Maintaining an appropriate level of blood pressure is important for overall health, but it can be costly because the process involves purchasing expensive prescription medications and covering health care services. Thus, blood pressure management can pose a significant challenge for low-income earners although many natural and inexpensive ways to manage and reduce blood pressure are recommended by doctors. Budget-friendly strategies can be used to improve one’s overall well-being, including mindful eating, reduced sodium intake, moderate physical activity, sufficient quality sleep, yoga practices, and eliminated bad habits that contribute to lifestyle changes.
Developing a mindful eating practice is a fundamental step in maintaining an appropriate level of blood pressure. Contrary to popular belief that healthy eating means buying expensive food items, it is possible to prioritize whole unprocessed foods while remaining within the budget (Jakicic et al., 2018). An affordable diet may consist of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins as a part of a nourishing daily menu.
Sodium intake should be limited to control hypertension in an effective manner. Furthermore, potassium-rich foods like bananas, oranges and spinach help to balance sodium thus, improving regulation of blood pressure. Processed or packaged groceries contain high salt levels that can dramatically increase the level of blood pressure (Santos et al., 2019). When cooking raw, unprocessed products with fresh ingredients, herbs, and spices, it becomes possible to control the amount of salt reduce the overall intake of sodium, hence, contributing positively to cardiovascular health.
Moderate physical activity is mostly associated with positive health outcomes. For example, physical activity represents a crucial element in holistic treatment focused on lowering blood pressure without the use of medication (Jakicic et al., 2018). Simple exercises such as walking or jogging can be and effective while cheap alternative to visiting a gum. Healthcare professionals recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercises per week (Jakicic et al., 2018) because people of all age groups can afford it regardless of the state of their health.
Chronic stress can also have serious effects on blood pressure. Thus, there is a need to focus on stress management such as deep breathing relaxation techniques or yoga. As can be seen from Chart 1, yoga is an effective method for stress relief. Many free resources are available online to help to incorporate these practices into daily life. Relaxation is beneficial for mental health and can positively affect blood pressure.
Sufficient and quality sleep plays an important role in the regulation of blood pressure. Getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep is critical for good health, but an appropriate atmosphere for sleep should be created by keeping noise and light low with, for instance, blackout curtains (Caddick et al., 2018). By sleeping enough, a person can adequately allocate their energy and concentrate on blood pressure and other health factors.
Lifestyle changes such as reducing alcohol consumption can also lower blood pressure. Studies have shown that excessive consumption of alcohol leads to high blood pressures due to its impact on the cardiovascular system represented by an increased heart rate and retention of sodium and water in the body (Day & Rudd, 2019). Reducing alcohol and getting sufficient water is a simple way to sustain healthy blood pressure. At least eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day should be consumed according to healthcare professionals (Baride et al., 2020). However, plain water over sugary drinks must be chosen.
The journey toward a lower and manageable blood pressure does not require great financial outlays. Every individual regardless of their income level can control blood pressure using simple, yet effective recommendations to live a healthier and happier life when they have a desire to do so. By focusing on careful eating, regular exercising, sleep quality, and stress management, one can lower the blood pressure.
