If you are trying to reduce your blood pressure, one of the things I always urge my new clients to do when they seek my help with this is to stay on their current blood pressure medications while this process occurs.
Reducing blood pressure naturally can take time, can be gradual, and it is a time of figuring out what works for you.
If you are not taking your blood pressure medication during this time, your blood pressure could skyrocket, and put you at risk for a stroke and consequences from a stroke. It can also put you at risk for kidney function decline because high blood pressure, especially when uncontrolled, can damage the kidneys. Because the kidneys do not self-regenerate like the liver, it can take extra support to preserve and improve kidney function, and that is what I help my clients to do.
Some may interpret what I am communicating as it would be okay to just take the medication ‘occasionally,’ or when you start to notice a slight headache coming on. Instead, I encourage you to take it as was prescribed by your doctor, which is usually daily. I also have my clients take and record their blood pressure daily so that progress can be better analyzed.
Sometimes you may not want to be on your blood pressure medication because it gives you an uncomfortable side effect. There are multiple categories of blood pressure medications and multiple medications within those categories. If you have only tried one or two, I encourage you to talk to your doctor about other options. If you feel like your doctor wants to keep you narrowed onto one and you are not happy with it, then consider getting a second or third opinion.
I have seen clients who were on a combination of blood pressure medications, because it was finally that combination that got them to a stable level with their blood pressure. I am not saying you would have to be on multiple, but I share that to explain that even if you chose to only stick with medications, it can be a trial and error process that takes time to determine what works for you. So whether you take a medication or natural approach, or both, I encourage you to have a bit of patience.
As you gain success with dropping your blood pressure, you can talk with your doctor about gradually reducing the dose of your medication. Keep in mind that even if you do not get it completely stable with a natural approach, decreasing it a bit can still be a win, because taking smaller doses of a medication can reduce the risk of potential side effects or the severity of side effects associated with that medication.
To conclude, if you are trying to reduce your blood pressure naturally, please consider staying on your blood pressure medication(s) while doing so, to avoid other severe risks in the meantime.
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