Keeping blood pressure under control is a basic step in preventing cardiovascular complications. But the pros and cons of the best ways to lower blood pressure remain controversial. Are certain medications preferable? What about natural approaches to getting blood pressure down? The answer may depend to some extent on the individual.
Trouble with Medicines That Lower Blood Pressure:
Q. My husband has taken just about every kind of blood pressure medicine there is. The ACE inhibitor caused a horrible cough. The alpha blocker took away his energy and made him depressed. The calcium antagonist made his legs swell up.
While taking an ARB and a beta blocker, he collapsed on the way to the bathroom. It took months for him to recover. After that he changed his diet, lost 60 pounds and without the medicine he can walk three miles a day. That has brought his blood pressure down, but he still cannot get it to where his doctor wants it. What else can we do?
Natural Approaches to Lower Blood Pressure:
A. If medications interfere with your husband’s ability to exercise, they would be counterproductive. Exercise and weight loss are key to controlling blood pressure. He should be congratulated on making those part of his regimen.
Flavanols for Flexible Blood Vessels:
Other non-drug approaches include getting plenty of flavanol-rich foods such as beets, blueberries or dark chocolate in the diet. They all make blood vessels more flexible. Getting minerals such as potassium and magnesium from these and other vegetables and fruits in the diet can also make a measurable difference (British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, online Feb. 6, 2016).
You’ll find more details on the DASH diet (full of fruits and vegetables), slow breathing and other natural ways to lower blood pressure in the Guide to Blood Pressure Treatment we are sending you. Meditation allows a person to focus on deep breathing without overdoing it. This too can be helpful in reducing blood pressure (Journal of the American Society of Hypertension, Jan., 2015). We hope that adding these to your husband’s daily routine will help him achieve lower blood pressure without the side effects that medications can cause.
