Heartfelt greetings to all health enthusiasts. Blood pressure (BP) is affecting people of all ages, from the young to the elderly. It is well-known that once BP starts, one has to take medicines for a lifetime. Many people wish to reduce BP naturally without relying on medicines. If you are taking BP medicines, do not suddenly stop them. While continuing your medicines, start adopting the dietary rules and good habits we are about to discuss. Periodically check your BP with a doctor’s advice, and as BP reduces, gradually lower the medicine dosage with the doctor’s guidance, eventually trying to stop it if possible.
Key Factors for Reducing BP
To significantly reduce BP or stay healthy and prevent it, you need to make changes in three key areas to achieve excellent results.
1. Reducing Salt Intake
The first and most important factor is salt in your diet, which is a major cause of BP. We consume excessive salt for taste, ranging from 10 grams to half a gram daily. This salt enters the body, accumulates on the walls of blood vessels, causing them to narrow. Healthy blood vessels stretch and contract, but in people with BP, they contract more and stretch less due to salt buildup. This narrows the pathway for blood flow, forcing the heart to pump harder, which raises BP. The lower reading (diastolic) also increases due to reduced relaxation. To lower both the upper (systolic) and lower readings, the heart needs relaxation.
Dietary Tip for Salt Reduction
Here’s a good suggestion: If you eat cooked food four times a day, it’s difficult to eat without salt. Consuming salt four times a day adds up significantly. Instead, limit cooked food to once a day, preferably at lunch. Cook vegetables without salt, and if needed, sprinkle a limited amount of salt just before eating. The less salt, the better. Try this method. We’ve shown salt-free recipes on our channel’s Manthina’s Kitchen program. Regularly cook and eat salt-free meals for lunch, such as leafy greens or a vegetable curry. This immediately smoothens blood vessels, showing quick results. If you can’t eliminate salt completely, sprinkle it sparingly to reduce risk.
High-Potassium Diet
For those with high BP that’s hard to control, follow this diet schedule for 15 days. A high-potassium diet helps control BP quickly and expels sodium from the blood. For breakfast, include three to four varieties of fruits like papaya, guava, orange, or banana. In the evening, have fruits like watermelon, muskmelon, or apples. Eating fruits twice a day ensures no added salt, providing a natural diet. After 15 days, add sprouts to your breakfast for natural strength, energy, and nutrients, as fruits alone may not suffice.
Evening Meal
For dinner, have fruits before 7 PM instead of a heavy meal. A fruit meal is the healthiest option and can be continued long-term to prevent or control BP. By avoiding cooked food at night, salt intake automatically reduces, and with two meals of high-potassium natural diet (fruits), blood vessels become smooth, and vitamins and minerals are supplied, making it an alkaline diet beneficial for blood vessels.
2. Exercise
The second factor is exercise. Try doing various exercises for an hour each morning, focusing on movements that increase air intake. Perform exercises involving arms and legs with deep breathing, like aerobic exercises or pranayama. This increases oxygen flow, improving energy levels and blood circulation. Exercise dilates blood vessels, delivering nutrients to every cell. Sweating during exercise removes salt through sweat and urine, naturally dilating blood vessels. Additionally, walk for an hour after dinner to enhance blood circulation and dilate blood vessels, countering the narrowing caused by salt.
3. Managing Mental Stress
The third factor is mental stress, which can prevent BP control. Positive thinking and meditation help reduce stress. Stress releases harmful hormones, causing blood vessel muscles to contract, increasing BP. Free-flowing blood vessels maintain normal BP, while stress-induced contraction raises it. Since the mind greatly affects the body, focusing on stress reduction is crucial.
Conclusion
By applying these three techniques—reducing salt, exercising, and managing stress—BP can be effectively controlled. Gradually reduce medicines under a doctor’s advice, and if BP remains normal, you may stop them safely. Adopting good habits is the best medicine for protecting health. Food is medicine, and good habits ensure good health. I urge you not to abandon these habits. Greetings to all.
