Eating Your Way To Reduced Blood Pressure
October 8th, 2008 | by Clare |
High blood pressure has reached epidemic proportions in the US today with more than 65 million people suffering from high blood pressure and another 45 million suffering from a condition known as pre-hypertension. A symptomless condition, high blood pressure increases your risk of stroke and heart attack and you could very easily have it without any knowledge of it until it is too late.
Of course there are medications on the market which can help in lowering blood pressure, but many of these are accompanied by side effects and, despite the fact that some people might have to take medication at least in the short term to control high blood pressure, a better solution is to seek out some natural remedies for high blood pressure if you can.
For most of us high blood pressure is linked to diet and weight and this is a particular problem today when two out of every three Americans are either overweight or obese. In addition, most Americans get far too much salt in their diet and not enough of the large number of other beneficial vitamins and minerals which can act to lower blood pressure. In a nutshell, it is possible to eat your way to a lower blood pressure, if you know what you are doing.
If truth be told, it is often possible to reduce your blood pressure quite quickly if you alter your diet and begin exercising. That said, if you’ve not taken any exercise for a long period of time you ought not to suddenly start exercising vigorously and it’s always wise to check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.
First of all though let us talk about what you should avoid and top of the list is salt. Salt is one of the chief offenders in today’s epidemic of high blood pressure. Excessive dietary fat is also a culprit because it encourages arteriosclerosis, weight gain, and other difficulties which lead to high blood pressure. Thus, two things which you should avoid in your diet are salt and excess fat, particularly saturated or trans fats.
What sorts of food should you include in your diet to help reduce your blood pressure? Potassium is one of the most important substances that is missing in today’s American diet and which is very beneficial to blood pressure. Potassium help to reduce blood pressure just as sodium assists in raising your blood pressure and thus including enough potassium in your diet can help stabilize blood pressure.
It’s very easy to get enough potassium into your diet by simply loading up on frozen or fresh vegetable and fruits, providing of course that they do not have any added suger or salt. Even though this may seem bland to many people, it’s an excellent way to ensure that you regularize your blood pressure. And of course, at the same time you also need to cut down on the salt to no more than the recommended daily sodium intake of roughly 2400 mg a day. An excellent way to do this is not to add salt to your diet at all because natural and unprocessed foods contain sufficient salt and, if you wish to flavor your food then simply try using herbs and spices.
Calcium and magnesium are two other minerals that can help in lowering blood pressure. Both calcium and magnesium are considered calming minerals and the majority of Americans don’t get enough of them in their diets. Dairy products which are low in fat are a good source of calcium as are legumes, nuts, and dark leafy green vegetables. You need to try to get a balance of approximately two parts of magnesium to three parts of calcium. Foods like sesame seeds, white beans and soybeans not only have a lot of magnesium and calcium but they are also excellent sources of potassium.
Lastly, ensure that you drink sufficient water and also get enough fiber in your diet. Fiber is important because it helps to clear toxins and unhealthy substances out of your body and it can help you feel full so that you are not tempted to eat too much.