If you have high blood pressure, diet tips can help you to get control of it without having to take blood pressure medication. While it doesn’t work for everyone, many people will find that changing their diet can improve their health.
Tip 1: Lower sodium in your diet. Sodium can cause your body to hold onto more fluid and cause your blood pressure to rise. When you lower sodium in your diet, you can lower your blood pressure as well.
Sodium is present in many foods you might not expect. You need to pay attention to the labels on foods so that you can keep track. Eating lower sodium is more than not adding salt to your plate, so be aware of hidden sodium in foods.
Tip 2: Eat fresh foods. Fresh foods are less likely to have sodium in them. When you get food from cans and from boxes or even frozen meals, you’re more likely to find a lot of salt. That’s because salt is a natural preservative that’s used.
For foods such as canned beans and vegetables, you can lower the sodium content by rinsing draining them, and rinsing them with water before use. This washes off the salty liquid that can have a high sodium content.
Tip 3: Add plenty of antioxidants. Antioxidants found in food can help improve your heart health and even lower high blood pressure. Antioxidants can be found in foods such as blueberries and raspberries.
It’s also found in dark chocolate. Eating a small piece of dark chocolate every day can actually lower your risk of heart disease and even some cancers. Plus, it’s a tasty treat you can look forward to every day.
Tip 4: Increase the potassium in your diet. Potassium is known to help you lower high blood pressure. Many foods naturally contain it, such as potatoes (especially in the skins), cantaloupe, and bananas.
Kidney beans and carrots are also an important source of potassium. By adding these foods to your diet, you can lower your blood pressure and lower your overall risk for heart attack and stroke.
Tip 5: Eat less saturated fat and more healthy fats. High blood pressure can become even more dangerous when combined with high cholesterol. Avoiding saturated fat that can clog arteries will help to decrease the negative effects of high blood pressure.
Healthy fats, those that come from plants, can actually help you to lower cholesterol and have a healthier heart. Fish oil supplements can help you to improve heart health as well. These important blood pressure diet tips can help you to control your blood pressure and improve your health.
Stay Healthy!
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