Whenever we think of trying to lower high blood pressure, the foods that come to our minds that need to b limited are sodium and processed food. But it must be remembered that a heart-healthy diet is a lot more than just lowering the salt or sodium intake.
The DASH diet (a Diety Approach to Stop Hypertension) IS specially designed to help in the management of blood pressure, emphasizing eating fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and other fiber-rich foods.
Adding these healthy foods to your diet can help a lot and can prove to be great for lowering blood pressure and facilitating a healthier lifestyle.
The best heart doctor in Pakistan says that to start your journey of lowering high blood pressure, the most important thing is to make changes in your diet. This is absolutely right as foods increase or decrease your blood pressure.
Fat-Free Yogurt
Dairy low in fat is a great source of calcium, which is one of the major compounds that help in fighting high blood pressure. The proteins, potassium, minerals, and vitamins present in yogurt can be great compliments to your diet.
It must be noted that a 12-ounce serving of low-fat yogurt will provide you with 30 percent of the recommended amount of calcium for the day.
You can add yogurt to your diet by making it a part of your breakfast. Try and add a cup of low-fat greek yogurt with granola, berries, and silvers for an extra heart-healthy boost.
Berries
Berries, specifically blueberries are rich in nitric oxide which is a gas that helps in increasing blood flow and lowers blood pressure. A study conducted in 2015 proved that even a little consumption of berries can be great for your health. It stated that even less than an ounce of blueberries a day can help in lowering blood pressure.
You can add berries to your morning oatmeal and even make them a part of the salads that you consume for lunch. These can also be made part of your dinner by consuming them as desserts at dinner.
One more thing that can be done here is that you can add berries to your yogurt and consume them together for more benefits.
Bananas
Bananas are quite rich in potassium. One average size banana is full of the needed amount f potassium. It has around nine percent of the recommended fad daily intake of potassium.
A number of researchers say that potassium is great for the management of blood pressure. Some researchers also recommended that foods that are lower in potassium are more likely to increase blood pressure.
Bananas are also one food that is extremely rich in fiber and can add a natural sweetness to smoothies, frozen treats, and baked foods. You can also make bananas a part of your food if they start to go bad freezing them.
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are foods that include collard greens, kale, lettuce, beet greens, and arugula. These foods are quite excellent forms of magnesium and potassium.
Potassium and magnesium help in regulating blood pressure. Think outside the box and try to add your greens to your smoothies, sandwiches, and in omelets.
You can also cook a flavorful meal by using greens that are in your home. Make some gravy using spinach and chicken, and make sure to not consume too much as it can impact the blood pressure.
Garlic
According to the National Institute of Health, the compounds allicin in garlic can help in reducing blood pressure. Allicin is released when garlic is chopped or crushed. However, doctors do not recommend using garlic supplements since there is not enough research on their effectiveness for high blood pressure or hypertension.
You can consume garlic by making garlic spread by sprinkling olive oil on a full head of garlic. Bake it in the oven until it is brown and soft. Another way to make use of garlic is by adding it to your food at the start while cooking, for gravies it can be added just after frying the onions.
A lot of people these days are going for garlic shots as well, these can help in increasing the immunity of the body overall.
Conclusion
High blood pressure or hypertension is a very common problem and a number of people are going through it these days. Doesn’t matter what age you are, when it attacks, it is bad. So, it is very important to make changes n your diet that can leave an impact on high blood pressure and can help in lowering it. If you think that making changes in your diet is not working for you, then it is a good idea to visit a doctor that can help you with the best medication.
