Lower High Blood Pressure: 5 Ways
Let’s cover five ways you can lower high blood pressure through dietary changes.
1. Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables
The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is a very effective meal plan to lower blood pressure. The diet is high in fruits and vegetables, including 4-5 vegetable servings and 4-5 fruit servings everyday.
Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of fiber and phytonutrients essential to heart health and promotion of a lower blood pressure. The more the better!
2. Decrease sodium intake
Sodium & Potassium – Are you getting too much or too little?
I’ve shared information previously on the benefits of a high potassium diet and reduced blood pressure. However, another study has found an increased risk of death from heart disease to be linked to a diet high in sodium and low in potassium.
High sodium, low potassium equals increased risk of death
According to research Elena V. Kuklina, consuming a diet high in sodium and low in potassium results in a 50% increased risk of death from any cause and almost doubles the risk of death from heart disease. The study I’m referencing was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Study Participants
Researchers followed over 12,000 US adults. The participants did not follow a reduced salt diet nor did they have a history of heart conditions or stroke. Participants were followed for 15 years. During this time 2,270 participants died. Out of this number, 1268 died from cardiovascular disease.
Study Results
High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease
If your blood pressure stays consistently elevated you may be diagnosed with hypertension (high blood pressure). High blood pressure is known as the ‘silent killer’ because you may have high blood pressure and not even know it. Usually there are no symptoms. That is why it’s some important you monitor your blood pressure on a fairly regular basis.
If you do not take steps to control high blood pressure you risk long term consequences that can be fatal.
How does high blood pressure impact your body?
Let me give you a brief idea of what’s going on within your body when your blood pressure is elevated.
High Blood Pressure Linked to Memory Problems
A large French study examining 7087 participants over the age of 65 years-old with 16% of the study participants living with metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is defined as have three of the following risk factors – high blood pressure, excess belly fat, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, and/or high blood sugar. Participants with metabolic syndrome were 20% more likely to have cognitive decline.
Will Avocados Lower Blood Pressure?
Avocados are high in fat; however, they contain heart healthy monounsaturated fats providing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant protection. The avocado inner flesh is a good source of the fatty acid alpha-linoleic acid. Avocados are rich in vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, folic acid, and vitamin E. They also provide the minerals magnesium (important for lower blood pressure!), copper and iron. Avocados also contain the anti-carcinogenic antioxidant glutathione, as well as the beta-sitosterols to promote lower cholesterol levels.
Avocados and Potassium
Now, here’s something I bet your didn’t know – Avocados have more potassium than bananas. Half a medium avocado contains 549 mg potassium, while one medium banana provides 451 mg.
Why is high blood pressure dangerous?
Arteries are made of muscle and tissues that allow them to be elastic and stretch. As blood pressure rises arteries are required to expand further to accommodate blood flow. High blood pressure leads to many health complications, including damage to blood vessels, the heart, and kidneys. If not treated, high blood pressure may contribute to a heart attack and death.
