How Can I Lower My Blood Pressure Immediately, Naturally? Chart

Lowering Blood Pressure Immediately

There is very little you can do outside of medical intervention to lower your blood pressure immediately. If you are concerned you may be experiencing a high blood pressure emergency, call your doctor right away. As you wait for help to arrive, lie flat and remain as calm as possible. 

Lose Weight

Being overweight or obese puts added pressure on your arteries, and this can lead to high blood pressure over time. The American Heart Association recommends, "eating well and moving often" for people who want to lose weight.

Exercise Everyday

Regular exercise strengthens your heart and helps prevent high blood pressure. Most healthy people need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise to maintain their health. You can break those minutes up however you like. If you have been inactive for a long time, avoid injury by starting back slowly with mild exercises such as walking.

Lower Sodium Consumption

Too much sodium in the diet has been tied to high blood pressure. In places where people eat less sodium, the people tend to have much less trouble with high blood pressure. Most Americans eat far more salt than recommended, and most of it comes from highly processed foods. Lowering your salt consumption can start lowering your blood pressure in weeks. 

Eat Healthy

Some foods are just good for your heart. And then there are foods that aren't. The more often you choose quality, healthy foods to eat, the more protection you give your heart. Here are some foods to add more of to improve your heart health:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Low-fat dairy
• Lean beef
• Skinless poultry
• Fish
• Nuts
• Vegetable oils that are low in saturated fat

Here are some foods to avoid for a healthy heart:

• Sugary sweets
• Sodium (salt)
• Fatty red meat
• Saturated fats and trans fats. 
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  Increase Potassium Consumption

  Potassium seems to counteract the harm that sodium causes to your blood vessels. People who regularly eat foods high in potassium tend to have lower blood pressure. Some of the most potassium-rich foods include:

  • Beans
  • Cow's milk (both fat-free and whole)
  • Baked potato
  • Fresh tomatoes
  • Bananas
  • Spinach
  • Clams. 
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    Avoid Heavy Alcohol Drinking

    Drinking too much alcohol has been associated with high blood pressure. Heavy drinking also contributes to stroke. The CDC recommends that men drink two or fewer drinks per day. Women are recommended to drink one or fewer alcoholic beverages per day. 

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    Quit Smoking

    Smoking constricts the arteries, and that raises blood pressure for a few minutes. Smoking all day can contribute to higher blood pressure all day long. High blood pressure kills nearly half a million Americans every year. If you smoke, remember that millions of people have succeeded in quitting.   

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    Reduce and Avoid Chronic Stress

    Some stress in life is unavoidable. But if you feel stressed out and tense for much or all of the day, your habits might be affected. People with chronic stress are in danger of unhealthy coping habits like overeating. It can also be difficult to sleep if you are frequently or constantly stressed. All of these things can raise your blood pressure.

    To keep your stress in check, make time for healthy activities. Spend some time every day in an activity that relaxes you, such as:

    • Gardening
    • Walking
    • Painting
    • Meditating
    • Talking to friends and family
    • Visiting a therapist. 
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      Monitor Blood Pressure Regularly

      Know you have high blood pressure? Check it frequently. Doctors recommend daily checks with a home blood pressure monitor. Check three times, and record each result. Be particularly careful to check your blood pressure:

      • Every day for a week before a doctor's visit
      • For two weeks after starting or changing medication.