Eating foods that lower blood pressure is essential if you happen to have heart disease. Heart disease is like Jack the Ripper and Judas Iscariot in one killer package. It ruthlessly kills innocent victims. And it’s a traitor disease.
Heart attacks can occur during the most unexpected moments. By eating foods to lower blood pressure, your heart can have more effective protection against the onslaught of heart disease.
Did you know?
The statistics pertaining to high blood pressure show that for every four seconds, one person dies of a heart attack in the United States. Well, that is America alone. In some countries where people do not eat enough of these foods, the fatality rate of heart disease is higher.
Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, and the former Soviet Union are among the top ranking countries in terms of deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases. And in spite of the popular notion that only the rich folks are more susceptible, the truth is heart disease is not choosy when it comes to social status.
Rich, poor, black, white, female, male – everyone can fall victim to its deadly grips if they do not eat foods for high blood pressure.
Luckily, it’s never too late to change your lifestyle to fight hypertension. Before you reach for your blood pressure medicine, you need to implement and adhere to the right diet, and eat the right foods.
Foods that lower blood pressure
Unsaturated fats
Even though it is good to avoid oily foods, there are certain oils that are good and can even help your body. Unsaturated fats are your best bet when it comes to supplying your body with oil that will not do any unwanted harm.
A top food to lower blood pressure is fish. Unsaturated oils from fish such as Omega-3s not only prevent heart disease, but also help your body produce good cholesterol, which can lower blood pressure.
Skim milk
Consuming skim milk on a daily basis can greatly reduce blood pressure. Not only is this milk low in fat, but it is rich in Vitamin D and calcium – both well known to fight off hypertension.
Dark chocolate
One of the tastiest blood pressure lowering foods is a good quality dark chocolate. Studies have shown that the flavonoids found in dark chocolate can give a considerable drop in your blood pressure readings – both in the systolic and diastolic levels.
Tomatoes
Of course, nothing can beat organic fruits and vegetables. Tomatoes are rich in potassium and calcium, making them an essential food for high blood pressure. Tomatoes also have antioxidants that can prevent cholesterol from sticking to the walls of your arteries and blood vessels.
Broccoli
Eating broccoli is recommended for 2 reasons.
One – It has chromium that helps with the regulation of blood sugar and insulin. This makes it perfect for diabetics too.
Two – It’s high in potassium, which regulates the amount of sodium in your blood.
More Potassium-rich foods
Other foods rich in potassium are bananas, spinach, zucchini, soybeans, as well as baked white potatoes.
Garlic
Want to get the most out of these foods to lower high blood pressure? Include garlic in your recipes. The organosulfur compounds in garlic help in thinning your blood and prevent blood vessels from getting clogged.
How to prepare and eat these foods
Of course, the best way to cook these foods is by steaming instead of frying.
Steamed food has lower cholesterol levels compared to those that are fried in oil. If you cannot avoid frying your favorite dishes, try to use a little vegetable or olive oil instead. And after cooking, drain any excess oil off with paper towel.
Remember to keep an eye out for salt.
All attempts in eating good high blood pressure foods will go to waste if you use too much salt. Rather start using more herbs, spices and lemon juice in your cooking.
The way you eat your food is just as important too.
You need to refrain from gulping your food like there is no tomorrow.
It takes about twenty minutes for your brain to process whether you are full or not. This means that you need to adjust with the pace of your brain in processing your appetite.
So every time you eat, try to relax. Take it easy. Enjoy every mouthful.
You don’t necessarily have to start chewing slower. Just chew more times per mouthful. Your food should be completely chewed and mixed up into a soft porridge consistency before you swallow it.
If you eat this way, you’ll notice that you’ll take at least the required 20 minutes to eat. And by then you should feel satiated.
However, if you still feel famished in spite of the volume of what you have just eaten, don’t eat more just yet…instead; drink up to a glass of water to help reduce your appetite. If you still feel hungry, then have a little more to eat.
The added benefits of eating this way are that:
- It aids proper digestion, which contributes further to lowering your blood pressure.
- You’ll end up eating less, which contributes to weight loss, and eventually your overall blood pressure reading.
- Your body will be able to better metabolize and utilize the various vitamins and nutrients in the food. This keeps you energized for longer, and prevents you from turning to sweets, coffee and other stimulants for a quick energy boost.
So, what have we learned?
Not only is it important to eat foods that lower blood pressure, but it’s also how you prepare and eat these foods that makes all the difference.
It’s not about dieting and restricting yourself to certain foods to lower blood pressure. No. It’s about incorporating these foods into your daily recipes until eating healthy becomes your new lifestyle.
Get started today, and enjoy a healthier, happier, more energetic you.
Oh, and lower your blood pressure too!
