High blood pressure is a common condition in which the force of the blood against the blood vessel walls is high enough to eventually cause health problems, including heart disease.
Blood pressure varies greatly from person to person and can be off-balance for different reasons, such as genetics, food choices, lifestyle and medications.
Fortunately, since most blood pressure problems can be related to diet and lifestyle, there are numerous steps which can help address these.
1) IMPROVE DIET
A healthy intake of foods like fresh vegetables, whole grains, fruit, legumes and nuts and can go a long way to keeping blood pressure in check. Plant foods contain natural antioxidants which help fight the damaging oxidative and pro-inflammatory results of stress or poor diet.
Avoid vegetable oils and damaged fats (trans-fats). Do not heat cold-pressed, organic oils, such as olive oil or linseed oil (flax); instead add them raw at the dinner table. If you must fry or cook with oils choose saturated fats such as coconut oil or certain animal fats such as lard or goose fat which are stable in higher temperatures. Eating oily fish is also a way of increasing your Omega 3s, which are beneficial to circulation and brain function.
2) REDUCE SALT
Processed salt causes your body to retain water and this can result in a rise in blood pressure. Use limited quantities of unprocessed sea salt, Himalayan salt, seaweed or salt from plant sources. Some vegetables, such as celery and spinach, are higher in natural salts.
3) REDUCE ALCOHOL
Drinking too much alcohol causes your blood pressure to go up, even if you are healthy. Reserve alcohol for special occasions only, in very limited amounts.
4) INCREASE EXERCISE
Physical activity supports healthy blood pressure. In today’s world of screen-based work and entertainment, many people no longer engage in ANY meaningful physical activities. Start very slowly with 30-minute walks just around the block. Do this three times a week and build up from there.
5) ADDRESS STRESS
There is now a proven link between stress, hypertension and heart disease. Reducing stress is one of the best natural cures for hypertension, so tackle what’s causing the stress, improve your diet, and get out into the fresh air for some exercise!
To find out more about how you could train to be a CNM Nutritional Therapist, attend an Open Evening.
Blog/Article content reflects the author's research and diverse opinions, not necessarily CNM's views. Items may not be regularly updated, so represent the best available understanding at the time of publication.
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