Reduce Intake of Sugar and Refined Carbs
In research [6] in 2010, there was a comparison of a low-carb diet and a low-fat diet (including diet drug). Both of those diets produced weight loss, but the low-carb diet was more effective at reducing hypertension. Consuming the diet low in carbs dropped the blood pressure by 4.5 mmHg diastolic and 5.9 mmHg systolic. The diet of low-fat, including the diet drug, only decreased the blood pressure by 0.4 mmHg and 1.5 mmHg systolic.
Consume Garlic or Garlic Extract Supplements
Generally, garlic extract or fresh garlic is effective at lowering overall blood pressure. A study shows that a time-release [7] garlic extract preparation may better affect the overall blood pressure than the typical garlic tablets. Moreover, a 2012 study of 87 individuals with high blood pressure shows that some had a diastolic reduction of 6 mmHg and a systolic decrease of 12 mmHg due to garlic consumption compared to others without treatment.
Conclusion
High blood pressure raises the risk of some heart conditions like stroke and heart attack. When left untreated, it could also lead to kidney damage. For this reason, it’s crucial to have regular visits to a licensed health professional.
A lifestyle change is fundamental, and it should help lower the blood pressure by 4 to 4 mmHg systolic and 2 to 3 mm Hg diastolic on average. Please note that the systolic is the upper number in the blood pressure measurement, while the diastolic is the lower number.
Reference:
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm
[2] https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD008274.pub3/full
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3564091/
[4] https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/dark-chocolate/
[5] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21696359/
[6] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/415539
[7] https://www.nature.com/articles/hr200936