Sometimes, having high blood pressure can't be avoided. Maybe you ate a little too much of something or were overly stressed at work. Now, you suddenly feel a headache coming and having a hard time breathing. These may be signs of high blood pressure.

High blood pressure may come and go. But is it something concerning? 

It is. High blood pressure (or otherwise known as hypertension) is dangerous because it may lead to severe heart conditions such as heart disease and stroke, if left unmanaged. Around 1 billion people around the world are experiencing high blood pressure.

It may seem like not such a big deal at the beginning but let's not wait for it to turn into one. 

Fortunately, there are various ways we can lower blood pressure fast through natural means. Taking medications and undergoing checkups are important, but with the recent circumstances, it would be best to try handling it at home ourselves while we still can.

Read on to find out about the ways to lower blood pressure naturally. 

What are the symptoms of high blood pressure? 

When it comes to medical conditions and diseases, it's important to notice the signs. We might be so busy with our work and families that we can overlook our own health. Hypertension is considered to be a type of "silent condition" because not everybody will easily point out or experience its symptoms. 

We must know and understand every possible symptom so we can do what it takes to reduce the risk of high blood pressure developing into something else. Check them out below: 

• headaches
• dizziness
• flushing
• shortness of breath
• chest pain
• nosebleeds 
• blood in the urine
• changes in vision 

Keep in mind that these are symptoms of a more severe type of hypertension and require immediate medical attention. Not everybody who has high blood pressure experiences these. However, these symptoms may lead to a condition that could be fatal.

Other than watching out for the signs, the best thing we can do to determine whether or not we have hypertension is by conducting a regular blood pressure reading. Always keep your numbers checked. 130/80 mmHg is already considered high. This way, we know if our blood pressure is higher (or even lower) than normal. 

How to lower blood pressure naturally and quickly 

We know how medications and physical check-ups can be quite expensive. Not everybody has the budget or the time for these things, no matter how much we need it. If your hypertension symptoms are not that severe and if you're just trying to maintain a good blood pressure reading for your future health's sake, there are plenty of natural methods that you can use to lower your blood pressure. 

Natural remedies have been used for so long for medicinal purposes. Also, other factors such as lifestyle changes affect how we maintain a positive health record. If you want to know how to lower high blood pressure quickly, you can just read and follow the tips below: 

1. Exercise regularly

Seriously, this again? We know that being told over and over to get up and get moving can get tiring, but it's true. Being physically active not only keeps us fit but also leaves a significantly positive impact on our overall health. Lowering blood pressure is not exempted from this rule. 

According to this study, engaging in regular exercise even as simple as walking can effectively lower blood pressure just as much as BP drugs do. Exercising also means strengthening your heart so that it doesn't have to exert too much effort in pumping blood. Doctors recommend doing cardio exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days. 

Try: Continuously challenge your body by increasing speed, distance, and even adding some weights. If these don't get your heart all buff and strong, we don't know what will. 

2. Lose weight 

Concerning the point above, weight loss is just as important as exercise. In fact, you can do both simultaneously. A 2016 study declared that if you want to lower high blood pressure, you must lose at least 5% of your body mass. Losing weight will also help your blood vessels perform better in expanding and contracting so that your heart's left ventricle can pump more blood. 

So if you are looking for ways on how to lower blood pressure, you better start checking on your body mass index and fight out if you're overweight. Shedding some pounds will reduce your risk of hypertension, heart disease, and stroke and it will also keep you fit! 

Note: Try engaging in exercises and physical activities that will help you burn more calories. Activities like running, jogging, Crossfit, aerobics, yoga, and many others are ideal for weight loss. 

3. Avoid stress and let yourself relax

You don't have to be some sort of hippie to become the most chillax person in the world. We know stress is inevitable, especially at work. But getting too stressed may be a factor contributing to high blood pressure. Stress isn't just a spur of the moment thing anymore, it's actually something that will negatively affect your health. 

Try to reduce stress by practicing a more positive and patient attitude. You can start doing this by engaging in activities or practices that involve meditation and breathing exercises just like yoga. By practicing yoga, you will be able to keep your stress hormones in check and even find inner peace. It's a total life-changer! 

Note: Try taking gentle and peaceful yoga classes like hatha yoga where you can calmly execute yoga poses accompanied by deep breathing to lower blood pressure.

