Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally

Lowering your blood pressure below current guidelines may save your life. Maintaining a systolic blood pressure of 120 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg)—instead of the current guidelines for 140 mm Hg—could reduce risk of heart attack and cardiovascular death, according to study results released today from the National Institutes of Health’s Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT). It’s what the Physicians Committee already recommends in our Eight Ways to Naturally Lower Blood Pressure report.

In the NIH study of people 50 years or older, blood pressure medication was used to achieve a target systolic pressure of 120 mm Hg. That reduced rates of cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and heart failure, as well as stroke, by almost a third and the risk of death by almost a quarter, as compared to the target systolic pressure of 140 mm Hg.

Of course, you’ll want to talk to your physician about the best way to reach your ideal blood pressure. But remember that medications aren’t the only route to lower blood pressure. You can start lowering your blood pressure today with these Eight Ways to Naturally Lower Blood Pressure. Then make sure to share the tips with your doctor at your next visit.