18 High Blood Pressure Triggers to Avoid & Natural Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure
High blood pressure poses a serious threat to your health. Referred to as a “silent killer,“ most people don’t notice their blood pressure is up until it’s an emergency. Abdul Abdulbaki, MD, UnityPoint Health identifies 18 common factors that elevate blood pressure, from dietary habits and lifestyle choices to underlying health conditions. He shares natural ways to manage your pressure, too, empowering you to take charge of your heart health.
What is High Blood Pressure?
Your blood pressure reading has two numbers: systolic and diastolic. Systolic is the higher number, showing the pressure when your heart beats. Diastolic is the lower number, showing the pressure when your heart rests between beats. A normal reading is 120 over 80, meaning a systolic of 120 and a diastolic of 80. There are several stages of high blood pressure, including:
- Elevated blood pressure (prehypertension) is when systolic is between 120-129 and diastolic is below 80.
- Stage 1 hypertension is systolic 130-139 and diastolic 80-89.
- Stage 2 hypertension is systolic 140 or higher and diastolic 90 or higher.
Why is High Blood Pressure the "Silent Killer"?
Prolonged high blood pressure (hypertension) is concerning, because it greatly increases your risk of serious health complications, such as:
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Kidney damage
- Stroke
“While less common, it can also be a sign of underlying conditions, like kidney or adrenal gland tumors or disorders like fibromuscular dysplasia (a rare condition affecting the arteries),” Dr. Abdulbaki says.
When blood pressure is high, Dr. Abdulbaki recommends multiple measurements during a single visit, usually two or three readings taken a minute or two apart. A few checks, along with sitting with your legs uncrossed, resting your arm at heart level and not having smoked or consumed alcohol or caffeine beforehand produces the most accurate results.
Symptoms of High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure symptoms aren’t usually present until your systolic number reaches more than 160 or 190. At these levels, high blood pressure feels like:
“Given it’s an asymptomatic disease (no symptoms), we don’t wait for symptoms to diagnose and treat high blood pressure,” Dr. Abdulbaki says.
18 Causes of High Blood Pressure
The two most common risk factors for high blood pressure are age and genetics, as it runs in families. However, there are many things that can raise your blood pressure. From diet, stress, lack of sleep, underlying health conditions and other lifestyle choices — here’s a rundown of likely culprits.
- Alcohol: Excessive alcohol consumption causes high blood pressure.
- Anemia: Reduced oxygen in the blood causes high blood pressure.
- Anxiety: Triggers stress hormones that spike your heart rate and blood pressure.
- Caffeine: Causes a temporary blood pressure spike, but tolerance develops with regular use.
- Dehydration: Thickens the blood and signals your kidneys to conserve fluids, which causes high blood pressure.
- Diabetes: Damages blood vessels and kidneys, raising your blood pressure.
- High cholesterol: Prolonged, elevated cholesterol contributes to heart disease and high blood pressure.
- Hypothyroidism: Slows blood flow and causes fluid retention, which raises blood pressure.
- Infection: Respiratory infections, like COVID or influenza, temporarily cause high blood pressure.
- Lack of exercise: Contributes to weight gain and other factors that raise blood pressure.
- Nicotine: Causes a rapid spike in blood pressure.
- Obesity: Waistlines more than 40 inches for men and 34 inches for women majorly increase the risk of high blood pressure. However, it can be reversed with weight loss.
- Poor sleep: Disrupted sleep causes hormonal imbalances that raise blood pressure.
- Pain: Triggers stress hormones that cause high blood pressure.
- Sleep apnea: Sleep disruption triggers the release of stress hormones, raising blood pressure.
- Sodium: High sodium intake, especially from overly processed foods, is a big contributor to high blood pressure.
- Stress: Triggers the release of stress hormones, increasing heart rate and blood pressure.
- Sugar: Contributes to weight gain and insulin resistance, which raise blood pressure.
How to Lower Blood Pressure Naturally
If your doctor prescribes blood pressure medication, it's important to take it as directed. However, combining your medication with natural approaches like regular exercise, maintaining a balanced diet with specific nutrients and managing stress all contribute to lower blood pressure.
How Exercise and Weight Loss Lower Blood Pressure
Adults should aim for around 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
Dr. Abdulbaki says, “Consistent exercise can lower your blood pressure about 5-8 mmHG.”
Activities like biking, swimming and brisk walking are all great options for lowering blood pressure. Dr. Abdulbaki suggests anywhere between 8,200 and 11,200 steps per day. In addition to moving your body regularly, weight loss is beneficial for lowering your blood pressure.
“Losing even a small amount of weight, around 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram), leads to a drop in blood pressure, typically by 1 mmHg,” Dr. Abdulbaki says.
If you’re considering fasting to lower your blood pressure, Dr. Abdulbaki says there’s inconsistent evidence to support whether it works. Nourishing food and exercise are your best bets.
What Foods Lower Blood Pressure?
A diet full of fruits, vegetables and lean proteins is an excellent way to lower your blood pressure naturally. Potassium-rich food, specifically, can help you take some points off your blood pressure reading. Some foods high in potassium include bananas, avocados, beans, cashews, salmon, broccoli, potatoes and leafy greens.
Dr. Abdulbaki says, “While increasing potassium intake, typically around 3.5 to 5 grams per day, helps lower blood pressure by a few points, it's important not to overdo it. Excessive potassium intake causes electrolyte imbalances and serious heart problems. Regular monitoring by your doctor is essential, especially for people with kidney disease.”
In addition to eating the recommended amount of potassium, try sprinkling these foods, herbs and spices into your diet:
- Cinnamon: Eating 1-2 grams a day may lower blood pressure.
- Garlic supplements: Can help reduce blood pressure.
- Ginger: Contains properties that relax blood vessels and block the flow of calcium into cells, both of which lower blood pressure. Aim for three grams a day over eight weeks.
- Grapefruit: May lower blood pressure due to its potassium and flavonoid content.
What Drinks Lower Blood Pressure?
While it’s good to hydrate, water has no immediate effect on lowering blood pressure. However, Dr. Abdulbaki still recommends drinking water daily. That’s 125 ounces for men and 91 ounces for women. Adequate water intake helps maintain proper blood volume, which is essential for healthy blood circulation. Staying properly hydrated is good for your kidneys, too, which play a vital role in regulating blood pressure by filtering waste products and excess fluids from the body.
If you’re craving something hot, green tea lowers blood pressure due to its powerful antioxidants. Additionally, drinking eight ounces of beet juice daily can lower blood pressure, because beets contain nitrates that convert to nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels. Be aware that drinking a lot of beet juice is likely to change the color of your urine.
What Vitamins Lower Blood Pressure?
Consuming three grams of fish oil daily, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, gradually lowers blood pressure over time.
When to Worry About High Blood Pressure
If your blood pressure is consistently high but not yet hypertension, it’s time to take action. This stage of elevated blood pressure signals the need for lifestyle changes, like diet and exercise to prevent the progression to something more serious.
Regular checkups with your doctor, including evaluations of kidney and heart function, are essential to monitor your blood pressure and prevent complications.
High blood pressure is a medical emergency when it reaches severely elevated levels, typically above 180 systolic. Symptoms like a headache, blurred vision, chest pain, shortness of breath and even itching signal a serious issue.
“Signs of organ damage, such as elevated blood tests (like troponin) or worsening kidney function, warrant immediate medical attention as well. At these critical levels, the risk of serious complications like stroke, heart failure, aortic dissection and even brain hemorrhage significantly increases. It's crucial to seek medical help right away rather than attempting to lower blood pressure at home,” Dr. Abdulbaki says.