I don’t know about you, but I’m one of those gals who’s had (extreme) White Coat Syndrome my entire life. Just the sight of a blood pressure cuff can make my numbers spike!
Recently, my partner Mark took a terrible fall down a full flight of stairs. He broke five ribs, had three liters of blood in his chest cavity, and needed emergency surgery. He’s healing beautifully now but even watching his nurse wrap that BP cuff around his arm made me feel tense.
So, yes – I get it.
That’s why I’ve spent years researching, testing, and teaching natural blood pressure remedies to my private clients and Wise Women of Wellness members. And I want you to hear this loud and clear:
You can take control of your blood pressure naturally.
Your body wants to return to balance – it just needs support, consistency, and care.
Let’s explore how.
Why This Matters – Especially for Women Over 60
It’s striking that over 70% of adults over 65 live with high blood pressure. Post-menopausal women are especially vulnerable due to changes in hormones and blood vessel elasticity. Left unaddressed, high blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.
But here’s the empowering news: gentle, consistent lifestyle shifts can dramatically improve your numbers.
1. Nourish with Intention
Start with food that loves you back.
Potassium-rich foods – like leafy greens, sweet potatoes, bananas, melons, and avocados – help relax your vessels and balance sodium levels. Magnesium-rich options like spinach, beans, nuts, and yes, even a square of dark chocolate (my daily treat!) calm the nervous system and support healthy pressure levels.
Make herbal teas part of your rhythm:
- Chamomile tea soothes anxiety and promotes heart ease.
- Hibiscus tea has been shown in studies to actively reduce systolic blood pressure.
- Garlic naturally dilates blood vessels.
- Omega-3s from salmon, walnuts, or chia seeds reduce inflammation and support vascular health.
Small, steady food choices add up – just a 5–10 mmHg reduction can significantly lower your risk of cardiovascular events.
2. Cultivate Breath and Stillness
You don’t need to live at a retreat center to access calm. You just need to pause.
Meditation and breathwork engage the parasympathetic nervous system – your body’s natural “rest and restore” mode. Even a few minutes of slow, belly breathing, morning and night, can bring down your systolic pressure by up to 10 points.
I sit every morning for at least 10 minutes. You’d think mornings would naturally be calm, but not always – we can wake up with a jolt! I give my mind space to settle before the day begins, and it makes all the difference.
Your breath is always with you – and it’s one of the most powerful tools you have.
3. Move with Grace
You don’t need a gym membership or a Fitbit. Just move your body in ways that feel joyful and kind.
Yoga poses like Legs-Up-the-Wall, Butterfly, and Shavasana help regulate the nervous system and ease vessel tension. Have you tried chair yoga? It’s incredibly fun and yields impressive results
And don’t underestimate the power of walking: 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week – that’s it – can significantly support your cardiovascular health.
The key is this: Choose movement that feels good, not like punishment. Let it be a gift you give yourself.
4. Soften the Edges of Stress
Stress doesn’t just fog the mind – it tightens the heart. This is why your daily rituals of calm matter deeply.
Here are a few ways to soften the edges of daily stress:
- Light a candle and sip chamomile or lavender tea. I do this every morning, especially as the seasons shift. It’s such a nourishing way to welcome the day.
- Keep a gratitude journal. Just three things a day. This simple act lowers stress hormones and rewires the mind toward peace.
- Listen to calming music, birdsong, the rustle of the wind, or even just silence. Let nature bring you back to your center.
Supplements like ashwagandha, CoQ10, or a B-complex (or bee pollen) can also support women dealing with anxiety and pressure imbalances. (If you take statins, CoQ10 is essential – it replenishes what those medications often deplete.)
Your Heart, Your Practice
Your heart wants to be heard. Seen. Held.
And it responds beautifully when you meet it with loving, grounded choices.
This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about finding your rhythm.
Start here:
- Add spinach to your lunch or sip hibiscus tea in the afternoon.
- Take five slow breaths before bed.
- Walk slowly, intentionally, without distraction.
- Anchor a ritual – a candle, a journal, a few minutes of stillness.
These aren’t prescriptions. They’re invitations.
Start small, stay consistent, and watch what happens.
Join Us: 21-Day Heart Challenge (Free in September!)
Because I want you to feel fully supported, I’m offering you a 30-day free trial inside Wise Women of Wellness. Tons of Natural Medicine classes, community, courses with complete guidance to your natural well ness transformation geared towards women over 50.
This September, we’re gathering for the 21-Day Heart Challenge—a gentle path of daily practices, guidance, and sisterhood to nourish your heart, calm your spirit, and remind you: you’re not alone. We start September7th!
Come join us. www.drshirleysays.live/free
Free for your first month.
Your heart deserves this love.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Is your blood pressure normal or do you have hypertension? How do you address this condition? What natural remedies and rituals do you follow to lower your blood pressure?
