According to the American Heart Association, over 100 million Americans have high blood pressure. This is an alarming fact since chronic high blood pressure can lead to other serious health complications. These can include heart attack, stroke, heart failure, aneurysm, dementia and many others. It is, therefore, in everyone’s interest to either avoid getting this problem in the first place, or reduce it if you find you already have high blood pressure. This medical issue is one of the top ailments for which doctors throughout the United States fill out prescriptions to mitigate. That said, you may be someone who likes to take charge of their own health and avoid health problems in the first place or handle them as naturally as possible. You’ll be interested in the following list of helpful foods and nutrients that are known for helping to lower blood pressure.
- Foods High in Potassium Because bananas are high in potassium, they are a great snack that is healthy in many ways including lowering blood pressure. Basically, potassium helps in this way by counteracting the negative effects of salt in your body. If bananas are not a favorite fruit of yours, there are others that are also high in potassium. These include oranges, apricots, cantaloupe and grapefruit. Beyond these fruits, certain vegetables, such as potatoes, mushrooms, peas and cucumbers are also high in potassium. Lentils, pinto beans, kidney beans and soybeans are also good sources. Having a mix of these foods around will do wonders for keeping blood pressure down and for your overall health.
- Garlic This powerful food has been a part of natural healing for ages. It is taken by many to fight off a fever or the common cold. In studies, it has been found to reduce blood pressure. It has lowered both the diastolic and systolic blood pressure numbers in clinical trials. As an added benefit, garlic improves cholesterol levels and blood sugar levels. It’s even being looked at for potentially helping to prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It’s also just a nutrient-rich food with few calories that happens to taste delicious as a spice in numerous dishes. This makes incorporating it into your diet a simple pleasure.
- High-Fiber Foods Certain green vegetables and fresh fruit are a couple types of food that fall into this category. Avocados and artichokes are two that are particularly high in fiber. Avocados are also high in potassium, which gives them an especially powerful one-two punch against hypertension. Various types of beans are also high in fiber and, therefore, great for helping to prevent or deal with hypertension. Lentils, chickpeas and split peas are particularly good in this regard. An additional benefit of high-fiber foods is that they give you a long-lasting full feeling after eating them. This helps you to resist the urge to snack on salty, fatty, unhealthy alternatives that will drive up your blood pressure.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids If you’re not currently eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids or taking a supplement containing them, you should be. These fatty acids have a ridiculous number of positive health benefits. These include fighting anxiety and depression, promoting brain health, fighting inflammation and autoimmune disease to name just a few. They are so effective at controlling triglycerides that omega-3 fatty acids are actually prescribed by many doctors for patients with high triglyceride levels. Not surprisingly, given the subject of this article, they have also been found to reduce hypertension. Foods that are rich in these fatty acids include fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel and herring. Nuts can also be a source for them. Chia seeds, flaxseeds and walnuts are all good sources.
- Blueberries There has been a recent study that indicates blueberries help lower blood pressure. It is believed that most of the benefits can be attributed to a nutrient in this fruit known as anthocyanins. This substance is responsible for the blue coloring in blueberries as well as the color of cherries and pomegranates, which also show promise for reducing blood pressure. You should keep some of these around the house to snack on if your blood pressure is heading in the wrong direction and for their overall nutritional value.
Your Diet Is Key Proper nutrition has long been a critical part of living a full, healthy and happy life. Avoiding potential health pitfalls, such as hypertension, is imperative to keep from getting the many additional ailments it can lead to. Perhaps the biggest benefit of incorporating more of the food above into your diet is that by filling up on them, you’re not eating as many of those foods that are detrimental for your blood pressure numbers. Every orange, banana, avocado, green leafy vegetable or whole grain you’re filling up on means you didn’t just fill up on a slice of pizza or a cheeseburger topped with bacon. By doing this, your future self will thank you for your healthier, more vigorous lifestyle.