Home Remedies to Control High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy

High blood pressure in pregnancy is a situation or condition that no woman wants to go through. Every woman wants a peaceful and smooth pregnancy experience where all she does is feel the life growing within her and nurture her all through the nine months. High blood pressure in pregnancy can be a huge problem for women if not controlled on time.

Choosing to treat high blood pressure in pregnancy, also called hypertension, through natural remedies can prove to be more beneficial than allopathic medicines as allopathic medication consists of chemicals that we are not even aware of. However, no matter what kind of medication you choose to treat high blood pressure in pregnancy, make sure you conduct thorough research. Today, let us discuss home remedies to control high blood pressure in pregnancy. Home remedies can be a great way to control blood pressure from the root as here, you are in charge of your kitchen and know what exactly you are doing to consume.

10 Home Remedies To Control High Blood Pressure In Pregnancy

When looking for natural ways to control high blood pressure when pregnant, we must do our homework. Without consulting a doctor, you should not take any action. There are several methods of decreasing blood pressure that may be harmful to a pregnant woman but are harmless if she isn't expecting; it is essential that you discuss these strategies with your doctor to ensure that they don't hurt your body instead of benefiting from it. Our recommendation is to use home remedies in conjunction with prescribed medication, not as a substitute.

1. Control Salt/Sodium Intake

By removing salt from your diet, you can help curb and cure high blood pressure naturally. In pregnancy, your hormones are out of whack to the point where they compromise your immune system and otherwise impair your body's ability to perform its normal activities. Because of this, salt and salty meals are more difficult to process and digest, and high blood pressure might result if salt isn't digested properly or is consumed in excess. Additionally, cutting back on salt helps your body's energy levels and immune system while pregnant. Our recommendation is to limit salt intake unless your doctor specifically says otherwise. Salt contains several natural minerals beneficial to your health when consumed in small amounts.

2. Exercise

Being physically active is not just good to control high blood pressure during pregnancy but is also good for maintaining overall health for any individual. However, you don't have to go all out during pregnancy and start intense workouts. You can begin with exercising for 30 minutes a day to ensure that your immune system gets stronger. Regular physical activity will help relax muscles, ton your body, and regulate your blood flow. Being physically active during pregnancy will give way to vaginal birth and help manage labor pain.

3. De-stress Yourself

Pregnancy is a roller coaster of emotions. You will experience happiness, sadness, anger, stress, and everything above and beyond. Stress, depression, and anxiety lead to high blood pressure in pregnancy. It is very important to de-stress yourself time and again at such times. You must engage yourselves in activities that calm your mind and relax your soul. Listen to soft music for a minimum of 30 minutes thrice a day. You can listen to jazz, classical music, and Sufi music and enjoy the peace. You can also indulge in early morning prenatal yoga and meditation to bring more mental balance as well as physical balance in your pregnancy days.

4. Healthy Diet

A healthy diet reduces high blood pressure in pregnancy. Ensure that your food is enriched with low-fat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products. Such a diet can bring your high blood pressure down by 11mm Hg! This diet plan can also be referred to as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.

Changing your diet suddenly can definitely pose a challenge like never before, especially if you're a big fan of all those things that are not considered healthy! However, here are a few tips that will help you make a new start toward a healthy diet:

• Make a food journal and note down everything that you eat right from milk to junk. Then, take a look at it and consider it your sole aim to monitor what you eat and how much quantity along with the timings of each meal.

• Consider maximum intake of potassium as potassium has the ability to overpower the effects of sodium/salt on your blood pressure. Avoid potassium supplements and go for healthy fruits and vegetables instead.

• Never forget to read food labels. This will help you be informed about what your food actually consists of.

5. Magnesium

According to a 2011 study published in the Journal of the Indian Medical Association, magnesium aids in treating people with high blood pressure. Since most medical practitioners now suggest that pregnant women consume magnesium-rich foods, like tofu and avocados, as well as nuts and soy milk, magnesium helps promote a healthy blood pressure level while also preventing the uterus from prematurely contracting during the course of pregnancy.

6. Limit The Intake Of Alcohol

Pregnant women are strongly recommended to avoid drinking alcohol during pregnancy. Staying away from alcohol can help minimise the risk of any fetal complications and also help you manage your blood pressure levels.

7. Quit Smoking

If you want to witness your blood pressure going up instantly, observe it when you smoke that cigarette. When you stop smoking, your blood pressure starts returning to normal. Forgetting all about smoking will lower your risk of being diagnosed with any kind of heart disease and make your overall health much better.

8. Reduce The Consumption Of Caffeine

Caffeine consumption is one of the reasons for high blood pressure in pregnancy. Therefore, either drink one cup a day or just quit it completely, if possible.

9. Lose The Extra Pounds

When you gain weight, your blood pressure frequently rises. Additionally, being overweight may result in sleep apnea, increasing your blood pressure even further.

When it comes to regulating blood pressure, losing weight is one of the most important lifestyle adjustments. It is possible to lower your blood pressure by losing even a small amount of weight if overweight or obese. It is generally believed that losing one kg (approximately 2.2 pounds) of weight will lower your blood pressure by one millimeter of mercury (mm Hg).

Keeping an eye on your waistline is important for various reasons, including losing weight. High blood pressure can be exacerbated by carrying excessive weight around your waist.

10. Keep Monitoring Your Blood Pressure

You can monitor your blood pressure at home to ensure that your lifestyle modifications are effective. While checking your blood pressure regularly, you can also inform your doctor about any possible health issues. Blood pressure monitors are commonly available, and they do not require a prescription. Before you begin, discuss the possibility of home monitoring with your doctor.

Depending on how well your blood pressure is controlled, you may want to consult your doctor about how frequently you should be checking it. Your doctor may advise you to examine it daily or less frequently. A doctor may recommend that you monitor your blood pressure starting two weeks after any changes in your medications or other treatments and continuing for a week before your next checkup if you're changing your medications or other therapies.

You can also adopt a healthier lifestyle during pregnancy with Mylo Pregnancy Care Routine which includes pregnancy yoga sessions, Garbha Sanskar sessions and consultation with gynecologists and health coaches. It can help you manage gestational diabetes and BP, reduce backache and leg swelling, boost energy levels and manage your weight trimester wise.

Conclusion

Even if you have borderline high blood pressure in pregnancy, you must follow the above advice to ensure that your blood pressure in pregnancy remains controlled and does not give rise to further complications such as preeclampsia. Preeclampsia in pregnancy could develop after 20 weeks of pregnancy and can be a life-threatening condition as it may affect the baby and the mother. Therefore, it is important to take care of your mental health as well as physical health to avoid any of these factors affecting your health.

References

1. National Library of Medicine. High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy. www.medlineplus.gov
2. CDC. (2021). High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy. www.cdc.gov