Lower your blood pressure !!

Submitted by rizwan on Wed, 2005-11-30 09:45.

Lower Your Blood Pressure

If you have high blood pressure, then the natural question is how to lower it. Lowering your blood pressure will greatly reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and other illnesses. You can lower your blood pressure by having a control over the factors causing it. The good news is that you can improve all of the above causes, except hereditary.

High Blood Pressure treatment

First look at the reasons for having a high blood pressure. Once you identify the reasons for your elevated blood pressure, try to eliminate them.

In general, switching over to a healthier lifestyle can control the high blood pressure. Follow the following recommendations to keep your blood pressure at healthier levels without the need for medication:

Remove your cause of mental tension or stress or worries. If the reason is your office, discuss the problem with your colleagues and seniors. Don't keep the problem with you. Mental tensions can often be reduced by a brisk walk, laugh loudly and relaxation or meditation. In fact, if you daily practice meditation, you can control your blood pressure for ever.

Maintain your weight. Exercise more often. Since excess body fat is a primary risk factor in hypertension, it is important to maintain a healthy weight.

Be physically active. Brisk walking, bicycling, raking leaves, and gardening are the best exercises.

Follow a low fat diet. Eliminate cholesterol in your diet.

Eliminate salt from your diet. Look at the salt content of Tinned foods, snacks, potato chips, French fries, diet soft drinks, sauces, etc. These are high in salt, don't eat them. Do not eat foods that contain soda, sodium, Na, monosodium glutamate, baking soda and preservatives. Read the food labels carefully. With herbs, spices, garlic and onions, you can make your food tasty without salt.

Restrict consumption of refined sugars. Read the lables and note different names of sugars.

A high fibre diet is recommended.

Increase intake of potassium, magnesium, calcium and vitamin C.
Potassium rich foods include banana, orange, tangerine, beans, dried peas, potatoes, etc.
Magnesium rich foods include almonds, cashews, pecans, rice, banana, potatoes, kidney beans, oat bran, peas, soy, wheat germ, etc.
Calcium rich foods include low fat dairy foods, nuts, watercress, kale, broccoli, turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens, etc.

Garlic helps reduce blood pressure and cholesterol.

High Blood Pressure Diet

Obesity is one of the main causes of high blood pressure. Therefore you should aim to control your weight. Read the various topics on weight loss for how to control your weight.

A high blood pressure diet should include low fat high fiber foods rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium and vitamin C. Include plenty of fruits and vegetables such as apples, asparagus, banana, broccoli, cabbage, raisins and sweet potatoes, and whole grains in your diet.

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (www.nhlbi.nih.gov) recommends the following eating plan which is based on 2,000 calories a day. Note that the number of daily servings in a food group may vary from those listed, depending upon your caloric needs.

Source: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute www.nhlbi.nih.gov
* Serving sizes vary between 1/2cup and 1 1/4cups. Check the product’s nutrition.
† at content changes serving counts for fats and oils: For example, 1 tablespoon of regular salad dressing equals 1 serving, 1 tablespoon of low fat salad dressing equals 1/2 serving and 1 tablespoon of fat free salad dressing equals 0 servings.

Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommends the following eating plan which is based on Note that the number of daily servings in a food group may vary from those listed, depending upon your caloric needs.

Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommends the following eating plan which is based on Note that the number of daily servings in a food group may vary from those listed, depending upon your caloric needs.

recommends the following eating plan which is based on Note that the number of daily servings in a food group may vary from those listed, depending upon your caloric needs.recommends the following eating plan which is based on Note that the number of daily servings in a food group may vary from those listed, depending upon your caloric needs. Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

Food Group	Daily Servings	Serving Sizes
Grains and grain products	7–8	1 slice bread 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal^{* 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta or cereal}
^{^Vegetables}	^4–5	^{1 cup raw leafy vegetable 1/2 cup cooked vegetable 6 ounces vegetable juice}
^Fruits	^4–5	^{1 medium fruit 1/4 cup dried fruit 1/2 cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit and 6 ounces fruit juice}
^{Low fat or fat free dairy foods}	^2–3	^{8 ounces milk 1 cup yogurt 1 1/2 ounces cheese}
^{Lean meats, poultry, and fish}	^{2 or fewer}	^{3 ounces cooked lean meat, skinless poultry, or fish}
^{Nuts, seeds, and dry beans}	^{4–5 per week}	^{1/3 cup or 1 1/2 ounces nuts 1 tablespoon or 1/2 ounce seeds 1/2 cup cooked dry beans}
^{^{Fats and oils}^†}	^2–3	^{1 teaspoon soft margarine 1 tablespoon low fat mayonnaise 2 tablespoons light salad dressing 1 teaspoon vegetable oil}
^Sweets	^{5 per week}	^{1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon jelly or jam 1/2 ounce jelly beans 8 ounces lemonade}

^{Garlic Clove

Garlic is a natural antiseptic with typical strong smell due to the presence of allicin that is responsible for its healing properties. Garlic is rich in protein, vitamins A, B and C, and minerals like iron, calcium and selenium. It is an anti-viral and anti-bacterial agent due to its high sulphur content. Besides its use as garlic mashed potato, garlic bread, garlic sauce, roasted garlic, etc., It has health benefits to ^{lower cholesterol}^,^{beauty & skin care,}^{high blood pressure, the common cold, cancer and other diseases. It is used in many recipes to improve taste and flavour, for e.g.- garlic chutney. Garlic is grown in the garden or in pots.}
" Raw garlic is good for high blood pressure and to lower the blood cholesterol level, and reducing cramps, and muscular spasm".

Nutritional Values of garlic}

^Parameters	^{Value per 100g}
^{Moisture Protein Fat Minerals Fibre Carbohydrates Energy Calcium Phosphorus Iron}	^{62.000 gm 6.300 gm 0.100 gm 1.000 gm 0.800 gm 29.800 gm 145.000 K cal 30.000 mg 310.000 mg 1.200 mg}
^Vitamins
^{Thiamine Riboflavin Niacin Vitamin C}	^{0.060 mg 0.230 mg 0.400 mg 13.000 mg}
^{Minerals & Trace Elements}
^{Magnesium Copper Manganese Zinc Chromium}	^{71.000 mg 0.630 mg 0.860 mg 1.930 mg 0.020 mg}

^{Storing of Garlic Cloves & Garlic Spice
Garlic cloves are mostly used fresh, minced or crushed. Buy firm garlic cloves with dry skin and no shoots. Store garlic bulbs/cloves in a cool, dry, dark place, but not in the fridge. Store dried and powdered garlic in airtight containers. Store garlic oil in refrigerator.}

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Submitted by rizwan on Wed, 2005-11-30 09:45.

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Thanks much for this

olive oil use (not verified) | Wed, 2010-03-24 13:17

Thanks much for this wonderful and healthy post. As we all know there are so many people around the world suffering from high blood pressure that results to heart attack. This is because of their unhealthy diet. These guidelines you provided are helpful. Also, knowing that there are home remedies available online too.

It is good article giving

Anonymous (not verified) | Tue, 2009-01-27 19:09

It is good article giving all relevant details on blood pressure. Thanks rizwan for writing it.

Lower your blood pressure !!

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