How to Lower Diastolic Blood Pressure

Diastolic blood pressure is the force exerted by blood against the artery walls when the heart is at rest between beats. Healthy diastolic pressure typically ranges from 70 to 80 mmHg. If your diastolic pressure is 90 mmHg or above, you may be at risk for heart attacks, strokes, and other health issues. To lower your diastolic blood pressure, you can follow similar methods as lowering systolic pressure: adopt a healthy diet, exercise, modify your lifestyle, and use medication in certain cases.

Build a diet with wholesome, nutritious foods. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, legumes, low-fat dairy products, and foods rich in natural potassium can help improve heart health and reduce diastolic blood pressure. You should aim to increase whole foods while cutting back on processed foods, sugar, and fats.

• Try to reduce refined carbs and processed foods, replacing them with lean protein like fish, chicken, and grass-fed beef.
• Eliminate or limit sweets to no more than 5 servings per week.
• Foods rich in potassium help balance the effects of sodium, so consider eating more potassium-rich fruits and vegetables such as oranges, avocados, beans, leafy greens, potatoes, and tomatoes.

Reduce sodium intake. Excess sodium leads to water retention in the body, forcing the heart and arteries to work harder to pump blood throughout the body. Daily sodium intake should not exceed 1,500mg. It is better to use sea salt instead of regular table salt, which often contains harmful artificial additives.

• Note that one teaspoon of table salt contains about 2,300mg of sodium. The average person consumes about 3,400mg of sodium per day – more than double the recommended amount.
• Excess sodium can cause the body to retain water, increasing the burden on the heart and blood vessels. Therefore, too much sodium can raise both diastolic and systolic blood pressure.
• Check food labels and choose products with no more than 140mg of sodium per serving. Limit salt, monosodium glutamate, baking soda, sodium phosphate, and any compounds containing "sodium" or "Na". Use herbs, spices, and natural ingredients to enhance the flavor of your meals instead of reaching for the salt shaker.

Cut back or avoid alcohol completely. Research shows that moderate alcohol consumption can benefit heart health, but drinking more than 1-2 glasses of alcohol daily can increase the risk of high diastolic blood pressure and cause other health issues. Reduce your alcohol intake and consult your doctor about the recommended limits.

• Note that "one unit of alcohol" is equivalent to 350ml of beer, 145ml of wine, or 45ml of spirits with 40% alcohol content.

Reduce or eliminate caffeine consumption. Caffeine has been linked to high diastolic blood pressure, often because it inhibits hormones responsible for keeping the arteries relaxed. Consider cutting back on caffeine and replacing coffee, energy drinks, or soda with white tea, green tea, or black tea when you need an energy boost.

• Technically, caffeine may have a significant effect on blood pressure or none at all. If you're not a regular drinker, caffeine can cause a sudden spike in blood pressure, but if you consume it frequently over time, the effect will be less noticeable. Try checking your blood pressure within 30 minutes after consuming a caffeinated drink; if your diastolic or systolic blood pressure increases by 5-10 mmHg, that's too much. You should consider reducing your intake.
• If you decide to cut back on caffeine, it’s best to gradually reduce your consumption over several days, aiming for a decrease of about 200mg per day – approximately 2 cups of 350ml coffee.

Avoid or reduce red meat consumption. Regular consumption of red meat raises diastolic blood pressure and increases the risk of heart disease. This is due to the high fat content in red meat, which raises cholesterol and blood pressure. You should break the habit of regularly eating red meats like beef and switch to healthier meat options like chicken, turkey, and fish.

Increase omega-3 fatty acids intake. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids can improve heart health, reduce blood pressure, and lower the risk of heart disease. Omega-3-rich foods include walnuts, salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, and tilapia.

• It’s best to consume 2-3 servings of healthy fats per day. While omega-3 fatty acids are an excellent choice, any unsaturated fats, whether monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, can help lower diastolic blood pressure. These fats include many plant-based oils like olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, and sesame oil.
• Avoid foods containing saturated fats and trans fats, as they negatively affect blood pressure. These unhealthy fats are found in fried foods and processed items.

Exercise for at least 30 minutes each day, most days of the week. Regular physical activity strengthens the heart muscle, improves blood circulation, and allows the heart to pump blood more easily without strain. Choose an activity you enjoy to make it part of your daily routine. Start walking, jogging, cycling, dancing, swimming, or consult with your doctor to build an exercise plan that works best for you.

• Keep in mind that the type of exercise will affect the duration you need to exercise. Generally, aim for 75 minutes of vigorous activity or 150 minutes of moderate activity each week, but consult with your doctor to determine the right level of exercise for your heart. If you have heart issues, excessive exercise could put too much stress on your heart, and your doctor might recommend moderate exercises until your health improves.

Lose excess weight. People with larger waists and a BMI of 25 or higher are more likely to have high diastolic blood pressure because the heart has to work harder to pump blood throughout the body. Focus on weight loss through regular exercise, healthy eating, and seeking advice from your doctor on effective weight loss methods.

