Last updated on January 11, 2022
Content By: Dr. Nikita Toshi BDS, Assistant Manager (Medical Review), Dr. Ritu Budania MBBS, MD (Pharmacology) Head, Medical Affairs
Last updated on January 11, 2022
In every human body, blood pressure varies throughout the day naturally. Some people might have low levels while others might have high. Low blood pressure is known as hypotension, whereas high blood pressure is hypertension. Many people must have heard of high blood pressure but hypotension has also become common only more recently.
As per a report, mostly women in India suffer from hypotension to some extent. Low blood pressure might indicate temporary issues like dehydration or a heart condition, which is a long-term problem. Doctors may generally advise a low blood pressure diet before moving forward with medications to help treat low blood pressure.
Well, many reasons can lead to this particular health condition. The different reasons for low blood pressure can vary from age to genetics and can even be a result of allergic reactions or existing underlying disease. In some patients, it might cause no harm. But for many, abnormally lower levels can lead to fainting, dizziness and even be life-threatening.
Dealing with low blood pressure? Read on to know more about hypotension, its symptoms and causes and how you can manage it by following a low blood pressure diet. We’re going to be looking at foods to avoid with low blood pressure, foods to help manage low blood pressure, a low blood pressure chart and other related topics.
It is, however, always advised to consult your doctor before self-treating or trying any natural remedy to raise your blood pressure to normal levels.
In every human body, blood pressure varies throughout the day naturally. Some people might have low levels while others might have high. Low blood pressure is known as hypotension, whereas high blood pressure is hypertension. Many people must have heard of high blood pressure but hypotension has also become common only more recently.
As per a report, mostly women in India suffer from hypotension to some extent. Low blood pressure might indicate temporary issues like dehydration or a heart condition, which is a long-term problem. Doctors may generally advise a low blood pressure diet before moving forward with medications to help treat low blood pressure.
Well, many reasons can lead to this particular health condition. The different reasons for low blood pressure can vary from age to genetics and can even be a result of allergic reactions or existing underlying disease. In some patients, it might cause no harm. But for many, abnormally lower levels can lead to fainting, dizziness and even be life-threatening.
Dealing with low blood pressure? Read on to know more about hypotension, its symptoms and causes and how you can manage it by following a low blood pressure diet. We’re going to be looking at foods to avoid with low blood pressure, foods to help manage low blood pressure, a low blood pressure chart and other related topics.
It is, however, always advised to consult your doctor before self-treating or trying any natural remedy to raise your blood pressure to normal levels.
Written by
BDS, Assistant Manager (Medical Review)
Reviewed by
MBBS, MD (Pharmacology) Head, Medical Affairs
Blood pressure refers to the force exerted by blood on the walls of blood vessels when the heart pumps blood. Every time your heart beats, it will pump out blood and the pressure is highest during this time. It is known as systolic pressure. When the heart is resting, the blood pressure falls and it is known as diastolic pressure. The blood pressure readings consist of these two values and they are written one above another. 120/80 is the normal blood pressure reading, lower values along with symptoms of hypotension should be discussed with a doctor and switch to a diet for low blood pressure to help eliminate the issue at the roots.
Low blood pressure can be broken down into different categories based on its causes. Understanding the types of low BP will help pick the right diet for low blood pressure. The types include:
Orthostatic hypotension
Postural or orthostatic hypotension happens when the pressure drops suddenly upon standing up from a lying down or sitting position. Postural hypotension is common in older adults but some young people might also need orthostatic hypotension treatment. It can cause things like lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting and blurred vision.
Postprandial hypotension
Postprandial hypotension is also known as low blood pressure after eating and the drop in blood pressure happens after one to two hours post food consumption. It affects older adults and people with autonomic nervous system disorders.
Neurally mediated hypotension
Neurally mediated hypotension symptoms are seen in younger people mostly. This occurs when the communication between the heart and brain is faulty. In turn, faulty brain signals cause the blood pressure to drop when people have been standing for long hours.
Severe hypotension linked to shock
Severe hypotension linked to shock occurs because of some disorders linked to your nervous system. It is also known as a shy-Drager syndrome. It is a rare disorder that occurs with Parkinson’s disease symptoms that affects your nervous system
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Blurred or fading vision
Fainting
Nausea
Lack of concentration
Chest pain
Increased thirst
Cold, clammy skin
Shallow breathing
While the symptoms of low BP may not seem threatening at first, it is always advised to seek medical help when you experience the earliest of symptoms to rule out your diagnosis. Symptoms like blurred vision, fatigue, lack of concentration, increased thirst may also indicate other conditions such as diabetes and therefore, can be detected and managed effectively if diagnosed early on.
