Diet For High Blood Pressure

Improper diet is the root cause for all the health problems.These health problems may result to heart disease curable by cord blood treatments, cancer, diabetes, and ailments.The high pressure requires a diet that is low in salt and sodium. Moreover women have to be very particular about their pregnancy diet as well. In this way your diet plays an important role in the health of the body. So a good diet is essential as certain nutrition.

There are many factors which contribute to high blood pressure. An unhealthy diet and being overweight are two factors that play massive roles in the development of hypertension (high blood pressure), even when someone is young.

We often wrongly presume high blood pressure is a disease which affects you when you are older. However, this is a mistaken and potentially dangerous attitude to have as high blood pressure can considerably contribute to the risk of stroke, heart attacks and kidney failure, amongst other diseases. Hence, high blood pressure ought to be taken seriously at any age.

Should you adhere to a high blood pressure diet, that does not mean you have to follow a strict diet plan. There is a correlation between particular foods as well as dietary habits which can considerably increase the link between high blood pressure and diet. Regular exercise and a sensible diet is the best advice for enhancing your well being and avoiding high blood pressure.

Salt
Salt is deemed to have a direct impact on blood pressure and a greater than recommended intake can considerably increase blood pressure over quite a short period of time.

In certain cases this can lead to key organs like the heart and kidneys getting damaged. Should you keep your salt limit to 5-6 grams a day, problems like high blood pressure can be averted. A lot of us have more than double this amount due to our:

• Adding extra salt to meals

• Putting salt in food when we are cooking

• Purchasing processed meals and foods which have a higher than recommended salt content.

Should you acknowledge and action your salt intake by reducing the amount of salt in your diet, you can reduce the likelihood of developing problems related to high blood pressure.

Salt content is clearly shown on many foods, so it is easy for the consumer to make informed dietary choices. These kind of diet decisions make all the difference when trying to avoid high blood pressure and the diseases it may cause.

Omega-3 Fats
It is because of their alpha-linolenic acid content omega-3 fatty acids promote a good blood circulation. These omega-3 acids make it less likely for blood platelets to form clumps in the blood, possibly causing heart attacks. Foods that contain this nutrient are:

• Salmon

• Trout

• Tuna fish

Garlic
Garlic significantly lowers the blood pressure for people suffering from hypertension. Due to its blood thinning and purifying properties, garlic is an important nutrient in any blood pressure reduction diet.

Soluble Fiber
Soluble fibers should make out an important part of your every day diet. Diet and blood pressure are closely related and fiber is one of the key ingredients of a healthy diet. A soluble fiber diet lowers blood pressure and blood cholesterol. Foods that contain a high amount of soluble fiber are:

• Oats

• Beans and peas

• Rice bran and barley

• Citrus fruits

Potassium
People who consume high amounts of potassium through their foods, when monitoring their sodium and blood pressure, can lower their blood pressure significantly. Potassium for blood pressure lowering can be found in these foods:

• Avocados

• Beets

• Pomegranates

• Tomatoes and potatoes

• Quinoa

Magnesium
Magnesium helps to lower and control blood pressure by widening the blood vessels, due to which the blood is allowed to run more freely. The best food sources for magnesium are:

• Spinach

• Avocados

• Chocolate

• Pumpkin seeds

• Oysters

• Sunflowers seeds

• Brazil nuts

• Amaranth

• Almonds

• Quinoa and barley

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is another nutrient that helps to widen the blood vessels, by making them more flexible. As vitamin C has more beneficial health properties (such as boosting the immune system and nurturing the skin) it should be included in your diet. Sources for a high dose of vitamin C are:

• Cabbage

• Red peppers

• Tangerines

• Oranges

• Kiwi fruits

• Strawberries

• Potatoes

Alcohol
Alcohol is okay should it be drunk in ‘moderation’. Information as to what is considered safe changes, and ‘moderation’ has different meanings for different people. However, it is important for those who already have high blood pressure to be aware of the effect alcohol has on blood pressure as well as related issues.

The recommended alcohol intake for people with high blood pressure and others if they wish to avoid high blood pressure is:

For Women

• 2 units daily

• A maximum of 14 units per week

For Men

• 3 units daily

• A maximum of 21 units per week

It is highly advisable to go two weeks without alcohol. Binge drinking is strongly advocated against as it is very difficult to ascertain what you have consumed when you have been binge drinking.

Alcohol also affects your liver and pancreas, and is associated with a number of serious health problems when recommended amounts are exceeded.

A diet high in fruit and vegetables – the building blocks of any healthy diet - is recommended as it supports an acceptable blood pressure.