Eat Your Way To Reduced Blood Pressure
In the US today high blood pressure has reached epidemic levels with over 65 million people suffering from high blood pressure and another 45 million suffering from 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 have it without any knowledge of it until it is too late.
There are of course medicines on the market that can help in lowering blood pressure, but several of these have accompanying side effects and, even though some people may need to take medicine in the short term to lower their blood pressure, a better solution is to control the condition naturally if you are able to.
For the majority of us high blood pressure is linked to weight and diet and this is a major problem today when nearly seventy percent of Americans are overweight or obese. In addition, most Americans get too much salt in their diets and not enough of the many other beneficial minerals and vitamins which can act to lower blood pressure. In short, you can eat your way to a normal blood pressure, as long as you know what to do.
In truth, it is often possible to lower your blood pressure quite quickly if you change your diet and begin to take some exercise. That said, if you’ve not taken any exercise for a long period of time you shouldn’t suddenly begin a vigorous exercise program and it’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before you start any exercise program.
To begin with though let’s look at what you should avoid and top of the list comes salt. Salt (or sodium) is one of the chief offenders in today’s high blood pressure epidemic. Too much dietary fat is also a culprit because it encourages weight gain, arteriosclerosis, and other problems which result in high blood pressure. Hence, two things which you should avoid in your diet are salt and excess fat, particularly trans or saturated fats.
So, what sorts of food should you have in your diet to help you in lowering your blood pressure? Well, potassium is one of the major substances which is missing in today’s American diet and that is very beneficial for your blood pressure. It help to reduce blood pressure just as sodium helps raise your blood pressure and thus getting enough potassium in your diet can help even out blood pressure.
It is very easy to get enough potassium into your diet by simply adding plenty of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, providing of course that they have no added suger or salt. Even though this may seem bland to some people, it is one of the best ways to ensure that you regularize your blood pressure. Naturally of course, at the same time you also want to cut down on the salt to no more than the recommended daily intake of approximately 2400 mg each day. A very good way to achieve this is not to add any salt at all to your diet because natural and unprocessed foods contain enough salt and, if you feel you need to add flavor to your food then simply try herbs and spices.
Magnesium and calcium are two other minerals which can help to reduce blood pressure. Both calcium and magnesium are considered calming minerals and the majority of Americans do not 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 and leafy green vegetables. You need to try to get a balance of approximately two parts of magnesium to three parts of calcium. Foods such as soybeans, sesame seeds and white beans 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 enough fiber in your diet. Fiber is important because it helps to speed toxins and other unhealthy substances out of your body and it also helps you feel full so that you do not overeat.
One good way to keep track of your blood pressure if you have high blood pressure is to keep a log of your blood pressure levels. A log can help you determine which foods and activities may make it go...
Do You Know What Could Cause High Blood PressureHigh blood pressure (aka hypertension) is that often there are now symptoms. All too often the only symptom is having a heart attack, that\'s why a common nickname is the \"silent killer\"....
What your Blood Pressure Reading Says about YouDangerous blood pressure is high blood pressure the \"The Silent Killer\" has earned the nickname because the causes of high blood pressure are almost unknown which is why knowing when is blood pressure dangerous is even more important. In 8...
High Blood Pressure: The Silent EnemyA killer is haunting one third of the adults in this country, and one fourth of them are completely oblivious. Over 73 million people over the age of twenty in the United States are walking around with high blood pressure,...
Dealing With High Blood PressureHigh blood pressure, or hypertension, is one disease where your actions can really make you sorry. Except in cases where aging or genetics are at fault, people with high blood pressure usually have no one to blame but themselves. For...