• If you have significant excess weight, losing just 5 kg can significantly improve your blood pressure readings.
• It’s also important to note that excess weight around the waist can greatly affect blood pressure. The general rule is to keep your waist circumference under 102 cm (for men) or 90 cm (for women).

Quit smoking. Nicotine in cigarettes narrows the arteries, hardens the artery walls, and increases the risk of clot formation, heart disease, and stroke. It’s important to stop smoking as soon as possible to reduce diastolic blood pressure, and consult your doctor for effective smoking cessation methods if you're struggling with quitting.

Reduce and manage stress. When under stress, our body releases chemicals and hormones that temporarily constrict blood vessels and increase the heart rate. Prolonged stress can elevate the risk of heart problems such as strokes, heart attacks, and cardiovascular disease. Identify and remove stressors from your life to lower your diastolic blood pressure.

• Avoid stress-inducing activities like excessive TV watching and information overload.
• Relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation can also help lower blood pressure.
• While there are many ways to reduce stress, you can start with strategies like identifying and avoiding stressors, dedicating 20 minutes a day to enjoy relaxing activities, and practicing gratitude.

Monitor your cholesterol levels regularly. Regular cholesterol checks are essential, regardless of your size or weight. Elevated cholesterol can contribute to high blood pressure, so it is important to check your cholesterol levels during every health visit, particularly for individuals over 40 years old.

Understand blood pressure readings. The upper value represents systolic blood pressure (the pressure when the heart beats). The lower value represents diastolic blood pressure (the pressure when the heart rests between beats).

• Thus, methods to reduce systolic blood pressure typically help in reducing diastolic blood pressure as well.

Monitor your diastolic blood pressure regularly. This will help you determine whether dietary adjustments and lifestyle changes are effectively reducing your blood pressure. You can do this using a home blood pressure monitor or by visiting healthcare facilities and clinics. A diastolic reading of 90 mmHg or higher is considered high; a range of 80-89 mmHg indicates a risk of hypertension. Normal diastolic blood pressure is between 70-80 mmHg but can be lower if you are younger or engage in regular physical activity.

• If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure—whether it's general hypertension or just elevated diastolic pressure—start by measuring your blood pressure twice a day for a week (once in the morning and once in the evening). Then, you can measure it 2-3 times a week. Once your blood pressure is under control, checking it 1-2 times a month should be sufficient.
• Be mindful that your diastolic pressure could be too low. Low diastolic blood pressure indicates that your heart is not pumping enough blood to vital organs. This could be due to overexertion, but it could also signal more serious conditions like anorexia nervosa, which increases the risk of stroke and heart attack.

Consult with a healthcare provider. Even after you've been monitoring and reducing your diastolic blood pressure, it's still a good idea to seek advice from a doctor or healthcare expert. Discuss with your doctor to develop a treatment plan to improve and maintain healthy blood pressure.

• Your doctor can guide you on how to manage your overall heart health and reduce diastolic pressure to a healthy level without it dropping too low.
• It's always advisable to talk to your doctor about blood pressure, especially if you have chronic conditions or are taking any medications.

Take prescribed blood pressure medication. Visit your doctor for a prescription to help control and lower your blood pressure. A combination of prescribed medication and lifestyle changes has been proven effective in reducing diastolic blood pressure.

• The specific medication prescribed by your doctor may vary depending on your health condition. Thiazide diuretics are commonly prescribed for relatively healthy individuals.
• If you have other heart problems or a family history of heart disease, your doctor may prescribe beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers.
• If you have diabetes, cardiovascular issues, or kidney disease, your doctor might consider prescribing ACE inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers.
• Note that typically, you won't need medication if only your diastolic pressure is high while systolic pressure remains normal. A healthy diet and lifestyle changes are often enough to improve your blood pressure, but it’s still a good idea to consult your doctor, especially if natural methods aren't resolving the issue.

Follow the treatment plan prescribed by your doctor. This helps prevent or delay complications from high blood pressure and minimizes the risk of related diseases. For example, if your doctor recommends exercising multiple times a week to lower blood pressure, prioritize physical activities to enhance your overall health.

• If any side effects occur from the prescribed medication, ask your doctor about adjusting the dosage or switching to a different medication. Never stop taking medication without consulting your doctor first.
• Schedule follow-up visits a few months after starting medication. Eventually, you may be able to stop taking medication and control your blood pressure using alternative methods.

• Focusing on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and reducing unhealthy fats are key components of the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). This diet is often effective in lowering your diastolic blood pressure.

• Do not make any sudden changes to your diet, exercise routine, or lifestyle without consulting a doctor first. Your doctor can examine you and create the most appropriate treatment plan to help lower your diastolic blood pressure based on your health history.
• Although you should avoid letting your diastolic blood pressure rise too high, recent studies suggest that a diastolic reading below 70 mmHg can also increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, as this level may prevent your body from effectively supplying blood to vital organs. Particularly, you should avoid letting your diastolic pressure drop below 60 mmHg.