Is high blood pressure getting to you?
You’re not alone. In the United States, high blood pressure — is one of the most common health conditions, affecting nearly 50 percent of all Americans. Dubbed the “silent killer,” high blood pressure can damage the heart, blood vessels, and kidneys, ultimately leading to heart issues — the number one cause of death worldwide.
Although high blood pressure typically doesn’t cause symptoms, its devastating health effects should not be taken lightly. The health condition is the primary cause of more than 1,300 deaths every day in the U.S. To put that into perspective for you, that translates to someone dying almost every single minute.
We don’t mean to scare you, but many people don’t understand the severity of high blood pressure. If it's left untreated, it can lead to serious health complications and significantly impact your quality of life.
As frightening as high blood pressure is, almost all the deaths, illnesses, and disabilities caused by it are preventable. Yup, it’s true — if you can get your high blood pressure under control, it will help keep your heart healthy. And when your heart is healthy, your risk of heart issues drops significantly. And when you’re not at risk for life-threatening health complications, you can go on living your life to the fullest.
In this post, we’re exploring hypertension to uncover the best supplements on the market to help support a healthy and happy heart. Here are the best supplements to lower blood pressure.
But First, What Exactly Is Blood Pressure?
In a nutshell, blood pressure is the force of blood as it flows through the arteries in your body. Arteries are tube-shaped blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. Every single time your heart beats, it pushes blood through the arteries.
You can think of your arteries as a rubber band. When your heart beats, the blood squeezes through these arteries. They stretch out and snap back, just like an elastic rubber band. That snapback motion is what keeps your blood propelling throughout your body until it reaches all of your organs. And as the blood flows, it puts pressure on your artery walls — this is called blood pressure.
High blood pressure can occur when plaque builds up in the arteries, causing your heart to work harder to pump blood as it tries to squeeze blood through narrowed tubes forcefully. The more plaque in the arteries, the more narrow the blood vessels become, resulting in more pressure — aka, a higher blood pressure.
When you get your blood pressure checked, the healthcare provider rattles off two numbers:
- Systolic Pressure - The top number is your systolic blood pressure, which represents the pressure against the artery walls as your heart contracts to pump out blood. This is when blood pressure is at its highest.
- Diastolic Pressure - The bottom number is your diastolic blood pressure, which occurs between heartbeats while your heart is resting to prepare for the next pump. That’s your blood pressure at its lowest.
OK — What is considered high blood pressure?
Good question! A normal blood pressure reading is below 120 (systolic) over 80 (diastolic) for the average healthy adult.
What Causes High Blood Pressure?
Trying to get your blood pressure under control? The first step is to figure out what’s causing your hypertension in the first place!
For most people, there are many factors that work in tandem to spike levels into unsafe territory, but everyone is different. Things like gender, age, genetics, and prescription medications can also play a role. So, what are some of the most common causes of high blood pressure, you ask? Here are a few of them:
Poor Diet and Lack of Exercise
If you lead a pretty sedentary lifestyle, it can mess with just about every aspect of your health — and your heart health is no exception! Those who are sedentary tend to be overweight, and weight happens to be one of the leading causes of hypertension.
You see, when you’re overweight, your ticker has to work harder to pump blood throughout your body. All of that extra effort can strain your arteries, which can cause your blood pressure to rise.
Additionally, exercise helps strengthen the heart by making the blood vessels a little more flexible for blood to flow more easily.
Reach for healthy, nutrient-dense whole foods like bananas, spinach, salmon, apricots, potatoes, and avocados, and try getting in around 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week to keep your blood flowing and heart happy.
Some other foods you can incorporate into your diet include garlic, vegetables, yogurt, beans, brown rice, and foods rich in folate, vitamin c, calcium, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids. Consider a multi-vitamin, fish oil supplements, and magnesium supplements for an extra nutritional boost.
Smoking and Too Much Alcohol
Drinking copious amounts of alcohol will put stress on the heart and arteries, ultimately resulting in damage. The same goes for the nicotine in tobacco — it’s known to raise blood pressure.
Moreover, breathing in carbon monoxide, which is produced from smoking tobacco, reduces the amount of oxygen that the blood can carry. Smoking is not good for your blood pressure (or your health)!
Stress
When you’re under a whole lot of stress, the brain sends signals to release different hormones, like cortisol, that can increase blood pressure. To this day, there’s no proof that stress by itself causes long-term high blood pressure as it’s still being researched, but the best advice to those struggling with hypertension: try to relax.
Supplements For Healthy Blood Pressure
Maintaining healthy blood pressure can be tough, but these supplements may help to make it easier. Here are the best supplements to lower blood pressure:
Probiotics
According to the experts over at the American Heart Association, taking a probiotic may substantially improve your blood pressure. Possible explanations for the unbelievable effect include probiotics’ powerful ability to lower cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar levels.
While there are many supplements on the market, we recommend our Phyto Fuel. Why? Because it’s a triple threat containing superfoods, dietary fiber, and probiotics — everything you need to keep your heart and gut in tip-top shape!
Collagen
Collagen provides structure to the arteries, which can help to keep blood flowing with ease. Many studies have shown that taking collagen supplements — like our Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptide Powder — can reduce artery stiffness and increase “good” HDL cholesterol levels in the body. This means it may help to keep your cardiovascular system healthy.
Protein
Everyone knows the importance of protein, a macronutrient essential to building strong muscles — but did you know a diet rich in protein may help to reduce your risk for developing high blood pressure?
Do you struggle to eat the recommended amount of protein each day? Try our delicious Phyto Protein Powder! Sugar-free, low-carb, fat-free, and made with absolutely no fillers or sweeteners, here at BioHealth, we strive for excellence and provide clean supplements that are second to none.
A Final Word
Having high blood pressure can be scary — but don’t worry, with great supplements and a few lifestyle changes, you can keep hypertension at bay!
Here at BioHealth, we are the pioneers of the Grass Fed/Pasture-Fed movement and take pride in creating some of the cleanest supplements on the planet and having some of the most advanced (and delicious!) flavors in the industry.
Our products are made with you in mind, designed to support you on your wellness journey as you strive for good health. Whether you’re looking for something to help enhance your cognitive function, boost your performance, or lower your blood pressure, you can count on us to have the cleanest products that are not only undeniably effective but taste absolutely amazing, too!
With Bio Health, your choice is always simple, your nutrition is at the forefront, and your body is better than it was yesterday. Check us out today and see just how good nutrition can be.
Sources:
Facts About Hypertension | cdc.gov
Your Guide to Lowering Blood Pressure | NCBI
Stress and hypertension | PubMed
Eating probiotics regularly may improve your blood pressure | HEART
Effect of Collagen Tripeptide on Atherosclerosis in Healthy Humans | NCBI