4. Maintain a healthy diet (DASH diet) 

Avoiding the temptation to eat the food you like might be one of the most difficult things to do. However, lots of foods contain too much salt, fats, and carbs that even though they taste delicious, you might not be looking towards a healthy future. But who says you have to starve yourself? All you need to do to lower blood pressure is to go on a diet by consuming foods and drinks that are healthy for you. 

Note: The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) is considered to be the best diet to lower blood pressure because it was specifically formulated to reduce hypertension without the need for medications. It highlights the importance of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and low-fat dairy. Research states that the DASH diet can help lower high blood pressure in just a matter of 4 weeks (it's also good for weight loss too!). 

5. Drink alcohol moderately 

If you're wondering how to lower your blood pressure naturally, maybe drinking some booze will help. (Yep, you read it right.) There's a fine line between the good and bad sides of alcohol, and that fine line is defined by how much you consume it. Drinking too much of it might cause you to have high blood pressure, but not drinking it at all increases your chances of developing the opposite. That's why it would be best to engage in only light-to-moderate drinking.

Note: The CDC recommends light-to-moderate drinking in the form of 2 drinks or less in a day for males while 1 drink or less in a day for females. Remember, to control high blood pressure you must learn to control your drinking habits. 

6. Reduce caffeine intake 

Almost everybody drinks coffee. Who wouldn't want to drink that deliciously bittersweet cup of joe especially during the mornings when your day is just about to start? A lot of us drink coffee because it's the easiest (and probably the tastiest) boost of energy that we need. That's made possible because of the existence of caffeine. However, too much caffeine intake can also boost harmful effects on our physical and mental health. 

In fact, this meta-analysis of 34 studies found that at least two cups of coffee contain just enough caffeine to increase both systolic and diastolic blood pressure for up to 3 hours. It tightens our blood vessels, increases stress, and causes our heart to pump up more blood leading to high blood pressure. 

Note: Another best way to lower blood pressure is by reducing your caffeine consumption. Try to indulge in caffeine-free drinks or, if you really cannot let go of coffee, you may opt for decaffeinated versions of it. 

7. Drink more tea 

Yes, tea already has a reputation for being one of the healthiest beverages in the world but just like coffee, it also has caffeine. But not all of them do! Some of them are caffeine-free and can help lower blood pressure naturally. Tea contains plenty of antioxidants and compounds like polyphenols, catechins, and phytochemicals (which are commonly present among fruits and veggies) that may be the reasons why drinking it can help control high blood pressure. 

Note: According to this study, adults living with mildly high blood pressure who drank 3 cups of hibiscus tea every day were able to lower their systolic blood pressures by 7 points within 6 weeks. It's also said that sipping green tea can help lower high blood pressure. 

8. Work less

We understand that you have got to hustle and bustle, especially if you have a family to support. However, working too much may also increase your risk for hypertension. A study involving more than 24,000 California residents revealed that spending more than 40 hours in the office per week raises your chances of having high blood pressure by 17%. 

Note: If you want to know how to lower blood pressure naturally, working less is one of the things you can do. Being a workaholic keeps you away from your loved ones and other activities that you deserve to experience and enjoy. Life is too short to dedicate your time to your work desk or a huge stack of reports. (It's also one of the main sources of stress, another hypertension cause). 

9. Take natural supplements 

We can also rely on natural supplements to lower blood pressure. These are supplements that were made from natural ingredients that we can take daily to control high blood pressure. Of course, this should also be done along with regular exercise and a healthy diet. You can't entirely depend on the effects of supplements alone, especially if you want to lower your blood pressure naturally and quickly (they're not magic beans, unfortunately).

If you are unsure of what supplements to take, you may consult your primary doctor first. 

Note: Samples of natural supplements that might help lower high blood pressure are fish oil, berberine, aged garlic extract, and whey protein. 

Maintain naturally low blood pressure by preparing and drinking your own Hibiscus tea! 

Here at Life of Cha, we aim to help our customers maintain a healthy and active lifestyle through our tea selections. If you want to know how to control high blood pressure or lower it, our best recommendation would be to drink Hydrate, our special Organic Hibiscus tea. 

Our tea's unique taste will remind you of the delicious cranberry flavor. Drinking it regularly might help you keep your blood pressure in check and offers other benefits such as lowering blood sugar and cholesterol levels, but it will heighten the level of your quality of life.