Tips & Foods To Reduce Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a major killer across the globe, but there are easy choices that you can make in order to reduce your blood pressure level potentially without the intervention of medication.
As a general guide:
- Ideal blood pressure = between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg
- High blood pressure = 140/90mmHg or higher
- Low blood pressure = 90/60mmHg or lower
What puts you at risk of high blood pressure?
- Being overweight
- Lack of exercise
- Stress
- Smoking
- Drinking alcohol in excess
- High salt in your diet
Tips to reduce your blood pressure:
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Exercise regularly
- Consume a balanced diet filled with real food
- Reduce salt in your diet by using herbs and spices in place of it. Avoid processed foods that have a high salt content.
- Quit smoking – speak to your GP if you need support with this.
- Limit your alcohol intake – have no more than 14 units per week with at least 2 consecutive alcohol free days.
- Reduce your caffeine intake by limiting yourself to 4 cups of tea or coffee each day.
- Address any areas of you life that cause you unnecessary stress.
Foods to reduce your blood pressure:
- Leafy greens
- Berries
- Beans
- Unsalted sunflower seeds
- Porridge
- Dark chocolate
High blood pressure is often related to unhealthy habits we mentioned above, but there are occasions when it can only be managed through medication. Be sure to keep a close eye on in and visit your GP if your blood pressure level fails to reduce and you require medical intervention. Left untreated, high blood pressure can increase your risk of developing a number of serious long-term health conditions, such as coronary heart disease and kidney disease.
