To lower blood pressure, snack on potassium-rich fruits (bananas, berries, avocado), vegetables (leafy greens, carrots, celery with hummus), nuts & seeds (walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds), Greek yogurt, dark chocolate, and whole grains (oats, whole-grain crackers with nut butter) for nutrients like potassium, magnesium, fiber, and antioxidants that relax vessels and reduce sodium, says the Australian Heart Foundation.
Blood Pressure-Friendly Snacks: What to Eat When You're Craving Something Tasty
Treating high blood pressure in children starts with lifestyle changes like a heart-healthy, low-sodium diet (DASH diet), increased physical activity, and weight management, but for moderate to severe cases or if lifestyle changes aren't enough, doctors may prescribe medications like ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, or diuretics, often after consulting a pediatrician or specialist, especially for younger kids where an underlying cause is more common.
What are some of the foods I should eat?
The 60-second trick to lower blood pressure involves deep, controlled breathing, often called "square breathing," where you inhale for 4-5 seconds, hold for 4-5, and exhale for 4-5, repeating to calm your nervous system and slow heart rate, alongside other quick tactics like sipping water, splashing your face with cold water (mammalian dive reflex), or gentle movement. While these provide quick relief, remember consistent lifestyle changes are key for long-term management, and severe spikes need medical attention.
Here Are 3 Pressure Points For High Bp
Five-Minute Exercises to Help Lower Blood Pressure
Avoid or limit foods that are high in saturated fat (more than 20% of the total fat). Eating too much saturated fat is one of the major risk factors for heart disease. Food high in this type of fat include: egg yolks, hard cheeses, whole milk, cream, ice cream, butter, and fatty meats (and large portions of meats).
At the beginning, measure your blood pressure at least twice daily. Take it first in the morning before eating or taking any medicine. Take it again in the evening. Each time you measure, take two or three readings to make sure your results are the same.
For those who have hypertension, regular physical activity can bring blood pressure down to safer levels. Some examples of aerobic exercise that can help lower blood pressure include walking, jogging, cycling, swimming and dancing. Another helpful type of exercise is high-intensity interval training.
The percentage of people in the United States with high blood pressure creeps up with each decade of life. Among women ages 20 to 34, 13% have hypertension; nearly 86% have the condition by their mid-70s. Men see a similar trajectory over that same time, increasing from about 26% to 80%.
The less you sleep, the higher your blood pressure may go. People who sleep six hours or less may have steeper increases in blood pressure. If you already have high blood pressure, not sleeping well may make your blood pressure worse.
If you have primary hypertension, you'll need to manage it for the rest of your life. Your healthcare provider will help you do this. Secondary hypertension can often be reversed by treating or removing the underlying cause.
Salty snacks such as crisps and crackers are not the best idea if you're looking to lower your blood pressure. Not only do snacks such as these contain high amounts of sodium and fat, but they're also very moreish, meaning it's difficult to stop eating them once you start.
On the go
Follow these 10 tips to lower your blood pressure or maintain a healthy reading:
Stretch out your arm, palm upward. Place the cuff on your bare upper arm one inch above the bend of your elbow. Make sure the tubing falls over the front center of your arm so that the sensor is correctly placed. Pull the end of the cuff so that it's evenly tight around your arm.
The high reliability of morning BP measurement may lead to a more accurate assessment of stroke risks. Therefore, we emphasize that the management of hypertension should be based on morning BP levels in routine clinical practice.
Don't measure your blood pressure within half an hour of eating, smoking, drinking caffeinated drinks such as coffee, or exercising. These can all raise your blood pressure temporarily. If you need to use the toilet, go before you measure your blood pressure.
Lifestyle habits can increase the risk of high blood pressure, including if you:
Drinking water instead of other beverages can help lower blood pressure levels. Drinking a glass of water 45 minutes before the exam can also help flush your system, prepare your urine sample, and lower sodium levels. Smoking and caffeine consumption can raise blood pressure levels.
The European Society of Cardiology²¹ recommends that people lay down and take naps during midday to help lower their pressure levels. Additionally, the American College of Cardiology claims that the average systolic blood pressure drops by about 3 mm Hg²² for each hour one lays down for a nap.
Common causes of high blood pressure spikes
Caffeine. Certain medications (such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) or combinations of medications. Chronic kidney disease. Cocaine use.
It can take one to three months of regular exercise to see your blood pressure start to go down. If you change your diet (for instance, eat less sodium and try the DASH diet), you might see your numbers drop in a couple of weeks. Taking medication will help you lower your blood pressure in about four to six weeks.