Diet to Control High Blood Pressure

Diet to Control High Blood Pressure

Diet to Control High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a serious problem, but it is also one that a lot of people have to deal with every day. If you are one of those people that have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, it is imperative that you start to take the necessary steps in order to alleviate this problem as soon as possible. If left untreated, hypertension can lead to a lot more serious medical problems such as heart disease.

One of the most efficient ways to deal with hypertension is with a diet. It is true that overweight people are more at risk of having this condition so losing a few pounds will have several positive effects on their health. There are many high blood pressure diets out there, but for the most part the crucial thing is to know what foods to enjoy and what foods to avoid.

First of all, the three dietary elements which anyone with high blood pressure must eliminate from his diet or at the very least minimize the amount consumed are fats, sodium (meaning salt) and alcohol. All of these have the capability of increasing your blood pressure, especially when consumed with regularity. They will need to be substituted with more heart smart foods that will help instead of hinder your rehabilitation progress.

Everyone knows that a healthy diet needs to contain a lot of fruits. These are very rich with all sorts of nutrients that benefit the human body. However, those looking for a diet for high blood pressure should focus on fruits that are also good for the heart. That is why you cannot go wrong with blueberries. They are not only delicious, but they contain anthocyanins which have the ability of preventing hypertension. If you never want to worry about high blood pressure make sure that blueberries are a staple of your diet.

Fruits are good for a diet, but so are vegetables. They also contain a lot of nutrients and some of them are very effective against high blood pressure. In this case, you are looking for veggies rich in nitrate. The best example would be beets. You can eat them in order to benefit from their healing powers and you can also drink beet juice which has the same effects, as long as it is natural. Other vegetables also rich in nitrate include spinach, carrots, cabbage and lettuce.

Speaking of drinking, you need to cut back on carbonated beverages and alcohol. However, do not necessarily substitute them with water. We already established that beet juice is great for you, but so is milk, as long as it is skim or low-fat. In fact, all low-fat dairy products are good against hypertension and can be a part of high blood pressure diets.

Lastly, no diet for high blood pressure would be complete without something sweet for those moments when you want a little treat. In those situations, dark chocolate is perfect. It contains flavonoids which can dilute the blood vessels, thus improving blood flow throughout the body.


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