Lower high blood pressure naturally

High blood pressure doesn't cause pain. But that doesn't mean it leaves no trace. High blood pressure damages the blood vessels and the heart and increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke. It can also harm the eyes and kidneys. High blood pressure should never be ignored. After discussing with your treating doctor, you may not have to start pills right away to get your blood pressure under control. There are also natural measures that can help lower blood pressure gently and long-term.

Dietary changes

Changing your diet can lower blood pressure partly by helping you lose weight and partly because some foods directly improve blood pressure. Buckwheat, watermelon, potatoes and pears, for example, are known for their blood-pressure-lowering effect. A diet that is high in alkalizing foods is recommended. This type of diet is also particularly rich in potassium. Potassium is a mineral that also has a positive effect on blood pressure. Good potassium sources are especially legumes (soy, peas, lentils), vegetables (celery, fennel, parsley), fruits (dates, bananas, papayas), dried fruit (dates, raisins, figs), chestnuts and nuts (walnuts). If you have kidney disease, you should discuss increasing your potassium intake with your doctor.

Freshly pressed juices

Beetroot contains a very high level of nitrates. Spinach, fennel and white cabbage are also known to have high nitrate levels and thus a blood-pressure-lowering effect. Choosing freshly pressed vegetable juices, or focusing on beetroot juice, can help lower your blood pressure. Another tip: pomegranate juice. It can also help reduce high blood pressure.

Cutting down on salt

People consume 8 to 12 grams of table salt per day. The recommended daily amount, however, is a maximum of 5 grams. Ready-made meals in particular contain huge amounts of salt. Fast food, canned goods, snack foods and smoked products are also known for their high salt content. An alternative? Herbs. Fresh herbs can create great and interesting flavors so you hardly notice the lack of salt. If you have difficulty reducing your salt intake, you can use so-called alternative salts. Table salt known for raising blood pressure can be replaced, for example, by Pansalz, which is rich in magnesium sulfate and potassium chloride and reduced in sodium. Special "blood pressure salts" are also available as alternatives.

Limit alcohol consumption

Alcohol raises blood pressure. Ideally you would drink no alcohol. Since that's difficult for many people, there are limits: men are advised not to drink more than 30 grams of alcohol per day. Women should not consume more than 20 g daily.

Overweight contributes to high blood pressure

Weight also plays a role. High blood pressure and overweight a combination that almost always occurs. Doctors do not recommend drastic diets, but rather a change in eating habits. And if you want to lower your blood pressure naturally, that change is necessary anyway.

Avoid stress!

Stress also plays an important role. Stress can cause blood pressure to rise quickly and stay high over time. It is therefore advisable to have a lifestyle with regular rest periods. If stress levels are high, targeted relaxation exercises can help reduce them.

Sources:

This article comes from BloodPressureDB – the leading app since 2011 that helps hundreds of thousands of people monitor their blood pressure every day. Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based information and is continuously updated (as of 12/2025).

Author Sabine Croci is a certified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care. Since 2015 she has led the editorial team at BloodPressureDB. With additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder, and training in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides well-founded, practical, and reliably reviewed information.