Q. I need your advice about lowering my blood pressure. I have found online advice conflicting and confusing.
My family doctor, I’m sorry to say, is not interested in anything other than prescription drugs. While I’m sure they have their place in treatment, I want to exhaust natural remedies first.
I am a 61-year-old male in very good health. My cholesterol and triglycerides are low to normal, but my blood pressure varies greatly. It has ranged from 142/86 to as high as 170/100. I average about 20 kilometers a week on the NordicTrack. Please help me figure out how to get my blood pressure under control.
A. Blood pressure that gets up to 170/100 is a serious condition. You should be taking the medication your doctor has prescribed while you work on getting the pressure down through other means. If you continue your exercise and try some other natural approaches such as a DASH diet, you and your doctor may be able to work together to lower your reliance on medication.
Probiotics or yogurt with live cultures may be one helpful option. A meta-analysis of nine studies found that probiotics with multiple species of bacteria could lower blood pressure modestly (Hypertension, online July 21, 2014).
You will find many other natural suggestions in our Guide to Blood Pressure Treatment, from the DASH diet to minerals like magnesium and potassium or drinks such as beet, grape or pomegranate juice.
Keep up your exercise, as that is very helpful for blood pressure. Perhaps you will find that following a DASH diet with lots of vegetables, fruit and live-culture yogurt will make a difference for you. You can learn more about the diet in our book, The People’s Pharmacy Quick & Handy Home Remedies.
