Good Foods To Lower Blood Pressure
21. Beans – Beans are often suggested for diabetic diets because they help to balance blood sugar levels. But recent findings suggest that they also have a positive effect on blood pressure levels as well. The good news is that it’s now easier than ever to increase your level of bean consumption, with many restaurants offering the option to switch out side dishes with black beans. Plus, beans are tasty and help you to feel fuller longer and can help you lose weight if you’re trying to.
22. Dark Chocolate – It’s important to stress that this is dark chocolate, and you won’t get the same benefits from eating milk chocolate, especially not the kind found in many of the mainstream candy bars, like a Hershey bar, Snickers, Kit Kat, etc. The antioxidants in dark chocolate will help fight off free radicals. The trick is limiting yourself to a small daily portion, and not over-consuming it. Eating more of it does not increase the benefits so keep portions in check and go for the long-term approach and daily intake.
23. Beets – Beets have managed to fly under the radar for several years, but their secret powers are becoming more and more well known. In this case it’s the juice from beets that is supposed to yield the most benefits, and you’ll have to commit to having a daily glass of it. If you’re not too fond of the taste, it may be worth getting used to. Many drinkers of it say that it’s an acquired taste, and while they started off not really liking it, they came to tolerate it, and finally to enjoy it.
24. Bananas – The potassium content of bananas is well-established, and they make great portable snacks you can eat anywhere. Plus they’re perfectly portioned, and you don’t have to wash them before you eat them. The recommendation is that you eat two of them per day for the best effect on your blood pressure. Add a third banana to the mix if you want to try to prevent getting a stroke, helpful for those that have a family history of strokes.
25. Nuts – An assortment of nuts have been shown to help keep blood sugar levels in check, and also aid in helping you to feel full longer, as well as helping to build lean muscle. The healthy fats they provide go a long way in regards to your general health and well-being. They also have potassium, which is a recurring theme with several foods on this page. Consider almonds and pistachios as excellent choices, but be sure not to overdo it, too much of a good thing and it’s no longer a good thing.
26. Oranges – The Vitamin C in oranges acts as an antioxidant, and in addition to helping you fight off colds by strengthening your immune system, it can help to lower your blood pressure. You can drink it as juice, or eat it as whole oranges, but it’s best not to rely on them entirely and to mix things up as part of an overall shift in your diet. It’s recommended to eat an assortment of fruits, and we’ve listed several here for you that will help you to keep your diet assorted and colorful with healthy fruits.
Three Things That Raise Blood Pressure
1. Fast Food – The heavily processed nature of fast food means that you’re getting a lot of additives, copious amounts of sodium, sugar, and caffeine with most any meal you order. Not to mention the high fat contents, including high levels of saturated fats and trans fats. A single trip to a fast food restaurant can set back your efforts and leave you feeling lethargic and unmotivated, and can instantly raise your blood pressure again. It’s best to simply avoid it altogether rather than try to determine what is healthy and what isn’t.
2. Alcohol – You’re immediately increasing the number of free radicals in your body when you drink alcohol, not to mention creating a toxic environment for your liver. You would need to drink the alcohol in excess for it to have an immediate effect on your blood pressure, but even drinking it in moderation is causing an unhealthy environment in your body. It’s best to save it for special occasions if you are trying to keep yourself as healthy as possible, and if you’ve already been diagnosed with high blood pressure you may want to cut it out completely.
3. Caffeine – Caffeine works on a physiological level to stimulate your body which includes raising your heart rate. If you’ve become addicted to caffeine and feel like you need it to start functioning at the beginning of your day, you should seriously consider weaning yourself off of it or going cold turkey. If you start to get caffeine headaches when trying to quit, it’s a sure indication that your body is addicted to it, and you’ll benefit greatly from getting of this bona fide drug.
