The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute says, “…1 in 3 adults in the US have HPB.” Continue reading and the truth is even uglier. “You can have it for years without knowing it. During this time, though, it can damage the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and other parts of your body.” The US has a severe problem on their hands. High blood pressure has reached almost epidemic proportions. The thing is, it does not need to be this way. It’s so important to have your blood pressure monitored frequently. Whether you are young or old, suffer from diabetes or not, understanding your blood pressure, what affects it and what steps to take, if necessary, to beat it, are crucial to a long and happy life.
Most of us know there are certain things we can do to help keep high blood pressure in check, such as frequent exercise, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, relaxation and less stress. But one of the most important factors in lowering HBP, and one that we have complete control over (but manage to ignore anyways), is our DIET.
Unfortunately, the price of food, especially the healthy stuff, continues to go up. The result being, it’s all too easy for us to skip the entrance to the grocery store and instead be lured by cheap and tasty food, served up quick, at your nearest fast-food restaurant. And that’s where things begin to go awry.
Eating well isn’t necessarily that hard to do thankfully. What can be difficult though is? understanding which foods are healthy and WHY. What ingredients does the good stuff have that will actually help lower blood pressure?
Listed below are 6 easy choices you can make to control blood pressure by simply eating better:
Monounsaturated Fats – Increasing consumption of products with monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, in your diet can greatly diminish your risk of high blood pressure and may even eliminate the need to take medication to control the situation. Potassium Intake – Decrease potassium intake to 2,400 milligrams or less on a daily basis. Vitamin C – Increase consumption of products containing Vitamin C. This may mean a daily vitamin supplement (make sure to buy quality supplements!) or be part of an increased consumption of fruits, such as oranges Fruits and Juices – Increase consumption of juices, fruits (especially bananas) and whole grain based cereals to counteract high levels of potassium found in other foods and in your body. Important note: juices are good in moderation. There are lots of juices on the shelves of your local grocery store that contain seriously high amounts of sugar. Walk right by these and instead look for ones that have no sugar added. (Also keep in mind that fruits contain natural amounts of sugar.) Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Increase consumption of omega-3 fatty acids that are commonly found in cold-water fish. These acids are proven to reduce high-blood pressure as well as lower your cholesterol. Whole Oats – Increase consumption of whole oats help to control your high blood pressure. Additionally, they also have positive affects on cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Modifying your diet to include these foods can help reduce HBP. Combined with exercise, other lifestyle changes and tracking blood pressure at home you can be sure your BP will begin to fall.
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