Most of the health problems are caused by improper diet and sedentary lifestyle. Many people suffer from high blood pressure, and are not even aware of it. Heart is the hardest working organ of our body beating more than 2.5b times, without a break. The choices we make in our daily lives affect functioning of the heart to a great extent.
High blood pressure is usually the precursor to heart disease, and if ignored, it can be quite fatal. Most of the people do not take the medications for high blood pressure due to the side-effects. But, the drugs to control the blood pressure have come a long way over the years, and are now much more effective with very few side-effects.
High Blood Pressure Diet
To control the blood pressure, experts ask the people to kick the habits that threaten cardiovascular health. A high blood pressure diet must not contain food items that are high in sodium. Our body needs sodium to regulate the fluids, but high intake of sodium has been associated with high blood pressure. A high blood pressure diet should contain only 500mg of sodium per day, but on an average, we consume 7000-9000mg. Avoid adding salt to the readymade foods as they are already very high in sodium content.
A good high blood pressure diet must be rich in Omega-3 Fats, as they promote the blood circulation. These fats reduce the tendency of blood platelets to make clumps in the blood that can cause heart attacks. Some of the food items rich in Omega-3 fats are salmon, tuna fish and trout.
Another important ingredient of high blood pressure diet is garlic, as it lowers the blood pressure. Garlic has purifying and blood thinning properties, and must be used daily, especially in the diet of the people suffering from hypertension.
A high blood pressure diet must have sufficient soluble fiber, as it lowers blood cholesterol and blood pressure. Some of the good items rich in soluble fiber are rice bran, barley, beans, peas, oats and citrus fruits.
Potassium, Magnesium and Vitamin C are also important ingredients of high blood pressure diet plan. Quinoa, beets, avocados, tomatoes, potatoes and pomegranates are good sources of potassium. Magnesium widens the blood vessels and controls blood pressure. Avocados, chocolates, spinach, amarnath, oysters, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, barley, pumpkin seeds and quinoa are good sources of magnesium.
Vitamin C makes blood vessels more flexible, and hence widens them. Some of the foods that are rich in vitamin C are tangerines, red peppers, cabbage, kiwi, oranges, potatoes and strawberries.
Including all these ingredients in the daily high blood pressure diet can be quite helpful in controlling and lowering the blood pressure.