“How can I control my blood pressure apart from medication?”
My blood pressure isn't being controlled, even when I'm taking medication for it. Is there anything else that I can do to control it?
4 Answers
If you have Internet access there’s something called the “dash”diet which is “dietary approaches to stopping”hypertension in addition to good sleep and if there’s any suspicion of sleep apnea that needs to be diagnosed and treated. Weight loss is helpful and do not smoke tobacco or consume more than 1 caffeinated beverage per day.
When blood pressure is uncontrollable with 3 different types of medications, there is usually an underlying cause and needs further testing by doctors.
Yes, it’s possible with lifestyle modification, but it depends on how high the blood pressure is.
I am actually an advocate for folk trying to control chronic conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes with lifestyle changes alone. In your case, several factors can contribute to high blood pressure. Dietary choices (such as salt, processed food, canned food), smoking, alcohol intake, day to day stress level, and weight are some of the main influencing factors that can be changed. And out of all of these, weight loss was proven to have a largest impact on blood pressure control! A mere 10 pounds can make an unbelievable difference in blood pressure. I always advise my patients to start with small targets that can be attained, and go from there. Exercise is also important - aerobic exercise is advisable as is yoga, tai chi which are very important for day to day stress control and core body strengthening.
