High Blood Pressure?

This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Have you been told your blood pressure is a little high when you go in for your appointment? Let’s talk about this and what you should do in this situation.

The first thing to note is that before you get an official hypertension diagnosis, your provider will likely want a couple readings of elevated blood pressures- usually 2-3. If you go in for your visit and your blood pressure is high, it might be a good idea to monitor it yourself at home. A lot of people are very nervous going into the doctor, which can raise blood pressure. If I have a patient who is slightly elevated, I usually tell them to get an automatic cuff (for the upper arm) and measure their blood pressure at home 2-3 times a week. The best time to do it is first thing in the morning, right after you wake up before you have any caffeine. If your blood pressure is elevated, it may be a good idea to also check it in the evenings to see how high it is getting after a day full of stress and activity. You should always keep a journal of your readings and show your provider at your next appointment.

Why High Blood Pressure Is Harmful Over Time

Elevated blood pressure (hypertension) might not cause obvious symptoms at first, but over time it silently damages the body. Constant pressure on your blood vessels makes your heart work harder and strains organs like the brain, kidneys, and eyes. This increases the risk of serious problems such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, and vision loss. If this is left untreated, high blood pressure becomes a major driver of chronic disease and premature death—making early detection and management critical for long-term health.

Natural Ways to Support Healthy Blood Pressure

Diet and lifestyle can play a big role in managing high blood pressure. Eating a heart-healthy diet—like the DASH or Mediterranean plan—rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help lower blood pressure naturally. Reducing salt, processed foods, and excess alcohol also makes a big difference. Regular physical activity, stress reduction (like meditation or yoga), and quality sleep are key lifestyle habits that support cardiovascular health.

Some natural herbs and supplements may also help, including magnesium, potassium, garlic extract, hibiscus tea (twice daily), and omega-3 fatty acids. However, it’s important to talk with your healthcare provider before starting any supplement, especially if you’re already on blood pressure medication.

Some things to think about:

Do you snore at night? Any chance you could have sleep apnea? This can cause high blood pressure during the day due to lack of oxygen at night. The best way to treat this is to target the sleep apnea directly. Ask your provider about a sleep study!

Was your appointment at the end of the day? How stressed are you? Do you hate going to the doctor and get extremely nervous? This can all cause and increased blood pressure. Your heart rate might be elevated at your appointment as well.

Have you been eating a diet with high salt content? A high-salt diet can raise blood pressure because excess sodium causes the body to retain water. This extra fluid increases the volume of blood in your vessels, putting more pressure on artery walls. I high urge you to pay more attention to your labels on your food and focus on eating whole foods (and season/salt them yourself).

Just my opinion-

We are living a life filled with processed foods, high stress jobs, and little time for restful sleep. Take a step back and think about the fact that you only have ONE body. You don’t get another one. Patient’s will frequently say to me that they have a really successful business (or another excuse about how busy they are) and they don’t have time to make the changes needed to improve their health. My only response to that is that it won’t matter if you have a successful business if you are dead from a heart attack or stroke (or whatever it might be). It can be hard to hear, but it is the reality of the world we live in today. If you invest in one thing your entire life, it should be yourself- a healthy body & mind!

See you for next week’s blog!!

Nina