to quit smoking is that the habit is a strong risk factor for heart disease.

Every puff of cigarette smoke causes a slight, temporary increase in blood pressure. The chemicals in tobacco are also known to damage blood vessels.

Surprisingly, studies haven’t found a conclusive link between smoking and high blood pressure. Perhaps this is because smokers develop a tolerance over time (28).

Still, since both smoking and high blood pressure raise the risk of heart disease, quitting smoking can help lessen that risk.

Bottom line: There’s conflicting research about smoking and high blood pressure, but what is clear is that both increase the risk of heart disease.

10. Cut added sugar and refined carbs

There’s a growing body of research showing a link between added sugar and high blood pressure (29, 30, 31).

In the Framingham Women’s Health Study, women who drank even one soda per day had higher levels than those who drank less than one soda per day (32).

Another study found that having one less sugar-sweetened beverage per day was linked to lower blood pressure (33).

And it’s not just sugar — all refined carbs, such as the kind found in white flour — convert rapidly to sugar in your bloodstream and may cause problems.

Some studies have shown that low carb diets may also help reduce blood pressure.

One study on people undergoing statin therapy found that those who went on a 6-week, carb-restricted diet saw a greater improvement in blood pressure and other heart disease markers than people who did not restrict carbs (34).

Bottom line: Refined carbs, especially sugar, may raise blood pressure. Some studies have shown that low carb diets may help reduce your levels.

11. Eat berries

Berries are full of more than just juicy flavor.

They’re also packed with polyphenols, natural plant compounds that are good for your heart.

Polyphenols can reduce the risk of stroke, heart conditions, and diabetes, as well as improving blood pressure, insulin resistance, and systemic inflammation (34).

One study assigned people with high blood pressure to a low-polyphenol diet or a high-polyphenol diet containing berries, chocolate, fruits, and vegetables (35).

Those consuming berries and polyphenol-rich foods experienced improved markers of heart disease risk.

Bottom line: Berries are rich in polyphenols, which can help lower blood pressure and the overall risk of heart disease.

12. Try meditation or deep breathing

While these two behaviors could also fall under 「stress reduction techniques,」 meditation and deep breathing deserve specific mention.

Both meditation and deep breathing may activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This system is engaged when the body relaxes, slowing the heart rate, and lowering blood pressure.

There’s quite a bit of research in this area, with studies showing that different styles of meditation appear to have benefits for lowering blood pressure (36, 37).

Deep breathing techniques can also be quite effective.

In one study, participants were asked to either take six deep breaths over the course of 30 seconds or simply sit still for 30 seconds. Those who took breaths lowered their blood pressure more than those who just sat (38).

Try guided meditation or deep breathing. Here’s a video to get you started.

Bottom line: Both meditation and deep breathing can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps slow your heart rate and lower blood pressure.

13. Eat calcium-rich foods

People with low calcium intake often have high blood pressure.

While calcium supplements haven’t been conclusively shown to lower blood pressure, calcium-rich diets do seem linked to healthful levels (39, 40).

For most adults, the calcium recommendation is 1,000 milligrams (mg) per day. For women over 50 and men over 70, it’s 1,200 mg per day (41).

In addition to dairy, you can get calcium from collard greens and other leafy greens, beans, sardines, and tofu. Here is a list of calcium-rich plant-based foods.

Bottom line: Calcium-rich diets are linked to healthy blood pressure levels. You can get calcium through eating dark leafy greens and tofu, as well as dairy.

14. Take natural supplements

Some natural supplements may also help lower blood pressure. Here are some of the main supplements that have evidence behind them:

· Aged garlic extract: Researchers have used aged garlic extract successfully as a stand-alone treatment and along with conventional therapies for lowering blood pressure (42, 43).

· Berberine: Traditionally used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, berberine may increase nitric oxide production, which helps decrease blood pressure (44, 45).

· Whey protein: A 2016 study found that whey protein improved blood pressure and blood vessel function in 38 participants (46).

· Fish oil: Long credited with improving heart health, fish oil may benefit people with high blood pressure the most (47, 48).

· Hibiscus: Hibiscus flowers make a tasty tea. They’re rich in anthocyanins and polyphenols that are good for your heart and may lower blood pressure (49).

Bottom line: Researchers have investigated several natural supplements for their ability to lower blood pressure.

15. Eat foods rich in magnesium

Magnesium is an important mineral that helps blood vessels relax.

While magnesium deficiency is pretty rare, many people don’t get enough.

Some studies have suggested that getting too little magnesium is linked with high blood pressure, but evidence from clinical studies has been less clear (50, 51).

Still, eating a magnesium-rich diet is a recommended way to ward off high blood pressure .

You can incorporate magnesium into your diet by consuming vegetables, dairy products, legumes, chicken, meat, and whole grains.

Bottom line: Magnesium is an essential mineral that helps regulate blood pressure. Find it in whole foods, such as legumes and whole grains.

Take home message

High blood pressure affects a large proportion of the world’s population.

While drugs are one way to treat the condition, there are many other natural techniques, including eating certain foods that can help.