High blood pressure is at epidemic proportions in the United States today with more than 65 million people suffering from high blood pressure and another 45 million having a condition known as pre-hypertension. High blood pressure is a symptomless disease which increases your risk of heart attack and stroke and you could very easily be suffering from it without any knowledge of it until it is too late.
There are of course medications available which can help in lowering blood pressure, but a lot of these are accompanied by side effects and, although some people might need to take medicine in the short term to lower their blood pressure, a far better solution is to control the condition naturally if you can.
For most of us high blood pressure is linked to weight and diet and this is a big problem today when two out of every three Americans are overweight or obese. In addition, the majority of Americans get way too much salt in their diets and not enough of the large number of other beneficial vitamins and minerals which can actually reduce blood pressure. In short, it is possible to eat your way to a lower blood pressure, if you know what to do.
If truth be told, it is often possible to lower your blood pressure quite quickly if you alter your diet and start to take some exercise. That said, if you’ve been sedentary for a long time you ought not to suddenly start a vigorous exercise program and it is always a good idea to talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program.
First of all though let’s talk about some things which you should avoid and top of the list is salt. Salt is one of the main culprits in today’s high blood pressure epidemic. An excess of dietary fat is also an offender because it encourages arteriosclerosis, weight gain, and other problems which result in high blood pressure. Thus, two things which you should avoid in your diet are salt and excess fat, principally saturated or trans fats.
So, what sorts of food should you include in your diet to help you to reduce your blood pressure? Well, potassium is one of the most important substances which is lacking in today’s American diet and that is very beneficial for your blood pressure. Potassium assists in lowering blood pressure just as salt help to raise your blood pressure and thus getting enough potassium in your diet can help to stabilize blood pressure.
It is very easy to get enough potassium in your diet by merely loading up on frozen or fresh fruits and vegetables, providing of course that they have no added suger or salt. Although this might seem bland to many people, it’s one of the best ways to make sure that you regularize your blood pressure. And of course, at the same time you also want to cut down on the salt to no more than the recommended daily intake of about 2400 mg each day. A great way to achieve this is not to add any salt to your diet at all because natural and unprocessed foods contain enough salt and, if you feel you need to add flavor to your food then simply try using spices and herbs.
Calcium and magnesium are two other minerals which can help to lower blood pressure. Both calcium and magnesium are considered to be calming minerals and most Americans don’t get enough of them in their diets. Low-fat dairy products are an excellent source of calcium as are legumes, nuts, and dark and leafy green vegetables. You ought to endeavor to get a balance of roughly two parts of magnesium to three parts of calcium. Foods like soybeans, sesame seeds and white beans not only have a lot of magnesium and calcium but they are also good sources of potassium.
Finally, ensure that you drink enough water and also get enough fiber in your diet. Fiber is important because it helps to speed toxins and unhealthy substances out of your body and it also helps you feel full so that you are not tempted to eat too much.