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There are several factors that can cause low blood pressure. They include:
Dehydration – If your body loses more water than it is taking in, it results in dehydration. It can be caused by vomiting, fever, diarrhoea, etc.
Blood loss – Losing a considerable amount of blood in internal bleeding or a major injury can lead to low BP. It happens because the amount of blood that a human body needs to have is reduced.
Certain medications, such as those for depression, Parkinson’s disease or erectile dysfunction – A few drugs like diuretics, beta-blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, medications for erectile dysfunction and alcohol can also lead to low BP. That’s why it is important to include plenty of fluids and fruits for low blood pressure in your diet while you are taking these medications.
Extreme changes in body temperature – Low BP patients might encounter extreme changes in their body temperatures all of a sudden.
Lack of nutrients and electrolytes in your diet – People lacking iron and vitamin B-12 might not produce enough red blood cells, which, in turn, can cause low blood pressure.
Here are a few people groups who may be at risk of developing low blood pressure:
Pregnant women – The rapid expansion of the circulatory system during pregnancy can cause the blood pressure to drop. Low BP in pregnancy can be life-threatening. It leads to shock, organ damage and falls. Studies have revealed that a low BP in pregnancy leads to low birth weight and stillbirth.
Heart failure patients – Several heart conditions can cause low blood pressure. When the heart isn’t functioning fully efficiently, the blood pressure in the body can drop.
Patients with irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmia) – It is a condition when people have an irregular heartbeat and this can cause a drop in blood pressure.
Adults and children with endocrine disorders such as diabetes, adrenal insufficiency and thyroid disease – Diseases like diabetes, adrenal insufficiency, thyroid disease and even low blood sugar can sometimes trigger low blood pressure in the body.
Patients with severe infections such as septicemia – Septicemia happens when bacteria leave the original infection site and enter the bloodstream. This can cause a variety of conditions and one of them is a life-threatening drop in blood pressure, called a septic shock.
Those prone to severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) – Anaphylaxis can be triggered by certain food, medication or insect venom. It can lead to a swollen throat, itching, hives and low blood pressure as well.
Those suffering from heat exhaustion or heat stroke – Heat exhaustion can lead to severe complications depending on when the body’s temperature is high. It can cause swelling in the brain and several other organs. Dehydration can also lead to fatigue, weakness, dizziness and low blood pressure.
Liver disease patients – Patients with liver diseases have lower pressure, affecting their ability to manufacture clotting and albumin. Due to this, it leads to oedema and other bleeding problems.
Severe low blood pressure can cause several complications if left untreated. They include:
Trauma/Injury – Even the mildest form of hypotension can cause major damage due to the risk of falls due to a drop in blood pressure.
Strokes – Sometimes, medications used for patients with low blood pressure while standing may increase the blood pressure levels while the patients are in upright positions. The levels might become too high, increasing the chances of strokes.
Heart attacks – Angina, a symptom of chest pain or even heart attack, might happen when insufficient blood pressure is delivered to the coronary arteries. These are the same arteries responsible for delivering blood to the heart’s muscle.
Kidney failure – Due to insufficient blood to kidneys, there is a drop in the levels of important compounds like creatinine and urea. Therefore, the kidneys fail to excrete the waste from the whole body and this leads to kidney failure.
Shock – It is a life-threatening situation where low BP causes failure of organs like the liver, heart, brain, lungs, etc.
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Elevate the legs – Elevating your legs can help to improve the blood flow to the rest of your body. You can try lying down, leaning the legs on a wall or placing them on a stack of pillows. Lying down or sitting with crossed legs can also cause a temporary increase in your blood pressure levels.
Use compression stockings – You can use compression stockings to help increase your blood pressure levels but you should keep in mind that these can feel uncomfortable and so it is important to consult your doctor first before using them.
Hydrate yourself – One of the best ways to raise your blood pressure to normal levels immediately is to drink plenty of fluids. Drinking Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS) can also help a great deal. There are also several ready-to-drink oral rehydration solutions available in stores. ORS can also be prepared at home.
Here’s a simple recipe for homemade ORS (1 litre)
Ingredients:
Preparation method:
However, it is advisable to check your BP levels and consult your doctor before drinking ORS.
In most cases, low blood pressure, if detected early, can be managed through the right diet and exercise. Sometimes your doctor may suggest certain home remedies for low blood pressure that can accelerate the process and help raise blood pressure to normal in a short span of time. They include:
Raisins – Every night, you can soak at least eight to ten raisins in a cup of water and then consume them in the morning. Make sure that you eat them on an empty stomach for hypotension management.
