Foods To Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

Foods To Lower Blood Pressure Naturally
Controlling high blood pressure (hypertension) is important, because left unchecked, it can cause heart disease or stroke. Hypertension often lacks noticeable symptoms, so it is important to have regular physicals. Hypertension is generally diagnosed as a blood pressure reading above 140/80.
Medications designed to treat hypertension do not relieve the underlying causes, and are not always effective at lowering blood pressure. Over 50 percent of patients find that medication alone does not control their hypertension.

The good news is that lifestyle changes can help over 85 percent of those suffering from hypertension. Develop an exercise plan with the help of your doctor that incorporates aerobic exercise and strength training. Start slowly and aim to exercise consistently at least five days per week. Reduce stress through yoga, meditation or prayer.

Dr. Mercola advises cutting out foods that are rapidly converted to sugar, such as pasta, bread, potatoes, rice and cereal. In addition, he recommends cutting out foods that are high in fructose, including fruit like mangoes, raisins and grapes.

Physician and author Matilda Parente, MD, recommends the following foods as part of an overall healthy lifestyle to reduce hypertension or prevent it.

Kale, collards and other leafy greens: These plants are easy to grow in your own yard and are high in fiber and vitamin A, and low in sugars. Recent research suggests that inorganic nitrates, found in these plants, may relax the blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more freely. Plant leafy greens in early spring, as soon as the soil is soft.

Green peas: Green peas also contain plenty of fiber and vitamins. Plant them early in the spring since peas tend to wither and dwindle when temperatures rise.

Tomatoes: The chemical lycopene, responsible for tomato’s bright color, is also a powerful antioxidant. Buy disease-free tomato plants and wait until after the last frost to plant them.

Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes contain fiber, vitamin A and antioxidants, as well. Sweet potatoes need warm temperatures and a long growing season to mature.

Winter squash: Also high in fiber, beta carotene and vitamin A, winter squash need plenty of room, fertile soil and a long growing season.

Berries: Dr. Parente says a recent study found that eating a cup of blueberries or strawberries weekly may prevent high blood pressure. Strawberries grow well in full sun and moist, rich soil. Blueberries, on the other hand, have very specific growing needs. Unless your soil is very acidic (4.5 to 5.5) you’re probably better off buying fresh or frozen berries.

Apricots: Apricots are a good source of fiber and potassium, which has been shown to reduce or prevent high blood pressure. Apricots thrive in climates with warm summers and mild winters. Avoid dried apricots, since they contain more sugar.

Bananas: Also high in potassium, bananas help remove excess sodium from the body, says Dr. Parente.

Cantaloupe: High in potassium and beta carotene, cantaloupe is refreshing alone, in fruit salads or blended in smoothies. Grow it in full sun in moist, rich soil.

Incorporating fruits and vegetables for lowering blood pressure into your diet may do more than just reduce your blood pressure. Fruits and vegetables are low in calories, aiding in weight loss, and you’ll probably have more energy, as well.

Recommendations for Vegetable and Fruit Intake

Recommendations for Vegetable and Fruit Intake

Vegetables and fruits are clearly an important part of a good diet. Almost everyone can benefit from eating more of them, but variety is as important as quantity. No single fruit or vegetable provides all of the nutrients you need to be healthy. The key lies in the variety of different vegetables and fruits that you eat.

• Try these tips to fit more fruits and vegetables into your day:
• Keep fruit out where you can see it. That way you'll be more likely to eat it. Keep it out on the counter or in the front of the fridge.
• Get some every meal, every day. Try filling half your plate with vegetables or fruit at each meal. Serving up salads, stir fry, or other fruit and vegetable-rich fare makes it easier to reach this goal. Bonus points if you can get some fruits and vegetables at snack time, too.
• Explore the produce aisle and choose something new. Variety is the key to a healthy diet. Get out of a rut and try some new fruits and vegetables—include dark green leafy vegetables; yellow, orange, and red fruits and vegetables; cooked tomatoes; and citrus fruits.
• Bag the potatoes. Choose other vegetables that are packed with more nutrients and more slowly digested carbs.
• Make it a meal. Try some new recipes where vegetables take center stage, such as Tunisian carrot salad and spicy broccolini with red pepper.

Vegetables, Fruits, and Blood Pressure

Vegetables, Fruits, and Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a primary risk factor for heart disease and stroke. As such, it's a condition that is important to control. Diet can be a very effective tool for lowering blood pressure. One of the most convincing associations between diet and blood pressure was found in the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) study.

This trial examined the effect on blood pressure of a diet that was rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products and that restricted the amount of saturated and total fat. The researchers found that people with high blood pressure who followed this diet reduced their systolic blood pressure (the upper number of a blood pressure reading) by about 11 mm Hg and their diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) by almost 6 mm Hg—as much as medications can achieve.
More recently, a randomized trial known as the Optimal Macronutrient Intake Trial for Heart Health (OmniHeart) showed that this fruit and vegetable-rich diet lowered blood pressure even more when some of the carbohydrate was replaced with healthy unsaturated fat or protein.
Fruits and Vegetables That Lower Blood Pressure

5 Great Ways To Lower Blood Pressure Using 1 Great Fruit

5 Great Ways To Lower Blood Pressure Using 1 Great Fruit
Fruits vegetables that lower blood pressure
If you ate a green salad with fresh chopped tomatoes, then you not only got a healthy dose of this powerful antioxidant, but you have also taken significant action toward lowering your blood pressure. A recent double-blind study conducted in Israel has confirmed what hearth-healthy Italians have enjoyed for centuries – tomatoes (and tomato sauce) Lower Blood Pressure and the risk of heart disease.

