Natural
Blood Pressure Reduction:
Lose The Weight!
"1o
Diet Tips To Get You In The Right Direction, And On Your Way To Natural
Blood Pressure Reduction"
TOP 10 DIET TIPS FOR
HEALTHY BLOOD PRESSURE
1. Eat your
vegetables. Getting a varied diet high in vegetables will help you get
a lot of the nutrients that are helpful in lowering blood pressure. Aim
for four or five servings of vegetables a day. A great way to add
veggies to your diet is to eat a salad for or with your lunch every
day. A cup of lettuce with a half cup of other vegetables added in
gives you one serving of vegetables.
2. Load up on
fruit. Fruit, of course, is also important for maintaining health. We
talked earlier about the importance of vitamin C, which is abundant in
citrus fruits. You should also try to get four or five servings of
fruit a day. This is hard for a lot of people, but if you work up to it
gradually you'll find it's not much of a problem. A glass of orange
juice at breakfast, a banana (high in potassium!) for a snack and about
16 grapes as an after-dinner treat gets three servings down.
3. Switch to whole
grains. Many of the nutrients that are important for healthy blood
pressure are found in whole grains. Oats in particular are helpful for
reducing cholesterol, which can also reduce blood pressure. Aim to get
at least half of your grains from whole grains. If you're not eating
any whole grains currently, switch first to whole grain bread. Then try
whole grain pasta and brown rice. The whole grain versions of your
favorite grains tend to have a nuttier flavor that is quite delicious.
4. Eat your fish.
Two or three servings of fish weekly are a great way to protect your
heart, and the fish oil can reduce high blood pressure. If you don't
eat fish, supplement with fish oil capsules or one tablespoon of
flaxseed oil daily.
5. Make it lean.
Go for lean meats and poultry whenever possible. Lower-fat meats,
including fish, are always a healthy choice. Also consider lower-fat
dairy products and even including some soy in your diet, if you don't
already.
6. Nosh on nuts.
Nuts are a great snack, and many nuts are filled with
micronutrients and vitamins that can keep you healthy. They may reduce
the risk
of heart disease, help you keep a healthy weight and reduce your risk
of diabetes. An ounce of walnuts daily gives you all the Omega 3s you
need, while almonds are a great source of vitamin E. Brazil nuts are a
great source of potassium and selenium.
7. Drink more
water. Hydration is important for all sorts of reasons, but a wonderful
benefit that comes from drinking enough water is cleaning out any waste
that's accumulated in the body. Drinking water will help flush out
sodium, in addition to other waste products in the body. Drinking lots
of water helps you feel more full, which is helpful when trying to lose
weight. Water helps your body function at its peak (that's what most of
it is made of, after all) and is calorie-free.
Try substituting one caloric beverage a day for water until you are
drinking at least eight glasses a day.
8. Pass on the
salt. Though the link between high-sodium diets and high blood pressure
is not conclusive, many people with high blood pressure are sensitive
to the sodium in salt. Most people get way more salt than they need.
Try seasoning with other spices that bring more flavor to dishes you
cook at home, and cut down on prepared foods, which are filled with
more salt than anyone needs. If you have to eat fast food, drink lots
of water to help get rid of the excess sodium.
9. Eat more
organics. Organic foods are grown and processed without the use of
pesticides and other man-made chemicals. They are thought to include
more
healthy nutrients than conventionally produced foods, and their
production is less stressful to the planet. Organics can be expensive,
so start transferring to organics gradually or only buy organic foods
that have the highest pesticide load, such as peaches, strawberries,
bell peppers, apples and lettuce.
10. Drink tea. It's not known exactly
what it is about tea that makes it so healthy, but
it does seem to reduce blood pressure and improve heart health. Stick
to green tea
if possible, as it seems to contain more of the healthful compounds.
Drink at least one cup of tea daily, hot or cold, and you'll see all
sorts of health benefits. Cut out one soda or cup of coffee a day and
drink tea instead.
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