High Blood Pressure Diet Plan
Warning:
It is recommended to seek the assistance of a registered dietician and seek advice from a medical doctor to devise a high blood pressure diet plan rather than devising your own diet plan to treat hypertension.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is referred to as 'the silent killer', as it can lead to a number of other health issues, such as coronary heart ailments, stroke, heart failure and kidney failure. In fact, the higher the blood pressure, the greater chance there is to develop devastating ailments. Even though high blood pressure cannot be completely cured, it can be controlled by taking proper medications and observing a healthy diet as well as altering your existing lifestyle.
One of the highly recommended diet plans for high blood pressure is the DASH dietary plan, otherwise called Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Established by the NHLBI (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute), this dietary plan is akin to Mediterranean Diet Plan and includes a list of foods that are rich in calcium, fiber, magnesium and potassium but low in sodium and fat.
High Blood Pressure Diet and Food
According to the DASH, your daily diet regimen should include seven to eight servings of grains, four to five servings of fruits and vegetables, two to three servings of low fat dairy items and two servings of any of these items like fish, meat or poultry. Mentioned below is a list of top ten foods that is highly recommended to lower high blood pressure.
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Avocados: Since avocados contain essential nutrients in the form of folate, potassium and oleic acid, it will help to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure.
- Beans: All kinds of beans like pinto and kidney are a treasure trove of magnesium.
- Bananas: With high content of potassium, bananas not only help to combat high blood pressure and heart diseases but also help to boost your energy.
- Berries: Berries such as bilberries, raspberries and strawberries will help to elevate HDL cholesterol and control high blood pressure.
- Sunflower Seeds: The intake of sunflower seeds is a great way to ensure that your body gets right amount of magnesium. In addition to magnesium, it also consists of Phytosterols, which in turn can lower the cholesterol level.
- Soy: With isoflavones, soy products are highly beneficial to combat high blood pressure as well as cholesterol.
- Potatoes: If cooked in a healthy way, potatoes can provide your body with nutrients like fiber and potassium thus normalizing blood pressure and preventing the onset of heart diseases.
Fish: As fish including tuna, halibut and salmon are a great source of omega 3 and potassium, its intake is highly recommended to lower blood pressure and ensure the health of your heart.
- Spinach: Apart from lowering blood pressure, spinach can also protect your body from harmful chemicals in the form of homocysteine
- Low Fat Milk: It helps to lower high blood pressure, in addition to improving your cardiovascular health.
Foods to Avoid in High Blood Pressure Diet
The high blood pressure diet plan primarily recommends you to avoid the intake of foods that are high in sodium, such as:
- Pickled foods like pickles, herring and relish
- Sauce items including steak sauce, barbeque sauce and soy sauce
- Salted snacks like tortilla chips
- Salts like garlic salt and seasoned salt
- Baking powder and baking soda
- Meat tenderizer
- Full fat dairy products including cheese spreads
- Ready to eat food items like instant noodles, scalloped potatoes and quick cook rice
- Instant soups and canned soups
- Instant cereals
- Meat items such as Hogmaws, smoked or cured meats that contain sodium-nitrite including bacon, hot dogs, , luncheon meats, bologna, ham, corned beef and sausage.
- Club soda and saccharin flavored soda
High Blood Pressure Diet and Exercises
To get maximum results from your high blood pressure diet plan, it is vital to work out regularly, especially if you are obese or over weight. The studies reveal that working out for at least 30 to 45 minutes per day can help you to minimize your blood pressure level by four to nine millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Exercises can also help you to shed off your unwanted weight. In fact, the more weight you lose, the more effective it will be maintain your blood pressure level.
High Blood Pressure
Diet Recipes
Lasagna Rolls
Ingredients
- Whole wheat lasagna noodles
- Drained and crumbled tofu
- Minced garlic – 3
- Spinach – 2 to 3 cups
- Parmesan cheese (shredded) – ½ cup
- Red pepper (crushed) – ¼ teaspoon
- Kalamata olives (chopped) – 2 tablespoon
- Low sodium marinara sauce - 1 25-ounce jar
- Extra virgin olive oil – 1 tablespoon
- Shredded low fat mozzarella cheese – ½ cup
Heat a pot of water and bring it to boil to add noodles. When it is cooked, drain the noodles. Now take a non stick pan and pour oil. Then add garlic and stir about 10 to 20 minutes. Add spinach as well as tofu and cook till the spinach is wilted. Now add parmesan, red pepper, marinara sauce and salt. Stir it and transfer to a bowl. The next step is to spread about a cup of marinara sauce in the pan’s bottom. In order to make rolls, wrap a noodle with 1/4 cup of the tofu filling and then place it in the pan. Repeat the same procedure with the rest of the noodles as well as fillings. Then place the pan over high heat. After some time, cover the pan and put it in simmer. Add mozzarella cheese and then again cook. Turn off the heat when the cheese is completely melted. Serve hot.
Hypertension discussion in the forums
What is a normal resting heart rate? What are the norms?
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