10 Natural Food Items that Lower Your Blood Pressure

Generation X might be blessed with technology, humankind’s greatest invention but it is also the most cursed. This generation is perhaps the one which has seen a spike in lifestyle diseases. Mostly targeting the people in the mid-30s bracket, lifestyle diseases are now seen in every second person.

Be it diabetes, pulmonary respiratory diseases, back problems or hypertension- the rampant increase of these diseases in people is an alarming thought. As concentration over time, now people in younger age groups are becoming targets of these diseases- obesity the most common one of them.

Lifestyle diseases on the go

Lifestyle diseases are very easy to develop on the human body. Eating an unhealthy amount of fried, junk food, drinking aerated and carbonated beverages all the time, not exercising at all, taking short cuts for everything possible and even unhealthy sleeping patterns. All of these contribute to having an unhealthy lifestyle.

Over time, all of these come together, accumulate and their effects start to show on the body. The body starts to develop signs of lifestyle diseases. It can be a disease in an initial stage where it can be managed, but if it has aggravated much, there is very less that you can do.

Managing high blood pressure

Hypertension, or commonly known as blood pressure (high BP) is a lifestyle disease where the blood pressure of a person elevates much beyond the normal, which is 120/80. The person starts to have severe headaches may even become dizzy and can even lose consciousness if it rises too much. This can be too much for the brain to take and can be fatal.

However, allopathic medicines have made sure that if you are diagnosed with the problem of high BP, you take your prescribed medicines on time and all stays well. Preferably, people with high BP are asked to eat food with less salt (sodium).

DASH foods

There are certain foods that health care specialists prescribe to people to lower the blood pressure. Just eat foods that are rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium. These three nutrients together are termed as ‘DASH’ and can help lower the blood pressure and help normalize it.

But, there is a very simple way to lower the blood pressure- eating well. These are:

1. Yogurt

Dairy products are full of calcium. And yogurt is a commodity that has close to 50% of calcium, in addition to having magnesium and potassium in really good quantities.

Fun tip- To make it more fun, you could make dips out of yogurt, eat it plain, put fruit in it for flavor and practically do everything with it.

2. Banana

Banana, as it is known is rich in potassium and magnesium. Having bananas will not only help lower your blood pressure but will also help you maintain a healthy gut.

Fun tip- Make shakes or smoothies with it. This way, you will also end up incorporating the dairy.

3. Broccoli

It is as delicious as it looks. Broccoli has an insane amount of potassium in it and is also known to have glucosinolates, which is a nutrient that naturally helps fight cancer.

Fun tip- Make soup with it, eat it as a salad, or make an Indian curry with it.

4. Fish (salmon or tilapia)

Everyone knows that fish is full of healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, good for the heart. Understandably, fish also helps lower the blood pressure and keep the heart healthy and in a good shape.

Fun tip- Fry it, roast it or make a curry out of it, but baking it is the healthiest way to eat.

5. Dark Chocolate

Well, chocolate makes everyone happy. Eating chocolate releases endorphins in the brain and makes you feel happy. In addition, the flavonoid nutrient is in abundance in chocolate. Flavonoids are known to keep the blood pressure on a lower side.

Fun tip- Well, you can do anything with chocolate. Why not eat it as it is?

6. Spinach

A super food, there’s a reason why Popeye ate it! Spinach makes you strong and the fiber in it keeps the gastrointestinal tract healthy. Plus, eating it regularly lowers the blood pressure.

Fun tip- Make a sauce out of it, or a soup; or just stick to eating it as a vegetable with cottage cheese!

7. Watermelon

Watermelon is perhaps, the best fruit to eat in summers. Cool, full of water and sweet! It’s a good thing that watermelon is loaded with lycopene which reduces blood pressure.

Fun tip- try mixing watermelon with cottage cheese and mint to make a salad- delicious!

8. Strawberry

Another fruit that is much loved, strawberries are a favorite among people because they are sweet and sour! They also help lower the blood pressure because of good amounts of resveratrol in them.

Fun tip- try mixing watermelon with cottage cheese and mint to make a salad- delicious!

9. Sweet potato

A delight to enjoy in winters, sweet potato is full of beta-carotene that helps fight high blood pressure. Elderly care specialists tell old people to sweet potato because of this very reason.

Fun tip- Boil them or roast them; and eat it as a salad mixed with lime juice, rock salt, and tangy masalas!

10. Tomato

Actually a fruit, a tomato is a great source of quercetin, which is essential to keep the blood pressure in check. Ask any senior care personnel and they will tell you that tomatoes also help you lose weight!

Fun tip- They are a versatile ingredient. You can do anything.

Papaya Care is an institution which aims at providing the best possible health care to the elderly and those seeking palliative care. A well-established senior care home, Papaya Care give its patients only the best.