Reduce high blood pressure? Take a nap at lunchtime!

We notice an upset stomach immediately. Increased blood pressure is usually not. It becomes critical when the values repeatedly rise to over 139/89 mmHg (optimum value: 120/80 mmHg). Then the blood vessels suffer and the risk of arteriosclerosis increases - and therefore of a heart attack. Now is the time to act. And gentle measures can help to reduce high blood pressure.

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How to lower your blood pressure

How to gently reduce high blood pressure:

1 midday nap

Unfortunately, very few people have time for a siesta these days, which is a shame. Greek doctors have now discovered that high blood pressure patients who take a 60-minute nap see their blood pressure drop by an average of 6 mmHg. This reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by over ten percent.

2 Beetroot

Vegetables such as beet, white cabbage and fennel not only provide the body with vital nutrients. They also contain nitrates. The body later converts these salts into nitrites. And these dilate the blood vessels. This in turn helps to lower blood pressure. As part of a study, participants drank 250 ml of beet juice every day for a month. This reduced the blood pressure of some participants by up to 12 mmHg.

3 Hibiscus

When we think of fruit tea, we quickly think of wild berries or rose hips and less often of the slightly tart hibiscus tea. We should change that! Because it can also help to lower high blood pressure. This was discovered by US researchers in a study. If test subjects drank three cups a day for six weeks, their blood pressure improved by an average of 13 mmHg. This is probably due to the plant pigments. In everyday life, however, it is easier to enjoy one or two cups three times a week.

4 Exercise

Endurance sports such as walking can help prevent high blood pressure, especially at the beginning of the disease. The blood vessels remain more elastic and the values are reduced by up to 10 mmHg. In the best case scenario, you can even do without antihypertensives. Ideal: exercise three to five times a week. At least 30 minutes each time.

5 Arginine

Nitric oxide is produced in the body with the help of the protein building block arginine. This gas dilates the blood vessels, keeps them healthy and can lower high blood pressure. We can obtain arginine from nuts, pulses or meat. If this is not possible, there is still the option of taking high-quality arginine from the pharmacy.