Foods that Lower Blood PressureThere are certain foods that lower blood pressure and are an important part of any medical plan to control the blood pressure.A healthy diet is the key to lowering your blood pressure as well as reducing your bad cholesterol, keeping a healthy weight, decreasing sodium and increasing potassium. Optimal blood pressure is at or below 120/80 mm Hg. If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your arteries and your heart and this may lead to heart attacks and strokes. Please keep in mind that high blood pressure does not have clear signs or symptoms. 
Controlling your blood pressure is not always easy to do but it is possible, through changes in your lifestyle and especially certain healthy foods that lower blood pressure: Calcium rich foods: Yogurt, broccoli, salmon, tofu, soybean, skim milk, low fat cheese. Cholesterol-free foods are plant based foods such as Vegetables, fruit, whole grains and legumes. Avoid butter and stick to low fat milk and very low fat cheese, skinless chicken, fish and lean meat. Low sodium foods: Reduce your daily salt intake to 5-6 grams per day, avoid adding salt to cooking and your food at the table. Foods that contain Vitamin C: Kiwi, red berries, red peppers, orange, broccoli, brussels sprouts. Potassium rich foods: Breakfast cereals, bananas, avocados, tomatoes, potatoes. Magnesium rich foods: Bananas, apricots, avocados, whole grains, peas and beans- legumes, seeds, tofu, soy flour. Omega-3 fatty acids: Mackerel, trout, herring, fresh tuna, salmon, sardines, whitefish. Spices such as black pepper, oregano, basil, fennel and tarragon are also believed to be beneficial in hypertension. The following is an additional list of foods that may help lower blood pressure: Garlic Onion Carrots Celery Spinach Dark chocolate Orange juice Peaches Raisins Walnuts Sunflower seeds Melons Almonds Peanuts 
As you may have already realised, foods that lower blood pressure are the same foods that will keep you generally fit and healthy. If you stick to eating a diet low in GI, high in fiber, low in saturated fats, low in salt and sugar, you will have covered most of the above. Remember that you will also need to modify your lifestyle by: Engaging in regular physical activity - exercise. Stopping smoking if you are a smoker. Limiting alcohol consumption to one drink per day for women and two per day for men. Trying to avoid ongoing stress in your life. *Here I'd like to tell you about a healthy diet program that uses a lot of the lower GI foods: Isabel de los Rios' 'The Diet Solution Program'. The Diet Solution Program favours a long term health orientated approach to fat loss, but not offering anyone a quick fix to their weight troubles. It has loads of valuable data and research to support its approach. I personally investigated the program thoroughly and my mum has been using it for a while now. I have to say she got some great results. The nutrition plan is one of the healthiest we have seen, a strong core focus on vegetables, fruits, vitamin dense foods, lean proteins, select dairy produce and a clear approach to not expecting one diet to work for all body types. So give it a go and let me know how you went.*
References: Balch, Phyllis A, CNC. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Fourth Edition (Penguin Group, 2006). Fortin, Francois, Editorial Director. The Visual Foods Encyclopedia. Macmillan, New York 1996. http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthissues/ healthyheart/ bloodpressure/ http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ lower-high-bloodpressure/ Ensminger AH, Esminger M. K. J. e. al. Food for Health: A Nutrition Encyclopedia. Clovis, California: Pegus Press; 1986 1986. PMID:15210. |
