The silent killer, high blood pressure!
According to a report by WHO, an estimated 1.28 billion adults aged 30 to 79 worldwide, with two-thirds living in low- and middle-income countries, are suffering from high blood pressure. And do you know what’s even more alarming? Nearly 46% of people with high blood pressure don’t even know they are suffering from it.
High blood pressure can lead to serious health problems like heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. But you can manage it with small changes in your diet. Let’s dive into the article to find out which foods can help you.
What Puts You at Risk for High Blood Pressure?
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, happens when the force of blood pushing against your blood vessels is too strong, 140/90 mmHg or higher. It is no doubt a common condition, but if not managed, it can lead to serious health problems.
What puts you at risk for hypertension? Well, there are two types of risk factors for high blood pressure, one you can change and the other you can’t.
Changeable Risks:
- Eating too much salt or unhealthy fats
- Not eating enough fruits and vegetables
- Not being physically active
- Smoking or drinking alcohol
- Being overweight or obese
- Living in polluted environments (air pollution plays a big role)
Unchangeable (Non-Modifiable) Risks:
- Family history of high blood pressure
- Being over 65 years old
- Having other health conditions like diabetes or kidney disease
DASH Diet For A Healthier Heart
DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, which is proven to manage blood pressure.
It’s an eating plan that is made to help prevent or manage high blood pressure. It includes foods that are full of potassium, calcium, and magnesium, in other words, all the minerals that are good for the heart.
This diet limits any food that is high in salt, added sugar, and unhealthy fats. Here’s what’s included in the DASH diet:
- Plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy
- Foods rich in potassium, like bananas, potatoes, and leafy greens
- Foods high in magnesium, such as nuts and green veggies
- Aiming for less salt, between 1500 to 2300 mg per day
- No sugary drinks and only a small amount of sweets or desserts
- No supplements
6 Foods To Lower Blood Pressure
Below is the list of 6 foods that are not only tasty, but also help lower blood pressure naturally. You can add more to your meals for a healthier heart and stronger body.
- Bananas
Bananas are nature’s salt balance as they are full of potassium, which helps your body get rid of extra sodium and relax blood vessels, both great for lowering blood pressure.
One banana gives you around 420 mg of potassium!
- Leafy Greens
Leafy green vegetables can relax and widen your blood vessels, which will improve blood flow and lower blood pressure.
Some Leafy green vegetables are:
- Kale
- Spinach
- Cabbage
- Collards
They are packed with natural compounds called nitrates. If you eat just 50 grams of leafy greens a day, it can reduce your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
And here’s the best part? You can enjoy them with a lot of options, just like:
- A fresh spinach salad
- Cooked collards
- Kale chips
- The Choice Of Fatty Fish
Fish are also great for the heart as they also reduce blood pressure. Fish like salmon and mackerel are full of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, which are nutrients that support a healthy heart.
If you want to get the most out of them, then just season and cook them with olive oil for a tasty meal.
- Potatoes
Potatoes are loaded with magnesium, potassium, and fiber, which makes them the best way to support healthy blood pressure.
One medium baked potato has about 600 mg of potassium, which is around 13% of what you need in a day. Sounds crazy?
Although all potatoes are great for blood pressure, purple potatoes are better. They are also enriched with anthocyanins, which are natural antioxidants that can relax the arteries and lower blood pressure.
Potatoes are also very cheap and easy to cook. The prime feature is that they are versatile; you can bake them and mash them.
Bake, mash, or roast them, do whatever you want to, but you won’t be tasting healthy this good!
- The Powerful Berries
Strawberries and blueberries are also packed with anthocyanins, antioxidants that we discussed earlier, and lower blood pressure.
You can add them to your meals, as blueberries are also packed with lots of fiber and antioxidants. You can enjoy them with cereal, yogurt, or just take them on their own as a snack.
So, what anthocyanins in blueberries do to your body? This chemical compound helps your body make nitric oxide, a gas that helps your blood vessels relax and stay flexible. This, then, improves blood flow and can lower your blood pressure.
There is also a big question that fresh wild blueberries are nowhere to be found, don’t worry, frozen ones work just as well. You can add them to smoothies or snack on dried blueberries.
- Beets Wonders
It is a new way to beat high blood pressure!
There was a study done by Medical News Today, and they found that drinking beet juice regularly helped lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
The people included in the studies were those with and without high blood pressure. On average, beet juice lowered the systolic pressure by 3.55 mm Hg and the diastolic pressure by 1.32 mm Hg.
You can cook them, eat raw just like in salads, or have unsweetened beet juice.
Wrapping Up
So, are you heading to your kitchen to make some smart meals?
Do not forget to combine these foods with regular movement, less salt, and better habits. Only then will you be able to lower your blood pressure and live a healthy life.
