Dietary Steps To Lower High Blood Pressure

by Sarah Hobbs on October 24, 2009

in Blood Pressure

No High blood pressure is safe high blood pressure. Even if your blood pressure stays only marginally above the normal levels there is increased risk of organ damage, heart attack and stroke. The health risks only increases the longer your blood pressure stays high and the higher it gets.

Fortunately there are natural ways to help reduce blood pressure levels and to prevent blood pressure from rising to dangerous levels. A number of studies have found a correlation between certain diet plans and lowering hypertension so using a diet for high blood pressure means you can eat your way to being hypertension free!

Scientists found that changing your diet so that it is low in saturated fats and cholesterol, has an added emphasis on fruits and vegetables and fat free and low fat dairy products and includes whole grains and less red meat will significantly lower blood pressure. Lowered hypertension was also found when fish, organic chicken and eliminating processed sugars was incorporated into the diet.

It is important to include foods that are rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium as these are the heroes of fighting high blood pressure. Salts and sodium contribute to high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries so any diet for hypertensive patients has to be low in salt.

Some of the foods that are great for lowering blood pressure are ordinary enough, they just may have been forgotten in your diet. Calcium and vitamin D are found in skimmed milk. These two nutrients work together to reduce blood pressure and have been known to have about a 4% reduction rate – doesn’t sound like much but it can be the difference between life and death. Getting about half an hour of sun on at least 25% of your body is also crucial for vitamin D absorption.

Spinach is not just for Popeye, but is another great food for lowering blood pressure. Unsalted nuts and seeds as well as beans and legumes are also essentials. The aforementioned are all high in the key blood pressure minerals calcium, magnesium and potassium. Making sure you get potassium through foods is really important as taking supplements can upset the bodies balance of potassium so only take supplements with your doctor’s supervision.

Bananas, soybeans and potatoes compose another trio of hypertension fighters rich in potassium. Salt and potassium share a close relationship in the body and that is why its so important. Potassium and salt are inextricably bound together, if one is high the other is low, so for the sake of your blood pressure you want potassium to be high! Potassium works especially on the kidneys so it is important for guarding against renal failure and kidney disease, both risks from high blood pressure.

For the chocolate lovers amongst us, there is good news. Your favourite treat just got better. Yay for dark chocolate! Recent studies have shown that dark chocolate in moderation (around 14 grams per day) will help reduce high blood pressure with no added weight gain or other adverse affects. Dark chocolate is also full of antioxidants and minerals like iron – eat it with nuts or fruit to extract the fullest amount of ‘goodies’ from the chocolate.

It is important to remember that changing your diet for your high blood pressure doesn’t spell culinary doom and gloom. It really means that you will be living a more healthy active lifestyle, the benefits of which are innumerable – not the least being that you get control of your life back and no longer live in the shadow of high blood pressure, wondering when it will strike with deadly force.

If you liked the article on a diet for high blood pressure have a peek at my website How To Lower Blood Pressure Naturally for plenty of invaluable information for you!

Mentions about us on the Web;

Find more articles about

Blood Pressure

Leave a Comment