Diet is essential not just to take in what you need, but to stop the things that can cause you harm. For example, being told you have high blood pressure may create a feeling of dread, but sometimes all you need to do is tweak what you eat to get it down to more sensible levels.
High blood pressure, properly called hypertension, rarely shows symptoms, and on its own, it doesn’t cause too many problems. What it does do is increase your risk of developing other conditions, such as heart attacks and strokes, that can potentially be life-threatening. That’s why the doctor will tell you it’s so important to keep it down.
Maybe your blood pressure is already too high, or perhaps you’ve just been told you’re at risk of high blood pressure and want to cut it off before it can get started. Either way, the first thing you should probably do is reduce the salt in your diet.
We do need salt to survive, but only about a teaspoon a day. There’s much, much more than that in the food we eat, especially the heavily processed stuff. Take a look at your ingredients lists and try to cut back on the products where the salt is particularly high. Many brands have low-salt options. If you’re cooking from scratch, don’t overdo the salt. Use other herbs and spices instead.
Too much alcohol is also a risk factor, as it is for so many other health-related things, so try to seek moderation there as well. Then there are saturated fats, such as those found in some dairy products (like cheese and butter), which are also associated with high blood pressure, but you don’t necessarily need to cut them out completely. After all, they’re also a good source of calcium, which can help with blood pressure regulation.
Other minerals that are good for your blood pressure include magnesium and potassium. Fiber is also very important. That means you need to eat lots of fruit and vegetables, including leafy greens. Valuable omega-3 fatty acids can be found in oily fish such as mackerel. Whole grains, such as those found in some cereals, bread, pasta and rice, are better than the white, processed options.
With the right diet, your blood pressure should be easier to control.
