High blood pressure is sometimes called a “silent killer” because it usually has no warning signs, yet it can lead to life-threatening conditions like heart attack or stroke. The high force of blood flow can damage your blood vessels, making them weak, stiff, or narrower. Over time, hypertension can harm several important organs, including your heart, kidneys, brain, and eyes. Getting systolic blood pressure under 120 reduces the risk of heart attack or stroke by 25% and lowers the risk of death from all causes by 27%.
Since optimizing blood pressure is so important, it often requires a combination approach:
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Limit salt, sugar, processed carbohydrates, and saturated fats.
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Increase fiber (ideally 30 grams per day), healthy plant-based fats, and vegetable intake.
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Get moving. Increasing physical activity and losing weight will also help substantially.
Studies show that supplements like grape seed extract, aged garlic, magnesium, potassium, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and nitric oxide precursors (like arginine) can also lower blood pressure. Different supplements work better for different individuals, so feel free to try different things and monitor how they affect your blood pressure.
Blood pressure changes throughout the day depending on stress level, diet, activity level, salt intake, fluid intake, and other factors. Take your blood pressure frequently throughout the week so you have a clear sense of whether it is trending up or down.
Check out the link below for my favorite blood pressure supplements to consider:
https://us.fullscript.com/plans/igoldberg-blood-pressure-support
