A recent study found that almost 57 percent of patients admitted to hospitals with COVID-19 in New York City had underlying high blood pressure. [1] High blood pressure can cause many other health conditions, including vision loss, heart failure, and sexual dysfunction. [2]

Sometimes called a silent killer, hypertension or high blood pressure can occur for years before symptoms appear. [3]  Left unchecked, high blood pressure can harden and thicken your arteries, leading to a heart attack or stroke. [4]

Many things can raise your blood pressure, including:

• Unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as not getting enough regular physical activity.
• Eating a diet high in sugary, processed foods. [5]  
• Underlying health conditions, including diabetes and obesity. [6]
• Nutrient deficiencies, such as vitamin D. [7]

Getting the right nutrients is critical to support healthy blood pressure. Consider magnesium, a mineral that most people don’t get enough of from food. [8] Magnesium helps blood vessels relax.

Low levels of this critical nutrient can increase your risk of insulin resistance, inflammation, and more. [9] BP Support provides therapeutic amounts of magnesium and other nutrients to support healthy blood pressure.

About half of American adults have high blood pressure, which experts define as:

• Systolic blood pressure of 130 mmHg or higher and/or
• Diastolic blood pressure higher than 80 mm Hg [10]  

Women and men are at equal risk of having high blood pressure. Your risk increases with age. By 60 years old, about 60 percent of adults have high blood pressure. [11]  

If you have a family history of high blood pressure, you’re more likely to have it, too. Some demographics, including African Americans, have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure earlier in life. [12]

Unfortunately, only about one in four people with the condition have their high blood pressure under control. [13]

Consistently testing your blood pressure is the best way to identify problems and manage your condition. Your healthcare practitioner will likely check blood pressure during your visit. Many drugstores and grocery stores also provide blood pressure kiosks. [14]  

There are plenty of ways to manage your blood pressure. Talk with your healthcare practitioner about these strategies to support healthy blood pressure:

1. Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese can often increase your blood pressure. Keeping your ideal weight can help normalize blood pressure. For every 2.2 pounds you lose, you lower your blood pressure by about 1 millimeter of mercury (mm Hg). [15] Our Core and Advanced Plans include plenty of healthy, delicious foods to help support your ideal weight and normalize blood pressure. We also produce a set of weight-loss promoting supplements in our Basic Weight Loss Bundle.

2. Upgrade your diet. Chronic inflammation and high blood pressure go hand in hand. [16] An anti-inflammatory diet rich in nutrients can help support healthy blood pressure levels. Wild-caught cold water seafood, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts are excellent anti-inflammatory foods. So are leafy and cruciferous vegetables as well as low-sugar fruits such as avocado and berries. You’ll find plenty of anti-inflammatory foods in our Core and Advanced Plans.

3. Exercise regularly. Consistent exercise can help normalize and sustain healthy blood pressure levels. [17] Aim to move more, period. If you’re busy and can’t make the gym, our Max T3 program provides a full-body workout you can do at home in just 12 minutes.

4. Get consistently good sleep. Sleep helps support healthy stress hormone levels. When you don’t get sufficient or high-quality sleep, your body might not efficiently regulate those hormones, which can raise your blood pressure. [18] Aim for at least eight hours of quality, uninterrupted sleep every night. Consider our Sleep + Mood Formula if you have trouble falling or staying asleep.

5. Manage stress levels. Researchers find that people who respond more strongly to stress — blowing up at colleagues, for instance, or snapping at their significant other — were 21 percent more likely to develop high blood pressure. [19] You can learn 16 ways to relieve stress here.

6. Visit your chiropractor. One study found that a chiropractic adjustment focusing on the C1 vertebra, which holds up your head, could significantly lower high blood pressure. This adjustment had a similar effect of two blood pressure medications. [20] You can learn more about chiropractic care and find a chiropractor near you here.

7. Get the right nutrients. Numerous vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients help support healthy blood pressure. We’ve combined them all in our BP Support, which combines the right amounts of magnesium and other science-supported nutrients to help normalize blood pressure. BP Support provides all the nutrients to keep your blood pressure healthy and reduce your risk of heart disease and other problems.

Finally, identify specific triggers that might be raising your blood pressure. [21] Alcohol, smoking, and over-consuming caffeine can all contribute to high blood pressure. Talk with your chiropractor or other healthcare practitioner about individualizing a plan that helps you keep healthy blood pressure levels.

‍