If you suffer from hypertension, you have probably already been educated about the dangers of allowing your blood pressure to remain elevated. Depending on the severity of your condition, your doctor may have prescribed medications and/or recommended diet and exercise. If you have been following your doctor’s recommendations yet your blood pressure remains high, don’t fret, as there are some other treatments that may assist you with getting your blood pressure normalized. Here are five smart ways to lower your blood pressure:

Incorporate meditation into your regimen 

If you have been experiencing an immense amount of stress in your life, then regardless of medication and diet changes, it may be nearly impossible to lower your blood pressure. Stress wreaks havoc on the entire body, throwing all systems out of whack. When you’re stressed, your adrenal glands produce increased amounts of cortisol and other hormones, which could have a negative effect on blood pressure. Meditation induces relaxation, lowers blood pressure and provides overall benefits to the body. Adding in a minimum of two or three sessions each week can dramatically reduce blood pressure.

It’s easier than you think to use meditation as a way to promote healing throughout your entire body. You can start by checking for one or more of the various apps available through your computer or mobile device. There are also various guided meditations available online, and if you’re on a budget, there are free meditations available.

Lose weight

While you may have changed your diet in an effort to lower your blood pressure, you may not have lost any weight, if you are overweight. Studies show that losing even a few pounds can work wonders for lowering blood pressure. Losing excess weight has also been shown to lower blood pressure more quickly than any other method, so if you’re overweight, you should definitely reduce your weight.

Watch your alcohol consumption 

You may not believe that there is a correlation between consuming alcohol and elevated blood pressure, but there is. If you’re not much of a drinker, then you likely don’t have anything to worry about. However, if you’re a moderate to heavy drinker then it’s likely that the excess alcohol is contributing to your hypertension.

Quit smoking

Like drinking, smoking cigarettes can also have a negative effect on blood pressure. Quitting can almost immediately reduce your numbers. If you’re having difficulty quitting, why not schedule an appointment with your doctor? He or she can possibly prescribe medication and/or recommend smoking cessation classes. Sometimes all you need is a little extra support to quit, which can improve your health in other ways as well.

Try herbs

There are many herbs available that can reduce blood pressure just as effectively, and sometimes even more effectively, than prescription medications. Before beginning an herbal regime, it’s a good idea to mention it to your physician. Here is a partial list of herbs that have been shown to successfully lower blood pressure levels:

• Celery seed
• Hawthorne
• Ginger root
• Garlic
• Basil

There is no need to allow a diagnosis of hypertension to ruin your life. There are easy ways to return your blood pressure to normal, even if medications don’t work. If one treatment appears ineffective, try combining it with another possibility until you achieve the results that you seek. You will eventually reap the benefits of reduced blood pressure levels, which will minimize your risk of heart disease as well as other potential complications.