Naturally Lower Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

According to the American Pregnancy Association, high blood pressure affects about 6 to 8% of pregnant women. If your blood pressure exceeds 140 mm Hg systolic (the top number) or 90 mm Hg diastolic (the lower number) you suffer from high blood pressure or hypertension. Some risks factors for pregnancy-related hypertension include being overweight, having hypertension before pregnancy, pregnant with multiples, having a chronic illness, and/or poor diet (high salt and high fat diets). Because hypertension can lead to complications (low weight babies, kidney problems, premature birth, and preeclampsia) you should take steps to reduce high blood pressure during pregnancy.

Steps

Lowering Blood Pressure with Lifestyle Choices

1. Get moving. Inactive women are at a higher risk of hypertension than those who exercise. So whether you are already pregnant or plan on conceiving, talk to your doctor about starting an exercise program.
   • Try to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day or most days throughout the week.
   • If you are a beginner, try low-intensity walking or swimming.
   • Always talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program and ask if it is safe for you to do certain activities.
2. Monitor your weight. Being overweight is a risk factor for hypertension and thus, you need to take caution to keep your pregnancy weight gain within healthy limits. A proper diet and regular exercise are ways to manage your weight gain during pregnancy.
   • Preeclampsia is associated with hypertension and weight gain during pregnancy, so it is important to avoid gaining too much weight and to avoid gaining weight too quickly. Preeclampsia can lead to kidney and liver problems for the mother and complications for the baby.
   • Being overweight also increases the risk of other health conditions during pregnancy, such as back aches, exhaustion, leg cramps, hemorrhoids, gestational diabetes, heartburn and aching joints.
3. Reduce stress. Being stressed can cause elevated blood pressure whether you are pregnant or not. Try eliminating known triggers for stress if possible.
   • Do not overwork when pregnant. If you work over 41 hours per week, this can increase your risk for high blood pressure.
   • Try relaxation techniques such as meditation, visualization and yoga. These can bring serenity to your body and mind and help reduce your stress level.
4. Try controlled breathing. Breathing techniques, such as diaphragmatic breathing, can help calm your body and mind and provide stress relief. In addition, by engaging the diaphragm (the muscle at the base of your lungs) you can make your breathing more powerful and reduce the strain to the other muscles in your neck and chest
   • Lie comfortably on your back or sit on a chair. If lying down, place a pillow under your knees to keep them bent.
   • To feel your diaphragm move, place your hands on the chest and below the rib cage.
   • Slowly inhale through your nose so that you feel your stomach move up.
   • Slowly exhale through your mouth by counting to five while tightening your abdominal muscles and letting them fall inward.
   • Repeat and keep your breathing regular and slow.
5. Listen to music. Studies have shown that listening to the right type of music while slowly breathing for at least 30 minutes a day can lower blood pressure.
   • Listen to calming and relaxing music such as Celtic, classical, or Indian or if you have a favorite slow music that inspires and relaxes you, listen to that.
   • Avoid loud and fast music, such as rock, pop and heavy metal, as these might have the opposite effect on you.
6. Take a closer look at your medications. Hypertension is a side effect of some medications. Talk to your doctor about your medications and find out if they are safe to use while pregnant.
7. Stop smoking. Besides being a danger to your baby, smoking can also raise your blood pressure. If you are pregnant, you should quit smoking immediately.
   • Talk to your doctor about methods to stop smoking that are safe for you and your baby.

Lowering Blood Pressure with Diet

1. Avoid salt and high-sodium foods. Although your body requires sodium in small amounts, consuming too much sodium is bad for you and can lead to hypertension, heart disease and stroke. If you suffer from high blood pressure, take steps to reduce your sodium intake:
   • Do not add salt to foods when cooking but use other spices instead (cumin, lemon pepper, fresh herbs).
   • Rinse canned foods to remove sodium.
   • Buy foods that are labeled “low sodium” or “sodium free.”
   • Avoid processed foods, such as crackers, fried items, and baked goods, that often are high in sodium.
   • Also avoid eating fast food and ask for reduced sodium when ordering in restaurants.
2. Eat more whole grains. Whole grains are high in dietary fiber and studies have shown that adding more fiber to your diet may reduce hypertension.
   • Make sure you get at least six to eight servings of whole grains every day.
   • Switch refined grains to whole grains, such as brown rice and whole wheat pasta and bread.
3. Add potassium-rich foods to your diet. Potassium-rich foods should be a part of your hypertension management diet. Foods you should add include sweet potatoes, tomatoes, kidney beans, orange juice, bananas, peas, potatoes, dried fruits, melon and cantaloupe.
   • Keep your target potassium levels moderate (around 2,000 to 4,000 mg a day).
4. Indulge with dark chocolate. According to a clinical study, dark chocolate may actually assist in lowering blood pressure.
   • Eat a half an ounce of dark chocolate that has at least 70% of cocoa per day.
   • Because dark chocolate is high in calories, be sure not to overindulge.
5. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks. Besides being bad for blood pressure, caffeine and alcohol also have other negative health effects to you and your baby during pregnancy. Thus, you should avoid both, especially if you suffer from high blood pressure.
   • Drinking caffeine during pregnancy has been linked to declined placental blood flow and a risk of miscarriage. Although more studies are needed to confirm the effects of caffeine, it is best to switch to decaf during your pregnancy.
   • High alcohol consumption is known to raise blood pressure and it is also known to have negative effects on your unborn baby. Before drinking any alcohol, even just one glass of wine, consult your doctor.
6. Add soy and low-fat milk products to your diet if you have not done so already. A clinical study demonstrated that systolic blood pressure can be lowered by adding these foods to your diet.
   • Add low-fat or fat-free dairy products (such as milk, cottage cheese, yogurt) to your diet.
   • If you are lactose intolerant, try a milk alternative, such as almond, coconut, or hemp milk. You can also try soy milk, but you may want to limit soy products during pregnancy since it may increase estrogen levels in your fetus.
   • Go easy on the amount of cheese you eat (even low-fat) due to their high sodium content.

Tips

• Get adequate amount of rest. Sleep deprivation can lead to health issues.
• Include plenty of water in your diet to stay hydrated. Drink at least eight glasses of water per day.

Warnings

• Always consult your doctor if you suffer from hypertension.

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