Are there certain foods you can eat which will help control your blood pressure? According to most nutritionists, there most certainly are. In fact, it has been proven diets that are high in fat and sodium lead to high blood pressure. Conversely, a diet that avoids these types of foods and adds certain other types of foods will many times result in healthy blood pressure. So, what are these foods that are good for blood pressure control? In this article, we will talk about controlling blood pressure by making dietary changes.
Here are some foods you should center your BP lowering diet around:
· Lean cuts of meat
· Fish (doesn’t include lobster or scallops)
· Skinless chicken and turkey
· Bran cereals
· Brown rice
· Replace regular milk with soymilk
· Whole grain pasta
· Fresh vegetables
· Fresh fruit
· Garlic
· Beans (Lima, lentil all types but avoid thick sauces)
Remember, these foods should replace high-fat, high cholesterol, high sodium foods that are a normal part of a western diet. Eating a diet that consists totally of the foods listed above is possible. However, other foods are allowed on a diet that is geared for hypertension control, but these other foods should be used in moderation.
For instance, it may be impossible to avoid fast foods entirely. However, you should limit the amount of times you visit fast food restaurants. If you have been frequenting such places, let’s say three times per week; limit your visits to once a week. In other words, what you are trying to do is move toward a healthier diet.
Desserts should be limited as well. Still, if you make your diet impossible to follow you will not be able to follow it. So, you should make up your mind you will have one, or possibly two desserts each week. Looking forward to these desserts will get you past some tough times and give you the feeling you are not being totally deprived.
Along with avoiding fast food restaurants, avoid table salt. Also, any cold cut meats you eat should be of the lower sodium variety. Some cold cuts, such as baloney and salami are very high in sodium. However, low sodium Turkey breast is a great substitute. In fact, it is very good for you.
There is no substitute for following your doctor’s orders. So have regular checkups and get your blood pressure checked often. No matter what diet you follow, your doctor still may have to prescribe medication. There is very little downside to this. In fact, doctor prescribed medications can save your life. Still, eating a proper blood pressure lowering diet will help you escape hypertension and certainly make you feel better and more energetic.
Jason Falson once battled with serious hypertension but now has normal BP readings. He has credited his remarkable recovery to following a few simple rules. Of course, one of these rules is following his doctor’s orders. His Website, Hypertension Symptoms discusses Jason’s rules of blood pressure control. Also, learn more about the connection between hypertension and anxiety and how to control your anxiety at Dealing with Anxiety
