Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

Medications aren't the only way to lower high blood pressure. Natural treatments, such as vitamin and mineral supplements, meditation, and exercise, also help your health.

Before taking any supplements, talk with your cardiologist or primary-care doctor for advice on dosage and whether a supplement will interact with your other medications.

Garlic

Some studies have shown that garlic may help lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure by a small amount, but larger studies are needed to confirm this.

Why It Works: Garlic's antioxidant properties destroy free radicals, which are particles that can damage cell membranes and may contribute to the development of heart disease.

How Much to Take: Amounts used in studies vary. Consult with your doctor. Participants in one study, in which garlic slightly appeared to lower blood pressure, took about 200 mg of garlic daily.

How to Take It: Garlic can be consumed in foods or supplement pills.

Concerns: Use garlic cautiously when taking other blood-pressure-lowering medications. Garlic may increase the risk of bleeding when taken with drugs that also increase the amount of bleeding, such as aspirin and blood thinners. Garlic may lower blood sugar levels, Also, it can end up in your sweat, producing a strong odor.

Good Sources: Raw garlic or garlic supplement pills