High Blood Pressure Diet

If you have elevated blood pressure (blood pressure range), you may eat a high blood pressure diet including low fat fiber rich foods and foods high in potassium, magnesium, calcium and vitamin C. Include plenty of fruits and vegetables that lower blood pressure such as apples, asparagus, banana,berries, broccoli, cabbage, raisins and sweet potatoes, and whole grains in your diet.

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The findings of an extensive study reported in April 2008 in the Journal of Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that those who followed a DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) which includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk and plant-based protein can control high blood pressure.

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (www.nhlbi.nih.gov) recommends the following eating plan which is based on 2,000 calories a day. Note that the number of daily servings in a food group may vary from those listed, depending upon your caloric needs.

Source:National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute www.nhlbi.nih.gov
* Serving sizes vary between 1/2cup and 1 1/4cups. Check the product nutrition.
1 tablespoon of regular salad dressing equals 1 serving, 1 tablespoon of lowfat salad dressing equals 1/2 serving and 1 tablespoon of fat free salad dressing equals 0 servings.

If you have high blood pressure, then the natural question is how to control it. Lowering your blood pressure will greatly reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and other illnesses. You can lower your blood pressure by having a control over the factors causing it. The good news is that you can improve all of the high blood pressure symptoms, except hereditary.

High Blood Pressure Cure

First look at the reasons for having a high blood pressure. Once you identify the reasons for your elevated blood pressure, try to eliminate them.

In general, switching over to a healthier lifestyle can control your blood pressure. Follow the following recommendations to keep your blood pressure at healthier levels without the need for medication:

1. Remove your cause of mental tension or stress or worries. If the reason is your office, discuss the problem with your colleagues and seniors. Don't keep the problem with you. Mental tensions can often be reduced by a brisk walk, laugh loudly and relaxation or meditation. In fact, if you daily practice meditation, you can control your blood pressure for ever.
2. Maintain your weight. Exercise more often. Since excess body fat is a primary risk factor in hypertension, it is important to maintain a healthy weight.
3. Be physically active. Brisk walking, bicycling, raking leaves, and gardening are the best exercises.
4. Follow a low fat diet. Eliminate cholesterol in your diet.
5. Eliminate salt from your diet. Look at the salt content of tinned foods, snacks, potato chips, French fries, diet soft drinks, sauces, etc. These are high in salt, don't eat them. Do not eat foods that contain soda, sodium, Na, monosodium glutamate, baking soda and preservatives. Read the food labels carefully. With herbs, spices, garlic and onions, you can make your food tasty without salt.
   Know about high sodium foods and Daily Salt Intake Recommendation.
6. Restrict consumption of refined sugars. Read the lables and note different names of sugars.
7. A high fiber diet is recommended.

8. Music Lowers Blood Pressure

   Just breathe slowly, turn on some quiet, slow rhythmic music (classical, Celtic or raga music) for just half an hour a day for four weeks and watch your blood pressure tumble drastically, according to Dr Pietro A Modesti, Professor of Internal Medicine in the University of Florence in Italy, as reported at the 23rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Society of Hypertension.

9. Herbs For hypertension:

   Arjuna, Sarpagandha, Gokshura, Punarnava
10. Eat foods that lower high blood pressure as given below.

    Blood Pressure Lowering Guide

    1. Reduce weight
    2. Eat 5 serves of fruits and vegetables daily.
    3. There are many vegetarian recipes for high blood pressure on this site.
    4. Stop smoking
    5. Exercise
    6. No caffeine
    7. Low salt diet
    8. Control the peg: Heavy drinking may affect the function of muscles within the blood vessels, causing them to constrict and increasing BP.
    9. Yoga for weightloss
    10. Mild sadation on Doctor's advise
    11. You may try acupuncture for high blood pressure.

1. Fruits vegetables that Lower Blood Pressure

   Increase intake of potassium, magnesium, calcium and vitamin C rich fruits and vegetables.
   High potassium foods include banana, cantaloupe, orange, tangerine, beans, Brussels sprouts, dried peas, grapefruit, mushrooms, potatoes, spinach, watermelon, dried apricots, avocados, figs, kiwi, raisins, dates, tomatoes, etc.
   Magnesium rich foods include almonds, cashews, pecans, rice, banana, potatoes, kidney beans, oat bran, peas, soy, wheat germ, etc.
   Foods rich in calcium include low fat dairy foods, nuts, watercress, kale, broccoli, turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens, etc.
   Purple-red fruits and vegetables like aubergines (egg plant or bainganin hindi) and beetroot contain anthocyanins which increase the output of nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels and improves blood flow. So eating such vegetables may reduce blood pressure.
2. Onion: Take a mixture of 1 tsp onion juice and 1 tsp honey once a day for 2 weeks.
3. Eat 1 papaya or paw paw daily in the morning on an empty stomach. Do not eat anything for about 2 hours. Repeat for a month.
4. Garlic and berries help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol.

5. Berries Lowers Blood Pressure

   A diet rich in berries (just 114 g daily) can boost levels of good cholesterol and improve blood pressure, accordinjg to a report published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Feb 2008. After 2 months of consuming bilberries, strawberries, blackcurrents, raspberries, a reduction in systolic blood pressure of 7.3 mm Hg was seen while the level of good HDL cholesterol rose by over 5 percent.
   Berries are loaded with polyphenols, like flavonols and anthocyanins, vitamin C, folate, potassium and fiber.

6. Eat wholegrain foods like wholemeal bread and porridge, wholegrain oat, wholegrain breakfast cereals, brown rice and wholewheat pasta.

Blood Pressure Chart