Garlic – Before bedtime or while preparing the food, you can add one or two garlic cloves. This is one of the foods that are good for low blood pressure and you must include it in your diet.
Lemon juice – Prepare a glass of lemon juice and mix some salt and sugar to control the blood pressure levels. Ensure to include lemon juice in your low blood pressure diet to increase your blood pressure levels.
Almonds and milk – Soak at least four to five almonds overnight after peeling off the skin and prepare a smooth paste the next morning and have them. You can even add this paste to a cup of boiling milk and drink it every morning for hypotension management.
Exercises are a great home remedy to generally improve heart health. Exercises help stimulate blood flow and strengthen the heart and lung muscles. The following are a few exercises for low blood pressure that you can try to raise to normal levels. It is advised to consult with your doctor and seek the right exercise regimen for you that is suited to the intensity of your condition.
Bench-press – A bench-press is a weight training exercise for the upper body. In this exercise, you have to push the weight upwards while lying down on a bench (head facing the ceiling). This exercise for low blood pressure involves the muscles of the chest, back and arm, among others.
Bent-over rows – It is a multi-joint exercise that enhances the strength of your lower and upper back. Bent-over rows also include hamstrings, glutes, shoulders and lats. By doing this exercise, you can alleviate the signs of low blood pressure.
Aerobic dance – This dance style helps in clearing the arteries and keeping the blood vessels healthy. Not only does it keep blood pressure in check but also maintains cholesterol levels.
Manage the symptoms of Low Blood Pressure with the right medicines.
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Salt, at a sufficient amount
Generally, people tend to reduce the intake of salt because of the sodium content. But patients with low BP problems must increase the salt content in their food. Make sure that it is not in excess as the excess quantity can raise the fluid levels. It directly reduces fluid excretion from the kidneys.
2 – 3 litres of water per day
Consumption of fluid increases blood volume in the body and is an important step in the treatment of low blood pressure at home. That’s why you must try to consume at least two to three litres of water daily. You can even replace them with bael juice, coconut water and aam panna.
Licorice tea
Drinking this tea twice a day can spike up blood pressure levels. It is another food to cure low blood pressure and also reduces the aldosterone effect. In some places, it is known by the name mulethi tea.
Olives
Olives are another food item that you can have to stabilize your blood pressure. Also, since they are slightly salty, you can use them as toppings instead of consuming them directly.
Coffee
Caffeine can spike up blood pressure temporarily when it has dipped suddenly. During this time, you might feel dizzy and drinking a cup of coffee will be beneficial. It stimulates the cardiovascular system and also enhances your heart rate. It is another cure for low blood pressure, which you can include in your diet.
Just like there are foods for low BP to increase blood pressure, some foods also need to be avoided. Patients wishing to boost their levels must learn about the foods to avoid with low blood pressure. They are:
Bajra and barley
Bajra is a good source of fibre but not high in sodium. That’s why people thinking of a cure for low blood pressure must never consume bajra. If they add bajra to the diet for hypotension, the blood pressure can decrease and lead to more complicated health issues. The same goes for soluble fibre and barley. It is known for reducing cholesterol and the risk of heart diseases. But they are not recommended as low BP food.
Rice flakes
Rice flakes are another item that you must not include in your diet to manage low blood pressure. Even though they are rich in potassium, patients must not consume them as they can lower the BP levels even more.
Berries
Strawberries or blueberries have antioxidant compounds known as anthocyanins. They can reduce blood pressure levels by 8% and consequently increase the chances of low BP complications. That’s why it is a food to avoid with low blood pressure.
Include the right healthcare products in your diet to maintain your BP levels.
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You can treat this health condition easily by maintaining a proper low BP diet. Consuming foods good for low blood pressure can raise the BP levels and lower the risk of complications. This Indian diet chart for heart patients helps in changing the lifestyle and leading a healthy life. Given below is the low blood pressure diet plan, which you can go through to find out the foods. Please be sure to consult your doctor before you start following this diet plan.
