So your blood pressure is high, but you don’t want to take prescription drugs?
Can’t say I blame you, with what we’ve learned about some very popular pharmaceuticals over the last year or so.
Well, you’re in luck.
There are some simple modifications you can incorporate into your lifestyle that can make a big difference when it comes to hypertension, and here are the top 9:
1. Eliminate salt from your diet. This is probably the most important change you can make. The main reason why you will hear people say “I tried cutting back on salt and it didn’t do anything for my high blood pressure” is because they forgot about prepared convenience foods. If you start reading labels, you’ll find that just about all these items (not just salty foods like chips and crackers) have added sodium. Really, if you want to cut way back on salt, the best way is just to eliminate anything that comes in a box or bag from your diet. Eat natural foods, which will help your health in many ways in addition to lowering your blood pressure.
2. Cut out white sugar. While scientists aren’t yet sure exactly why, many studies have shown that eating processed sugars elevates blood pressure. Also eliminate high fructose corn syrup, an ubiquitous sweetener that has even more detrimental effects on health than white sugar. If you need a sweet taste, try adding some stevia, an herbal sweetener that comes in powder and liquid form, or xylitol, a low-carb sugar alcohol, to your foods.
3. Get regular aerobic exercise. Anything that gets you moving and your heart rate comfortably elevated has a beneficial effect on hypertension. Your physician may be able to give you an exercise plan that suits your condition and current fitness levels. It’s important not to do too much too soon. There are some Eastern forms of exercise, such as yoga and Tai Chi, that seem to have good effects on blood pressure. The emphasis on full, rhythmic breathing integral to these disciplines may be as important as the actual physical movement.
4. Increase the amount of fiber in your diet. This has been shown to have many benefits other than its effects on blood pressure. You can add fiber supplements to your diet, or eat more foods such as whole grains and vegetables, which brings me to the next tip….
5. Eat those veggies. There are myriad other benefits besides the increase in fiber associated with an increased intake of vegetables. These provide important vitamins and minerals, and other more recently discovered substances such as phytonutrients and antioxidants, which all help to keep your body functioning at an optimal level. One valuable nutrient contained in vegetables is potassium, and so our next tip is to….
6. Eat lots of bananas. Everyone knows that bananas are high in potassium, and it turns out that increasing the amount of potassium in our diet is almost as important as reducing one’s salt intake with respect to normalizing blood pressure. As a matter of fact, some authorities think it’s actually less about the amount of salt and more about increasing the ratio of potassium to sodium. We’ve mentioned bananas because they’re the most popular fruit in the USA and are widely available, but if you want some high potassium alternatives, try dried apricots, figs, avocados, cantaloupe, raisins, carrot juice, prune juice, peanuts, and almonds.
7. Get that folic acid. This nutrient’s been found to have a number of health benefits for women, and protecting against high blood pressure now seems to be another one. Harvard Medical School did a study which indicated that women could lower their risk of hypertension anywhere from 18% to 46%, depending on their age, by taking 1 mg (milligram) of folic acid per day.
8. Eat chocolate, but not too much. Some recent studies have indicated that 100 grams per day of dark chocolate can have blood pressure lowering effects. The researchers postulate that a component of dark chocolate known as flavinols is responsible. But remember, only 100 grams (around three or four ounces), and it needs to be dark chocolate. You’ll need to read labels, because most chocolate candy these days uses light chocolate. And of course, chocolate always contains sugar. So if you can’t stop at 100 grams, or you need to lose weight (100 grams of chocolate is usually around 500 calories) you’d probably be better off not to take that first bite.
9. And finally, dump those diet pills. You know they’re no good for you. While losing weight is usually beneficial for blood pressure levels, doing it by speeding up your heart rate is not. Do it by eating the healthy foods mentioned above and you’ll have lower blood pressure and a nutritious diet you can continue with for life.
