Diet To Control Hypertension
It isn't easy to change your eating habits, but with these tips, you can adopt a healthy diet:
1. Keep A Food Diary: Writing down what you eat, even for just a week, can shed surprising light on your true eating habits. Monitor what, how much, when and why you eat for a couple of days for introspection into your eating habit.
2. Consider Boosting Potassium: Potassium can lessen the effects of sodium on blood pressure. The best source of potassium is food, such as fruits and vegetables, rather than supplements. Talk to your doctor about the potassium level that's best for you.
3. Be a smart shopper: Read food labels when you shop and stick to your healthy-eating plan when you're dining out, too.
Many researchers have found that certain foods can lower high blood pressure. We look at which foods work and how to incorporate them into a healthful diet.
(a) Berries: Blueberries and strawberries contain anthocyanins, which can help reduce a person's blood pressure.
(b)Bananas: Bananas contain plenty of potassium, a mineral that plays a vital role in managing hypertension. Other potassium-rich foods include avocado, cantaloupe and honeydew melon, halibut, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, tuna and beans.
(c) Beets: The researchers have suggested that beet's high levels of inorganic nitrate cause a reduction in blood pressure.
(d) Dark chocolate: Cocoa-rich chocolate reduces blood pressure in people with hypertension or prehypertension. 1 ounce of chocolate that contains a minimum of 70 per cent cocoa recommended for a day.
(e) Kiwis: A daily serving of kiwi can reduce blood pressure in people with mildly elevated levels, according to the results of one study. Kiwis are also rich in vitamin C, which may significantly improve blood pressure readings in people who consumed around 500 mg of the vitamin every day for about 8 weeks.
(f) Watermelon: Watermelon contains an amino acid called citrulline, which may help to manage high blood pressure.
(g) Oats: Oats contain a type of fibre called beta-glucan, which may reduce blood cholesterol levels. Beta-glucan may also lower blood pressure, according to some research.
(h) Leafy green vegetables: Leafy green vegetables are rich in nitrates, which help to manage blood pressure. Some research suggests that eating 1–2 servings of nitrate-rich vegetables every day can reduce hypertension for up to 24 hours.
(i) Garlic: Eating garlic can increase a person's nitric oxide levels. Garlic is a natural antibiotic and antifungal food. Its main active ingredient, allicin, is often responsible for associated health benefits.
(j) Fermented foods: Fermented foods are rich in probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that play an important role in maintaining gut health. Eating probiotics can have a modest effect on high blood pressure.
(k) Lentils and other pulses: Lentils are a staple of many diets around the world, as they are an excellent source of vegetarian protein and fibre. Diet rich in pulses leads to decreased levels of blood pressure and cholesterol.
(l) Natural yoghurt: The America Heart Association has reported that yoghurt may reduce the risk of high blood pressure in women.
(m) Pomegranates: Drinking 1 cup of pomegranate juice daily for 28 days can lower high blood pressure in the short term. The researchers attributed this effect to the fruit's antioxidant content.
(n) Cinnamon: Cinnamon may also help to reduce blood pressure, at least in the short-term. Analysis has shown that cinnamon decreased short-term systolic blood pressure by 5.39 mm Hg & diastolic blood pressure by 2.6 mm Hg.
(o) Mushroom: Mushroom consumption is associated with less plaque formation in the brain and protects the brain cells from progressive damage.
4. Foods to avoid: While some foods may relieve hypertension, others can cause substantial increases in blood pressure. People can prevent or reduce high blood pressure by avoiding the following:
(a) Salt: Sodium can significantly raise blood pressure. According to a finding, lowering salt intake by 4.4 grams daily substantially reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
(b) Alcohol: Consuming moderate amounts of red wine may have some health benefits, but larger amounts of alcohol can cause dramatic increases in blood pressure. Heavy alcohol use also increases the risks of heart failure, stroke, cancer, and obesity. Indians have higher brain and heart attack incidence among the people who consume alcohol. Contrary to popular belief alcohol don’t protect the Indians from vascular events.
