Blood Pressure Foods

 
Hereditary factors aside, high blood pressure is most often the result of the foods you eat. To lower high blood pressure, follow these diet guidelines.

Eat fewer foods with high concentrations of cholesterol and fat. It’s not a coincidence that vegetarians have a much lower incidence of high blood pressure.

Red meat is one of the foods that contains a lot of cholesterol, which is a frequent risk factor for high blood pressure. Fish and skinless poultry are better choices. Trim visible fat from meat before you cook it. Try grilling, broiling, boiling, baking, or sauteing instead of frying.

Eat more fruits and vegetables, and don’t feel limited to apples, bananas, lettuce and tomatoes. Other blood pressure-friendly foods, especially dried apricots, contain high levels of potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure. Learn more about foods that contain potassium, complex carbohydrates, polyunsaturated fats, fiber, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin A. Include these blood pressure-healthy foods in your meals as often as possible.

Foods that include a lot of fiber also help lower blood pressure. Oat bran, apple pectin, psyllium seeds, and guar gum are examples.

Whole grain breads and cereals are good choices for a low blood pressure diet. Sprinkling some brewer’s yeast on your morning cereal and dinner salad can also help keep your cholesterol and blood pressure range normal.

You can also add blood pressure-friendly nuts like walnuts and almonds to your diet and enjoy healthy snacks of plain, salt-free popcorn or pretzels.

Foods containing salt, or sodium, are a big contributor to high blood pressure. Keep salty to a minimum in your diet. There’s usually a lot of salt in processed foods and fast foods (especially fast food that prepared in a deep fryer). A lot of salt and a lack of potassium produces a high fluid volume, which triggers dysfunction of blood pressure regulating mechanisms.

Sugar also contributes to elevated blood pressure, so reduce your sugar intake whenever possible. Common table sugar or sucrose tends to increase blood pressure. A diet that is high in potassium foods, such as vegetables and fruits and essential fatty acids would decrease and eliminate sucrose intake.

Nutritionists also say that eating smaller meals, but more meals during the course of the day, is good. This flies in the face of the tradition of “three squares a day,” and is also at odds with the habit of huge family dinners. But it works.

While recent research suggests that a modest amount of red wine may be good for your heart, drinking a lot of alcoholic beverages will definitely cause high blood pressure. Drinking on an empty stomach can be especially harmful.

You can certainly ask your doctor about taking blood pressure medications, but your doctor will tell you that prescription drugs are far less preferable than eating foods that help keep blood pressure in a healthy range.

For additional tips, click on foods that lower blood pressure, blood pressure and bananas, blood pressure and whole grains and bran.