Top 10 Natural Remedies to Manage High BP During Pregnancy

High Bp is common during pregnancy, but how to control it becomes a problem for women. As, nowadays the medicines available in the market consists of chemicals and toxins, which we haven’t heard of, hence opting for natural remedies for treating and managing common conditions is safe. Some of the natural treatments include Ayurveda or Homeopathy and others can be alternative medication methods like Chinese medicine or Tibetan medicine. Most alternative or natural remedies have no regulatory body, this makes it hard to know if these techniques and cures are real or not. This is why thorough research is required before attempting to add any form of natural treatment to your regiment, especially when you are pregnant. Here is a list of 10 remedies that are recommended for you to manage your high blood pressure during your pregnancy.

Home Remedies for High Blood Pressure (BP) in Pregnancy

It is extremely important that we do our research when choosing natural products to lower high blood pressure during pregnancy. It is a must to consult a doctor without taking any step. Some methods of lowering your blood pressure may be dangerous when you are pregnant but can be considered safe when you aren’t. It is vital that you communicate with your doctor about these methods in order to ensure it doesn’t harm your body instead of helping it. Additionally, we recommend any home remedies act as a supplement to medication rather than a replacement.

1. Exercise

One of the most efficient ways of managing your blood pressure at home is through exercise, it doesn’t have to be extremely intense but a solid 30 mins. of exercise is known to greatly help your body remain healthy and help your immune system become stronger. Additionally, exercise relaxes the muscles, tones your body, and regulates blood flow. Regular exercise is considered a requirement to regulate your blood pressure and blood sugar levels as well. This is not so much a remedy as it is a lifestyle requirement that when done at home helps maintain stable blood pressure levels. An added boost of exercise during pregnancy is it helps make the delivery easier, manages pain better, and helps with pregnancy-based fatigue.

2. Control Sodium Intake

One of the most natural ways to help control and cure your blood pressure is by limiting or eliminating salt from your diet. When you are pregnant, your hormones are extremely imbalanced, this hurts your immune system and it also lowers the efficiency of your body’s natural functions. This means processing and digesting salt or salty foods becomes much more difficult and if the salt isn’t digested properly or is excessive in your diet, it can cause a spike in blood pressure. The reduction of salt also enhances your body’s energy levels during your pregnancy and works as an immunity booster. Unless a doctor specifically instructs you to eliminate salt, we recommend reducing its intake as salt has many natural minerals which, in moderation is healthy for you.

3. Eat Bananas

Eating a banana or two a day is extremely beneficial during pregnancy, not only is it a digestive aid and natural laxative, but it is also rich in potassium. This makes it extremely healthy for anyone with high blood pressure.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar or ACV is one of the healthiest ingredients and it has been proven to help maintain a balanced cholesterol level. It is also known to help balance your blood pressure. Consuming unpasteurized ACV is considered extremely healthy. Be warned though, undiluted ACV can be extremely acidic and can burn your oesophagus or food pipe and even damage your stomach, it is recommended that you consume one tablespoon of ACV every day with a glass of warm water and honey instead.

5. Magnesium

As per a study, by the Journal of the Indian medical association in 2011, magnesium helps manage extreme blood pressure issues. In fact, recently most medical professionals recommend that pregnant women should eat foods rich in magnesium, like tofu, avocados, bananas, almonds, and soy milk because magnesium not only helps maintain a healthy level of blood pressure, it also plays a huge role in maintaining the integrity of the uterus during pregnancy by preventing it from contracting prematurely.

6. De-stress

When you’re pregnant, anxiety, depression and stress are common, these are also the leading cause of high blood pressure. Practice activities that help you relax, it is recommended that women who are pregnant listen to music for 30 mins for at least 3 times a day, practice prenatal yoga and get prenatal massages to help manage stress. It is recommended that you pick music that is slow, has a rhythm that is relaxing and soothing like jazz, blues, or classical music.

7. Limit Alcohol Intake

The complications of alcohol during pregnancy are so immense that doctors recommend you skip any alcoholic beverages for the entire period, high blood pressure is one of the many reasons behind this. Alcohol intake can complicate any pregnancy for a number of reasons, if you have to have a drink, we recommend 10ml of wine a month.

8. Don’t Smoke

Much like alcohol, the downside of smoking is the intense side-effects it has on your body, even when you aren’t pregnant, it can lead to cancer, weight gain, anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure. When you are pregnant, these risks more than quadruple. So, it is best to quit smoking when you are pregnant.

9. Avoid Caffeine

Caffeine is one of the leading causes of high blood pressure, we recommend you limit or quit caffeine during your pregnancy to maintain a healthy BP level.

10. Avoid Junk Food

Junk food is usually packed with preservatives and is known for being extremely unhealthy. While it may satiate your cravings, it is not a great source of nutrition. So, avoid junk food during your pregnancy to remain healthy and control your blood pressure.

These 10 home remedies for high blood pressure are not cures for the people with genetic BP issues, if your doctor feels you need blood pressure medication then we recommend using these techniques to supplement the medication. Consult your doctor before adding or removing any routine from your life during your pregnancy. Under no circumstance should you attempt to go off medication unless your doctor suggests you. These methods are also great for general blood pressure control. We strongly recommend that you do your research with any method not mentioned above to control your blood pressure, as some unregulated techniques and diets can be dangerous for you.

Also Read: Low Blood Pressure In Pregnancy