Eating Your Way To Reduced Blood Pressure

admin — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 15:32:00 +0000

In the United States today high blood pressure has reached epidemic levels with more than 65 million people suffering from high blood pressure and another 45 million having a condition referred to as pre-hypertension. High blood pressure is a symptomless disease which raises your risk of heart attack and stroke and you could quite easily be suffering from it without any knowledge of it until it is too late.

Of course there are medicines on the market which can help to lower blood pressure, but many of these have side effects and, despite the fact that some people might need to take medication at least in the short term to lower their blood pressure, a far better answer is to look for some natural remedies for high blood pressure if you are able to.

For almost all of us high blood pressure is related to weight and diet and this is a big problem today when two thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese. Additionally, the majority of Americans get much too much salt in their diet and not enough of the many other beneficial vitamins and minerals which can actually reduce blood pressure. In a nutshell, you can eat your way to a lower blood pressure, if you know how to do it.

In truth, it is often possible to lower your blood pressure quite quickly if you change your diet and begin exercising. That said, if you’ve not taken any exercise for a long time you ought not to suddenly start a vigorous exercise program and it’s always prudent to check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

To start though let us talk about a few things that you should avoid and top of the list comes salt. Salt (or sodium) is one of the chief culprits in today’s high blood pressure epidemic. Too much dietary fat is also a culprit as it promotes arteriosclerosis, weight gain, and other difficulties which lead to high blood pressure. Hence, two things to avoid in your diet are salt and excess fat, principally saturated or trans fats.

So, what types of food should you have in your diet in order to help lower your blood pressure? Potassium is one of the key substances which is missing in today’s American diet and which is very beneficial for your blood pressure. It helps lower blood pressure just as sodium assists in raising your blood pressure and so including sufficient potassium in your diet can help stabilize blood pressure.

It’s very easy to get potassium into your diet by simply loading up on frozen or fresh fruits and vegetables, providing of course that they have no added suger or salt. Even though this might seem bland to some people, it is one of the best ways to make sure that you normalize your blood pressure. And of course, at the same time you also have to cut down on the salt to the recommended daily sodium intake of roughly 2400 mg a day. A great way to do this is not to add any salt to your diet at all as natural unprocessed foods contain sufficient salt and, if you wish to flavor your food then simply try using herbs and spices.

Magnesium and calcium are two other minerals that can help to lower blood pressure. Both magnesium and calcium are considered calming minerals and most Americans don’t get enough of them in their diets. Low-fat dairy products are a good source of calcium as are legumes, nuts, and dark and leafy green vegetables. You need to aim to get a balance of approximately two parts of magnesium to three parts of calcium. Foods such as soybeans, white beans and sesame seeds not only contain a lot of calcium and magnesium but they are also excellent sources of potassium.

Finally, make sure that you drink enough water and also get sufficient fiber in your diet. Fiber helps to speed toxins and unhealthy substances from your body and it also helps you feel full so that you are not tempted to eat too much.

Published by Heart Wellness Store

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Eating Your Way To Reduced Blood Pressure

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