Dr Amir Khan, who is an NHS GP as well as appearing on ITV, has shared five things you can do to achieve a healthy blood pressure. Here’s everything you need to know
Dr Amir Khan has shared five top tips for naturally lowering your blood pressure – as shocking figures from the British Heart Foundation reveal that out of the 14.4 million UK residents battling high blood pressure, only nine million are diagnosed.
The NHS GP, a familiar face on ITV’s Lorraine and GMB, took to social media to offer advice on maintaining a healthy blood pressure level. He said: “Let’s talk about five natural ways to lower your blood pressure. Now, blood pressure is the force of your blood against the walls of your arteries.”
He detailed: “There are two numbers [when testing your blood pressure]. The top one is the force of the blood as your heart squeezes to pump blood around your body, and the lower number is the force of the blood as the heart relaxes between beats.”
He added: “Now, if you’re on medication for your blood pressure, it’s important that you take it as prescribed. But here are some additional things that you can do to help keep your blood pressure at healthy levels.”
Dr Amir then went on to list and describe five strategies to help manage blood pressure naturally.
1. Eat less salt
“Number one, eat less salt,” he advised. “Now, if you don’t have high blood pressure, then there’s still a debate about how much salt will affect you. But if you do have high blood pressure, listen up.”
Dr Amir continued: “Adults should only have around six grams or one level teaspoon of salt per day. And most of that is already hidden in the food that we eat.
“So, try not to add salt to your food. Instead, season it with things like pepper, herbs, and spices. And if you’re buying tinned food, go for it in water rather than salty brine. And with nuts, always go for unsalted nuts.”
2. Eat more potassium-rich foods
“Number two, eat more potassium-rich foods,” Dr Khan suggested before explaining: “Potassium helps lower blood pressure by helping kidneys get rid of that excess sodium or salt in your blood.
“Food that naturally contains potassium includes bananas, tomatoes, carrots, kiwi, nectarines, and spinach. If you have kidney disease, however, just be really careful with potassium.”
3. Exercise
“Number three, get moving,” he urged. “Regular movement keeps your blood vessels flexible as they have to expand and contract and encourage blood flow around your body. Find something you enjoy doing and do it regularly.”
4. Stop smoking and limit alcohol
Dr Khan emphasised on two crucial lifestyle changes people should make. He said: Number four, stop smoking and limit alcohol use.
“Smoking can affect the health of your blood vessels, which causes high blood pressure, and alcohol is really strongly linked to high blood pressure too.”
5. Keep a healthy weight
The quest for a healthy weight also made it to his priority list. The health professional said: “And number five, achieve a healthy weight.
“I know this is hard and it’s really complex but additional weight, especially around the middle area, has been linked to high blood pressure. These additional fat cells can release hormones that increase blood pressure.”
In conclusion, he advised: “So follow the steps I outlined already to achieve good health alongside a healthy weight.”
If you have concerns about your blood pressure, speak to your GP. Additionally, many pharmacies offer a blood pressure checking service.
