The list of the most common diseases in the world is headed by hypertension. According to world statistics, arterial hypertension is diagnosed in every third adult. That is why pressure reduction is one of the most pressing issues in medicine today. Dozens of new antihypertensive drugs are developed and researched annually, and in pharmacies, they represent almost a large part of the assortment. Against the background of such a medicinal abundance, the importance of proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle with arterial hypertension somehow fades into the background. But not so long ago, much attention was paid to the diet, not only in the treatment of this serious disease but also in its prevention.
When it comes to nutrition for hypertension, foods that raise blood pressure and should be excluded from the diet are primarily mentioned. This article, on the contrary, will focus on those products that are useful and necessary to reduce it.
What foods lower blood pressure?
I would like to clarify right away that there are no products, the use of which can lead to a significant decrease in blood pressure. Dieting for a long time can lead to a slight decrease in this indicator, but in most cases, this is not enough to completely abandon drug therapy. If the disease is detected at an early stage, and usually it is an accidental finding, then a radical change in lifestyle and diet can help slow the progression of the disease and delay the start of drug treatment.
Doctors have developed a special concept - a dietary approach to the treatment of hypertension Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DAHS for short). It was developed not only for the purpose of treatment, but also for the prevention of this ailment, and is recommended for absolutely all people. Its fundamental principle is the rejection of foods that increase blood pressure, and an increase in the number of cereals, vegetables, fruits, and other products in the diet, which will be discussed below.
Vegetables and fruits
Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals.
It is known that with high blood pressure, which is often accompanied by obesity, the diet should be rich in vegetables, fruits, and berries. Of course, they are all useful because they contain vitamins and minerals that strengthen the walls of blood vessels, making them stronger and more elastic. In addition, the use of a large number of plant foods is necessary for atherosclerosis - a faithful companion of hypertension, because blood pressure rises in the vessels, the lumen of which is narrowed due to cholesterol deposits on their walls. From this, we can conclude that the substances contained in any plant food "cleanse" our vessels, due to which the pressure in them decreases.
Among the abundance of vegetables and fruits, the most useful for hypertension are distinguished. These include celery, beets, chokeberry, and viburnum since they contain substances that regulate vascular tone. A very interesting product in terms of its effect on blood pressure is garlic. When consumed regularly in small amounts (no more than 1 medium clove), garlic will help reduce it, while consuming this vegetable in large quantities can lead to the exact opposite effect. Watery vegetables and fruits (watermelons, melons, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.) help to reduce the pressure in the vessels due to the diuretic effect.
Also Read: Birch sap: benefits and harms
Fish and seafood
Fatty marine fish and seafood contain a substance that nutritionists and doctors have been talking about more and more in recent years. Of course, we are talking about omega-3 - an unsaturated fatty acid, which is not synthesized in the body but performs a number of very important functions. One of them is the regulation of fat metabolism, with a violation of which, in most cases, the development and progression of hypertension are associated. And the most valuable is the caught sea fish, and not grown on fish farms.
It is the abundant consumption of sea fish that explains the fact that in Japan, China, Korea, and some other countries, the number of people with high blood pressure is much less than in Europe. Omega-3 helps not only to lower the level of cholesterol in the blood but also cleanses the blood vessels from "old" plaques, the harm of which was mentioned above. The largest amount of this useful substance is found in the following types of fish: Atlantic herring and salmon, halibut, tuna, mackerel, sardines, rainbow trout. Seafood stood out anchovies. In areas where the availability of fresh fish is limited (the concentration of omega-3 in canned food is much lower), it is recommended to consume fish oil.
Vegetable oils, nuts, seeds
These products are a vegetable source of the omega-3 we are already familiar with, in addition to it, vegetable oils and nuts contain omega-6 acid and other substances that the body also needs. If you want to add oil to your diet in order to lower blood pressure, then you should give preference to camelina, rapeseed, flaxseed, and walnut oil. Oils must be fresh, unrefined, and under no circumstances should they be heat treated. It should be noted that in recent years in some countries there has been a ban on the sale of flaxseed oil in bottles due to its rapid oxidation. Alternatively, it is suggested to purchase it in capsules.
Walnuts, almonds, pecans, flax seeds, wheat germ, and oats contain only slightly fewer blood pressure-lowering nutrients than oils.
bitter chocolate
Eating small amounts of dark chocolate every day is good for your health.
The benefits of this delicacy for the body have been known for a long time, but it turns out that among its medicinal properties there is also a decrease in blood pressure. The composition of real dark chocolate contains substances that have a diuretic, vasodilator, and anti-atherosclerotic effect. So it's a good idea to get into the habit of eating a few pieces of good chocolate every day.
Three minerals - three enemies of hypertension
As many have guessed, we will talk about potassium, magnesium, and calcium, these macronutrients are directly involved in the regulation of cardiac activity, including blood pressure.
Studies conducted in the United States have shown that with a decrease in the intake of potassium in the body, the subjects increased blood pressure. A diet with a high content of this substance, on the contrary, contributed to its decrease and helped some patients to reduce the dose of antihypertensive drugs. Potassium is found in all plant foods, the largest amount is found in dried apricots, raisins, dates, grapes, bananas, potatoes, avocados, legumes, it is found in cereals, leafy vegetables, fruits, and berries. That is why if there are enough vegetables and cereals in the diet, then a potassium deficiency does not threaten the body.
Magnesium and calcium are involved in the regulation of vascular tone, with a lack of these minerals, their tone increases, which, in turn, leads to an increase in blood pressure. Calcium and magnesium are rich in dairy products, canned fish (with bones) and seafood, leafy vegetables, nuts, dried fruits, etc.
Summing up, we can say for sure that you can reduce blood pressure with diet. To do this, you need to give up food that increases it, increase the amount of plant and dairy products in the diet, and be sure to eat fish or fish oil several times a week. Such a healthy diet will have a beneficial effect not only on lowering blood pressure but also on the health of the body as a whole.
0 Comments