How To Lower Your Blood Pressure Fast With Foods, Spices and Natural Supplements
From beet juice to breathing tricks, these easy fixes can lower BP in days—or even hours
Key Takeaways
- Certain foods like beets and berries may lower blood pressure in as little as 24 hours.
- Simple habits like slow breathing and hugging help reduce high blood pressure naturally.
- Daily movement—even gardening or dancing—can significantly improve heart health.
High blood pressure is called the “silent killer” for a reason—you can feel perfectly fine while it quietly increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke. The good news is that bringing your numbers down and protecting your heart health doesn’t always require a major lifestyle overhaul or expensive prescriptions. From the foods on your plate to how you move and breathe, small changes can deliver real results. Here we reveal how to lower your pressure fast using simple, natural remedies.
What’s a normal blood pressure reading?
Your top number (systolic) measures pressure when your heart beats. The bottom number (diastolic) measures pressure when your heart rests between beats. Here’s a quick guide to what your BP readings mean:
- Normal: below 120/80 mmHg
- Hypertension (high): at or above 130/80 mmHg
- Low: typically below 90/60 mmHg
- Hypertensive crisis (seek emergency care): systolic over 180 mmHg or diastolic over 120 mmHg
One thing worth knowing: women are at higher risk of hypertension than men after age 65 because blood vessels naturally become stiffer after menopause, explains Swapnil Patel, MD.
Woman's World Answers
The problem with elevated blood pressure levels? Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of From Fatigued to Fantastic, offers an analogy. “Blood pressure can be understood by how fast water comes out of a faucet,” he says. “If the water pressure is low, it may dribble out. If the pressure is high, it pours out very quickly. High pressure would seem good, but in the body, if it’s too high, it can cause the pipes to leak and rupture over time.”
Foods and drinks that lower your blood pressure fast
One of the easiest ways to lower your numbers is by adding blood pressure-friendly foods to your plate. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is a great first step, as is cutting back on processed foods, red meat and saturated fat. Beyond that, there are a few standout foods and drinks you add to a heart-healthy diet that make a big difference in lowering our blood pressure fast.
- Beet juice works remarkably fast. Sipping a cup or stirring 1 tsp. of beetroot powder into a smoothie lowers diastolic blood pressure by up to 10 points in as little as 24 hours, according to research in the journal Hypertension. Beets are packed with nitrate, which the body converts into pressure-easing nitric oxide.
- Potatoes can lower your systolic BP by six points in 16 days when you eat them baked or boiled daily, according to a Purdue University study. Those are better results than you’d get from taking a potassium supplement.
- Orange juice can trim six points off systolic blood pressure in 12 weeks if you drink two cups daily, per a study in the European Journal of Nutrition. Credit goes to hesperidin, a plant compound that fights inflammation.
- Berries are another standout. Research in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that two half-cup servings daily lower systolic pressure by up to nine points and diastolic by up to five points in eight weeks.
- Hibiscus tea can lower systolic blood pressure by up to 13 points in four weeks, Tufts University scientists say. Natural fruit acids in hibiscus act like artery-relaxing ACE inhibitors.
Spices and herbs that lower your blood pressure fast
Your spice rack holds some surprising blood pressure remedies.
- Garlic contains allicin, a compound shown to improve blood flow and reduce hypertension.
- Ginger decreased systolic pressure by more than nine points in one study of hypertensive patients in the International Research Journal of Plant Science. Try sprinkling it on savory dishes or drinking a cup of ginger tea daily.
- Cardamom daily can normalize readings in people with hypertension within 12 weeks when you have about 1 tsp. daily, per research in the Indian Journal of Biochemistry & Biophysics.
Lifestyle habits that lower your blood pressure fast
Managing high blood pressure can be more enjoyable than you think, thanks to these feel-good lifestyle tips.
- Hugging loved ones at least twice daily kept blood pressure readings 12 points lower in women compared to those who hugged less often,University of North Carolina experts found. Showing physical affection releases oxytocin, a hormone that lowers stress.
- Breathing exercises help lower your blood pressure fast, too. An Indian technique called Bhramari pranayama (“humming bee breath”) practiced for 15 minutes three times a week improved blood pressure readings in just three weeks. Simply sit comfortably with your mouth closed, close your ears with gentle finger pressure, inhale through your nose and exhale while humming. Bonus: A Harvard Medical School review shows that 10 minutes of slow breathing daily reduces systolic pressure by 7 points within eight weeks.
- Watching a funny show helps bring your numbers down. Laughter triggers brain chemicals that stimulate the production of artery-widening nitric oxide.
Exercises that lower your blood pressure fast
Exercising regularly helps your heart pump blood more efficiently, reducing pressure on your arteries. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week (about 22 minutes a day).
“[Physical activity can also help blood vessels relax, improve circulation and lower stress hormones that can make blood pressure rise,” adds Rachana Kulkarni, MD, director of the Women’s Heart Center for Heart and Vascular Services at RWJBarnabas Health. “Over time, these benefits add up and make a real difference in maintaining a healthy heart.”
Some moves to consider:
- Dancing stands out as a fun option. A Japanese study found it lowers systolic blood pressure by 13 points and diastolic by 10 points in six weeks, and all it takes is 10 minutes a day.
- Gardening for 20 minutes daily five days a week lowers systolic pressure by 12 points in less than eight weeks, found a study in HortScience.
- Squeezing a tennis ball for eight minutes three times weekly can lower blood pressure by up to 19 points, per research in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.
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Supplements that lower your blood pressure fast
If your doctor gives you the green light, certain supplements can complement a healthy lifestyle and help lower your pressure fast.
- Magnesium (200 to 400 mg daily) helps relax blood vessels.
- CoQ10 (100 to 200 mg with a meal) helps vessels relax and widen.
- Omega-3 fatty acids (1,000 to 2,000 mg daily) reduce inflammation and improve artery flexibility.
- Grape seed extract (300 mg daily) produced 8-point reductions in systolic pressure within eight weeks, per research in the Journal of Pharmacy and Nutrition Sciences.
You’ve already taken the first step
A high blood pressure diagnosis doesn’t define your health. By adding even one of these strategies to your daily routine, you’re taking a powerful step toward protecting your heart, your energy and your future. Small changes add up—and many of these work within weeks.
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