High blood pressure is serious. It refers to the pressure of blood against artery walls. Hypertension can cause heart and kidney disease, stroke and other serious health problems.
Seventy-five million American have high blood pressure and a good percentage don’t realize it because it has no symptoms. Your age, family history, gender and race put you at risk, but so does your diet.
Eating to control blood pressure is fairly simple and doable. First, you need to cut out salt (sodium). Second, you need to eat a diet rich in potassium, magnesium, and fiber. Happily, you don’t need to cut out a lot of your favorites.
You just need to add the following foods to your diet. Most of them you will love!
5. Certain Fruits
Fruits that are high in potassium, magnesium, and fiber are readily available. Enjoy apples, apricots, bananas, dates, grapes and raisins, mangoes, melons, oranges, peaches, pineapples, pomegranates, and tangerines. With such a variety, you won’t get bored! Make sure you eat the real thing. You need the fiber, not the sugar in fruit juice.
The exception is unsweetened pomegranate juice. One cup a day for four weeks lowers blood pressure for the short term. Fruit makes a nice to-go snack.
4. Berries
Berries are rich in flavonoids. It appears that flavonoids may lower blood pressure. Eat them raw or frozen for best effect. According to studies, one cup a week will yield results. Blueberries and strawberries seem to have the best results.
Obviously, don’t sprinkle on sugar or douse them in cream. Instead, enjoy them on low fat yogurt or on cereal, or even by the berry.
3. Certain Vegetables
Leafy greens are at the top. Not only are they rich in potassium but in other excellent nutrients. Select romaine lettuce, arugula, kale, turnip/collard/beet greens, spinach, and Swiss chard. Eat them raw or steamed and don’t cook your greens with fatback!
If leafy greens aren’t your thing, try broccoli, carrots, green beans and peas, lima beans, potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes. Cheese, dressing and butter won’t help you avoid heart issues, so go naked and hold the salt.
2. Oily fish with Omega-3s
Omega-3 fatty acids are super healthy fats that your body needs to function properly. Omega-3s can lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and lower triglycerides. They also contain Vitamin D which also lowers blood pressure. Eat salmon, trout, mackerel, and tuna. Bake it, don’t fry it and watch the tarter sauce and mayo.
Flax seeds, chia seeds and walnuts are non-fishy sources of Omega-3. Nuts are high in calories, so don’t eat too many. More about nuts and seeds next.
1. Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt offers twice the protein as regular yogurt. Get plain (less sugar) and top with blood pressure lowering fruits and nuts. Plus, it is a source of calcium, potassium and other blood pressure decreasing minerals. It is lower in lactose, so it may be easier on stomachs.
Studies suggest that women eating at least five servings of yogurt have a 20% lower risk for high blood pressure. a week experienced a 20 percent reduction in their risk for developing high blood pressure.
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Hayrat Angaiz Dunya
