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Eating These 38 Foods Can Help Lower Your Blood Pressure—plus Other Tips From Experts
© Getty Images Garlic has also been proven to reduce inflammation, which can help lower blood pressure. Nearly half of Americans have high blood pressure, which increases the risk for heart disease and stroke—two of the leading causes of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And that percentage increases with age: roughly 70% of adults older than 65 have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. But lifestyle changes, such as exercising regularly, cutting back on alcohol, and getting proper nutrition can help.
What is high blood pressure?Simply put, blood pressure is "pressure of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries," which carry blood to other parts of your body. While your blood pressure naturally fluctuates throughout the day, if it remains high for too long it can and lead to other health problems, such as heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
You might be diagnosed with hypertension if your systolic blood pressure (the first number in a reading) is greater than 130 mm Hg or your diastolic blood pressure is greater than 80 mm Hg, as defined by the CDC. Although medication can help you manage high blood pressure, diet changes can improve your numbers as well.
How food can help lower blood pressureAccording to a 2020 study published in Advances in Nutrition, a Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (also known as DASH) helped people significantly reduce their blood pressure. The DASH diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds and low in sodium. Another study found that following a Mediterranean diet, which is rich in seafood, fruit and nuts, could help lower blood pressure as well.
What you should eat to help lower your blood pressureWhole foods that are heavily plant-based, high in fiber and rich in antioxidants is the best way to go, according to Julia Zumpano, a registered dietician at Cleveland Clinic's Center for Human Nutrition.
"We know antioxidants protect ourselves from damage, which can be really helpful when it comes to our overall health and especially blood pressure," says Zumpano, who specializes in preventive cardiology. "There's a lot of focus on what not to eat and not enough focus on what to eat. We know that ultra processed foods, fast foods and packaged foods lead to increased levels of blood pressure, but antiinflammatory foods that are high in antioxidants can help lower it."
Here's what Zumpano recommends:
Foods that are high in vitamin CThese foods protect against oxidative stress, which causes inflammation. Some options include:
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that acts as a strong antioxidant and protects cells from damage. Examples include:
Potassium relaxes your blood vessel's walls and helps your body remove excess sodium, says Zumpano; however, if you have kidney disease you'll want to be mindful about the amount of potassium in your diet as your kidneys are unable to remove the extra potassium in your blood.
Some options that are high in potassium are:
Selenium is another antioxidant that protects from oxidative stress. Selenium can be found in:
"L-arginine is an amino acid that helps make nitric acid, a chemical that aids in relaxing muscle cells, which some research shows can help lower blood pressure," explains Zumpano. Those foods include:
Dairy is a high source of calcium, which has also been proven to help lower blood pressure. Experts recommend 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams of calcium per day, mostly from dairy. Other sources of calcium include:
Overall, foods that suppress inflammation, such as those high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in:
While you can get magnesium through supplements, there are also magnesium-rich foods that can help lower your blood pressure:
Garlic has also been proven to reduce inflammation, which can help lower blood pressure.
"It can also add flavor to food so that maybe you're using less salt," says Zumpano.
A variety of herbs and spices can also help lower blood pressure, such as:
When it comes to lowering blood pressure, nutrition is only one piece of the buzzle. It's important to stay hydrated, avoid sugary drinks and exercise for at least 30 minutes most days.
"I always advise people to use the rainbow to guide your plate and get food of every color in the rainbow," says Zumpano. "Then you'll really be able to maximize the amount of nutrients you're consuming in your diet, which helps your overall health and not just your blood pressure. It can also help prevent diabetes and promote overall health and suppress inflammation."
This story was originally featured on Fortune.Com
More from Fortune:Are Low Blood Pressure And Diabetes Related? Know How To Manage The Symptoms
© Provided by Times Now are low blood pressure and diabetes related? Know how to manage the symptoms New Delhi: For people who suffer from diabetes continuously worry about the degenerative disease affecting their other organs as well. If the blood sugar levels are not managed properly, most people suffering from diabetes have their blood pressure, cholesterol, and other heart-related problems aggravated.
Health experts often link diabetes with high blood pressure, but according to research, it can also cause low blood pressure, which is equally dangerous for health. Even though there is no cutoff number for blood pressure to be considered low, if you suffer from diabetes, low blood pressure can be a cause of grave concern.
Doctors say symptoms like dehydration, autonomic neuropathy, and medication can cause severe side effects. Also, episodes of low blood pressure can be scary if you regularly suffer from frequent dizziness and vision changes being a diabetic.
Related News5 Shocking Things From Your Daily Routine That Can Spike Your Blood Sugar Levels
What is the mark of low blood pressure for someone with diabetes? According to health experts, normal blood pressure is considered to be within the range of 120/80.Even though doctors say blood pressures lower than this can still be normal, there is no numeric cutoff for low blood pressure, and mostly the symptoms cause a big concern, especially if you are suffering from type-2 diabetes1.
Related NewsHealth Tips For Type-2 Diabetics To Lose Weight
Causes of low blood pressure due to diabetes Also known as hypotension, low blood pressure can be caused due to several factors, including: Dehydration If you are diabetic, it causes your blood sugar to leak into the urine, which also drags water with it resulting in dehydration.According to doctors, dehydration results in low blood pressure, causing a serious and potentially dangerous condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis which leads to significant loss of water and fluids.