| Sample Of Low Blood Pressure Diet – 7 Day Meal Plan | |||||||
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | |
| Breakfast (8:00 to 8:30 AM) | 2 stuffed cabbage chapati + ½ cup cucumber raita + 1/3rd cup tomato chutney | Cornflakes and milk with strawberry (3 to 4) + 4 almonds and 3 cashew nuts | ½ cup cucumber raita + 2 methi paratha + 1/3rd tomato chutney | 1/3rd tomato chutney + onion and cucumber raita + 2 spinach paratha | 3 cashew nuts + 4 almonds + cornflakes, milk, with banana | 4 raisins + 4 almonds + one cup of coffee | 1/3rd cup tomato chutney + ½ cup cucumber raita + 2 cup grated carrot paratha |
| Mid-Meal (11:00 to 11:30 AM) | Four raisins and four almonds and one cup of coffee | Two slices of toasts and one cup of coffee | Four raisins and four almonds and one cup of coffee | Four raisins and four almonds and one cup of coffee | Two rusks and one cup of coffee | Four raisins and four almonds and one cup of coffee | Four raisins and four almonds and one cup of coffee |
| Lunch (2:00 to 2:30 PM) | ½ cup chicken curry and two chapatis | ½ cup cauliflower curry and one cup rice flakes pulao and one to two roasted papad | ½ cup soybean curry and 2 chapati | ½ cup egg curry + 2 chapatis | ½ cup sambar + 2 dosas + 1/3rd cup raita | ½ cup paneer curry and 2 chapati | One to two roasted papad + ½ cup dum aloo + 1 cup vegetable pulao |
| Evening (4:00 to 4:30 PM) | One guava | Two chikus | One cup pomegranate | One apple | One cup of grapes | One ripe banana | One orange |
| Dinner (8:00 to 8:30 PM) | ½ cup bottle gourd curry and 2 chapati | ½ cup Ridge gourd curry + 2 chapatis | ½ cup mix vegetable curry and 2 chapatis | ½ cup snake gourd curry + two chapatis | ½ cup Baked beetroot and carrot and two chapati | ½ cup spinach curry and 2 chapati | ½ cup baked pumpkin and 2 chapatis |
To deal with the signs of low blood pressure, maintaining a proper diet is essential. The low blood pressure diet must include things like:
Plenty of fluids – Dehydration reduces the volume of your blood, which eventually decreases the BP levels. Drinking a lot of fluids can help you maintain normal blood pressure.
Boost your B12 intake – Vitamin B12 plays a significant role in producing healthy red blood cells. Not having sufficient B12 levels can damage your nerves and other organs. To deal with low BP problems, you can include fish, chicken, eggs and low-fat dairy products.
Cut back on carbs – Foods rich in carbohydrates tend to get digested quickly compared to others. This can result in a sudden decrease in blood pressure, leading to low BP problems. Cutting back on these food items can improve your blood pressure levels.
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You should check the blood pressure at least twice a day, if not many times. The first readings should be noted in the morning and the second in the night or evening. Whenever you are measuring BP, prefer to take at least two to three readings to find out a more accurate result. In that way, it becomes easier for anyone to get an idea of the levels.
Treatment for low BP depends on the underlying cause for the same. The best treatment depends upon the cause and will be prescribed by your doctor after a diagnosis is made.
Shikanji, a mixture of salt, sugar and lemon and electral effectively manage BP and brings it to normal. It is one of the suitable foods for hypotension that patients can have to improve their blood pressure levels.
Drinking coffee with other caffeinated beverages can help in improving BP. Every morning, you must have a cup of coffee, as it is considered an instant remedy for low BP.
WHO ORS is the immediate remedy if you notice a fall in your blood pressure. It can be prepared quickly by mixing the ORS powder in the said amount of water. If you don’t have access to ORS immediately, mix 6 teaspoons of sugar and half teaspoon of salt in 1 L of safe drinking water and consume it within 4 hours. If a patient is losing consciousness, unable to drink oral fluids or BP is too low, consult a doctor immediately. This condition may require fluid replacement from IV infusion under expert supervision.
Do not exercise when your BP is low. You can exercise when your BP is in a normal range. It is said that patients with low pressure can get treated by doing the necessary exercises. They can opt for moderate activities which do not involve raising to upright positions quickly.
Quite a few yoga poses can be suitable for hypotension treatment and they are, Samkhya Yoga View, Viparita Karani, Virasana, etc.
Yes, depression and even anxiety may sometimes cause low BP. Some of the medicines used to treat these conditions can also cause a drop in your BP. If you notice any such symptoms, discuss this with your doctor.
When your BP is low, you should consume something salty, since salt or sodium elevates your blood pressure. Drinking coffee or something with caffeine in it can also help. Drink plenty of water to maintain a healthy blood volume which can be reduced by dehydration.
Foods that are high in salt will increase your blood pressure quickly. Over a long term, processed foods that are rich in unsaturated fats and cholesterol will narrow your arteries. This in turn increases your blood pressure in the long term. Avoid fast food, junk food, processed food and foods that have high carb diets. Choose to eat more whole foods like fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, lean meats and low-fat dairy.
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