Dr. Esther Paran, head of the hypertension division of Soroka Medical Center, led up the Israeli study. It involved patients who were already being treated for hypertension, but were not responding well to the medications. Dr. Paran had patients take a supplement of tomato extract. The results were a significant drop in blood pressure after just four weeks.

Tomatoes are so effective at lowering blood pressure because they contain lycopene. This potent antioxidant is even the focus of some hybrid tomatoes grown by the Israeli company, Lycomato, in order to have higher concentrations of lycopene in each piece of fruit. Other antioxidants found in tomatoes make this one super-food in the prevention of heart disease. It can even help keep LDL cholesterol from oxidizing which makes it stick to the arteries and narrow the passage way causing blood pressure to increase.

Even during the peak growing season it can be difficult to consume four whole tomatoes each day, which is the recommended amount for having a positive impact on blood pressure. Here are some ways to get the benefits of tomatoes without having to eat them straight off the vine.

1. Make Chili. Using tomato puree, which is a concentrated form of tomatoes, as the base for your chili utilizes the antioxidants without the bulk of a whole tomato. Add some ultra-lean and high protein ground bison and kidney beans with minced garlic and onions, and cayenne pepper and you have a heart-healthy main course and a full day’s allowance of tomato.

2. Since using olive oil with the tomatoes enhances the curative quality, make your pasta sauce red with tomatoes, tomato paste and olive oil to sauté the garlic and onion. Tomato paste used in making sauce contains more than 10 times the nutrients of a single tomato.

3. Have a fresh salad as a side dish to either of these entrees and cut one whole tomato on top. You’ll get one-quarter of you tomato intake right there.

4. Drink tomato juice. It is better to make your own fresh juice so that you can control the sodium. Store bought juices can be high in sugar and sodium-based preservatives. If you have a juicer, you can make some incredible veggie juices to suit your own tastes by adding carrots, celery and some low-sodium seasonings.

5. Take a tomato supplement. If you just can’t stomach tomatoes, then a 200 mg supplement provides the equivalent of more than the recommended four tomatoes.

Adding tomatoes to your diet can reduce systolic blood pressure by 10 points and diastolic pressure by 4 points as was evident in the Israel study. Whatever way you slice it, tomatoes will keep strengthen your immune system and lower blood pressure.
Fruits vegetables that lower blood pressure
fruits-that-lower-blood-pressure.

Fruits Vegetables That Lower Blood Pressure

Fruits Vegetables That Lower Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can lead to other health problems or aggravate them. Cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and stroke together are known to account for 75 percent of all deaths in the United States.

Blood pressure is known to be directly related to the balance of sodium and potassium in the blood. Nearly 75 percent of the sodium consumed comes from processed foods and only 5-10 percent comes from added salt. As Americans are used to consume more processed food, they end up consuming more sodium.

Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury and recorded as systolic pressure over diastolic pressure. Blood pressure level of 140/90 and above is considered as high blood pressure for an adult while <>The effectiveness of a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and low fat diary products on blood pressure was measured. This study has found that people with high blood pressure who followed the diet reduced their systolic blood pressure by 11 mm of mercury and their diastolic blood pressure by 6 mm of mercury. By increasing potassium intake, people can avoid high blood pressure altogether or lower high blood pressure if they have it.

• Spinach,
• Cantaloupe,
• Brussels sprouts,
• Mushrooms,
• Bananas,
• Oranges, and
• Grapefruit

.....are known to be good sources of potassium. The consumption of fruits and vegetables can also lead to the reduced intake of saturated fat and cholesterol.
Fruits vegetables that Lower Blood Pressure

Vegetables that Lower Blood Pressure

Vegetables that Lower Blood Pressure

According to the Archives of Internal Medicine, a diet high in vegetables not only helps to regulate blood pressure, but also lowers high blood pressure. Daily four to five servings of raw, leafy and cooked vegetables is essential to maintain normal blood pressure. To get the best out of vegetables, they should be preferably consumed raw as salads, or steamed, grilled or boiled. Let's find out which vegetables can help lower blood pressure.

Bitter Melon: Bitter melon, also known as bitter gourd, is a good source of amino acid called citrulline. Citrulline is essential to increase the number of nitric monoxide and vitamin C, which helps to eliminate active oxygen to maintain nitric monoxide longer in the blood vessels. This in turn helps to lower high blood pressure.

Carrots: Carrots are high in beta-carotene and potassium, and help to maintain and regulate normal blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart diseases. Carrots are best eaten raw, or can even be juiced with a few herbs like mint or parsley, to maximize their benefits.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes are a good source of calcium, potassium, and contain many vital vitamins like A, C and E. They contain lycopene, an antioxidant, which is known to help lower high blood pressure. Lycopene prevents LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol from sticking to the blood vessel walls, which in turn prevents the heart from raising blood pressure.

Flower Vegetable: Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage are high in glutamic acid, which is the most common amino acid found in vegetable protein. This acid helps to reduce blood pressure and decrease the chances of stroke.

Leafy Greens: Leafy green vegetables like spinach, lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, etc. are high in minerals, vitamins and fiber content and low in calories. They also contain a variety of phytochemicals, beta-carotene, lutein, etc. All these proteins help fight plaque build-up in the blood vessels, and help lower blood pressure.

Fresh fruits and vegetables that lower blood pressure naturally should be incorporated in the diet, not only for those suffering from high blood pressure but for all those who seek a happy, healthy life. It is best to consult a medical practitioner to chalk out a suitable diet plan, to ensure maximum benefit from fruits and vegetables.
vegetables-that-lower-blood-pressure

Berries Lowers Blood Pressure

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.

Fruits Vegetables that Lower Blood Pressure