Symptoms2 of diabetic ketoacidosis include fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, frequent urination, and dry mouth.
Autonomic neuropathy Those who suffer from longstanding diabetes also tend to develop damage to their nerves, resulting in autonomic neuropathy, which causes low blood pressure.According to doctors, people with diabetes, who stand for a long time, are more prone to this disease which causes symptoms such as dizziness, lightheadedness, and even unexpected falls that can cause grave injuries.
Autonomic neuropathy3 causes the nerves to get damaged and so they are not able to transmit signals to blood vessels to constrict to appropriately maintain blood pressure levels.
Managing low blood pressure in diabetes Health providers always ask to maintain extra caution for those who suffer from diabetes as low blood pressure can be life-threatening.A few steps that you can take to avoid any untoward incident are:
The 38 Best Foods To Lower Blood Pressure
Nearly half of Americans have high blood pressure, which increases the risk for heart disease and stroke—two of the leading causes of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And that percentage increases with age: roughly 70% of adults older than 65 have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. But lifestyle changes, such as exercising regularly, cutting back on alcohol, and getting proper nutrition can help.
What is high blood pressure?Simply put, blood pressure is "pressure of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries," which carry blood to other parts of your body. While your blood pressure naturally fluctuates throughout the day, if it remains high for too long it can and lead to other health problems, such as heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
You might be diagnosed with hypertension if your systolic blood pressure (the first number in a reading) is greater than 130 mm Hg or your diastolic blood pressure is greater than 80 mm Hg, as defined by the CDC. Although medication can help you manage high blood pressure, diet changes can improve your numbers as well.
How food can help lower blood pressureAccording to a 2020 study published in Advances in Nutrition, a Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (also known as DASH) helped people significantly reduce their blood pressure. The DASH diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds and low in sodium. Another study found that following a Mediterranean diet, which is rich in seafood, fruit and nuts, could help lower blood pressure as well.
What you should eat to help lower your blood pressureWhole foods that are heavily plant-based, high in fiber and rich in antioxidants is the best way to go, according to Julia Zumpano, a registered dietician at Cleveland Clinic's Center for Human Nutrition.
"We know antioxidants protect ourselves from damage, which can be really helpful when it comes to our overall health and especially blood pressure," says Zumpano, who specializes in preventive cardiology. "There's a lot of focus on what not to eat and not enough focus on what to eat. We know that ultra processed foods, fast foods and packaged foods lead to increased levels of blood pressure, but antiinflammatory foods that are high in antioxidants can help lower it."
Story continues
Here's what Zumpano recommends:
Foods that are high in vitamin CThese foods protect against oxidative stress, which causes inflammation. Some options include:
Kiwi
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Peppers
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that acts as a strong antioxidant and protects cells from damage. Examples include:
Almonds
Avocados
Sunflower seeds
Peanut butter
Salmon
Potassium relaxes your blood vessel's walls and helps your body remove excess sodium, says Zumpano; however, if you have kidney disease you'll want to be mindful about the amount of potassium in your diet as your kidneys are unable to remove the extra potassium in your blood.
Some options that are high in potassium are:
Bananas
Potatoes
Spinach
Tomatoes
Nuts
Seeds
Grapefruit
Avocado
Legumes
Selenium is another antioxidant that protects from oxidative stress. Selenium can be found in:
Foods that are high in L-arginine"L-arginine is an amino acid that helps make nitric acid, a chemical that aids in relaxing muscle cells, which some research shows can help lower blood pressure," explains Zumpano. Those foods include:
Foods that are high in calciumDairy is a high source of calcium, which has also been proven to help lower blood pressure. Experts recommend 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams of calcium per day, mostly from dairy. Other sources of calcium include:
Almonds
Dark, leafy greens
Fortified tofu
Dried beans and peas
Fortified orange juice
Other non-dairy milks, such as almond, soy, coconut and oat, that have been fortified with calcium
Overall, foods that suppress inflammation, such as those high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in:
Fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, herring and mackerel
Chia seeds
Flax seeds
Hemp seeds
Walnuts
Soy
While you can get magnesium through supplements, there are also magnesium-rich foods that can help lower your blood pressure:
Nuts
Seeds
Whole grains
Green vegetables
Dairy
Garlic has also been proven to reduce inflammation, which can help lower blood pressure.
"It can also add flavor to food so that maybe you're using less salt," says Zumpano.
A variety of herbs and spices can also help lower blood pressure, such as:
When it comes to lowering blood pressure, nutrition is only one piece of the buzzle. It's important to stay hydrated, avoid sugary drinks and exercise for at least 30 minutes most days.
"I always advise people to use the rainbow to guide your plate and get food of every color in the rainbow," says Zumpano. "Then you'll really be able to maximize the amount of nutrients you're consuming in your diet, which helps your overall health and not just your blood pressure. It can also help prevent diabetes and promote overall health and suppress inflammation."
This story was originally featured on Fortune.Com
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