Foods I eat to lower my blood pressure

Hey all-

So I went shopping the other day at Sam's and had to restock on my foods that I eat to help lower my blood pressure.

The one I mainly eat now at least 2-3 handfuls a day of is walnuts. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids which are good for the heart.

I eat these by themselves whenever I want a quick snack that fills me up since they are high in protein. I also add them to my cereal and oatmeal to keep me full.

Keeping the weight off is important to helping your blood pressure levels.



Then I got some frozen blueberries. These are one of the best super foods you can eat for your health. They are loaded with antioxidants which help get rid of free radicals that harm your body. I also add these to my oatmeal and cereal.



I eat tuna 2-3 times a week with just a tablespoon of Miracle Whip and a tablespoon of pickle relish. I either eat this with whole wheat bread or some whole wheat crackers.



I just bought this dark chocolate based on some articles I read that this can help lower your blood pressure. The recommended serving size on the bag is 4 pieces. That has 220 calories though! Recent research shows that one small piece - about 30 calories is enough to get the benefits on your blood pressure. So all you need is one half of one piece and you have your daily amount.

It tasted so good that I ate the whole piece. :o)

That's only about 70 calories. You can eat it after a meal to act as your dessert.



I eat 2 slices of turkey breast late at night when I want a 3 am snack. It only has 30 calories in each slice so it's not bad for you. It also has protein to curb your late night cravings.



And last but not least, Bear Naked Natural Granola. This granola has no high fructose corn syrup so it's low in calories from sugars. It also has flaxseed which also has omega 3 fatty acids which help lower your blood pressure. I usually combine this in a bowl with the blueberries and walnuts and add some low fat yogurt. It tastes good and it's good for you.



There you have it, the foods I eat to help lower my blood pressure. You can add some of these to help get your readings down naturally without relying on hypertension medications.

-Chris

3 foods that help lower your blood pressure

As you know from reading this blog, I'm trying to lower my blood pressure naturally without drugs. There are a few ways to do that - exercise, alternative medicine, lifestyle changes and changing my diet habits. Today I wanted to let you know about some foods that help lower blood pressure.

Some of these you may have already heard of and some you may not have.

Chinese Wolfberry

The Chinese wolfberry has long been a stable in traditional Oriental medicine. Its major health benefits have been noted since 1000 AD. It is loaded with antioxidants, phytochemicals and other important nutrients lacking in our regular diet. And it is these antioxidants that are thought to play an important role in maintaining and controlling blood pressure. But above all that, perhaps the most important note about the Chinese wolfberry is that it tastes good. If you're going to add something to your regular diet, you usually want to be able to eat it without gagging.

Bilberry

The bilberry is blue just like the blueberry and is also sweet in taste. That's a good start. It's in the same family as cranberries, huckleberries and blueberries so you know it has to be good for you. What make the bilberry so special is its high amounts of phytochemicals which are thought to have the ability to help lower blood pressure. It also contains high amounts of vitamin C and E - two powerful antioxidants that help eliminate free radicals. The bilberry helps improve circulation and blood flow which helps relieve the pressure of the blood on your veins and arteries. It's another good food to start adding to your diet.

Green Tea

I'm sure you've probably heard about drinking green tea to help with your health, so here's one more reason - green tea is thought to help lower high blood pressure and your cholesterol. I note both high blood pressure and cholesterol since most people who have hypertension also have high cholesterol.

Lately green tea has risen in popularity and its high concentrations of epigallocatechin gallate have been made popular in the new Snapple tea commercials. They call it EGCG and feature it prominently on their bottles.

But what I find so special about green tea is that it has been shown to not only help prevent high blood pressure but to help lower it in those who already have it. And that's the boat I'm in.

And that's why I try to drink 2-3 cups of tea at least 3-4 times a week. There are several varieties of green tea so try a few to get one you like. You can also try Yerba Mate which has the same health benefits of green tea.

So now you have your blood pressure lowering regimen - berries and tea. Enjoy.

These aren't the only foods that help lower your blood pressure. There are several others. And I'll post them here in future posts.

Have a great day.

-Chris

Tips to lower your blood pressure

If you want to know how to lower your blood pressure the answers are simple - take drugs or change your lifestyle. Or just move to New York.

New studies come out almost everyday about what to do to reduce hypertension.

The latest news:

Walk 30 minutes a day three times a week. You can do it in 3 - 10 minute walks throughout the day to get the same benefits.

Get in the habit of walking and you can start to talk to your doctor about reducing the amount of medications you're on.

And this new walking habit will lead to other healthy habits that will improve your health.

Use a pedometer to help monitor your daily progress and use a blood pressure monitor to track your lower numbers.

This walking habit is enough to reduce the risk of the silent killer.

Another interesting tidbit I learned was that New Yorkers have a longer life expectancy than other Americans. The reasons: brisk walking and no smoking.

New Yorkers walk instead of driving and they walk fast. Often passing lost tourists looking for directions. And this brisk walking is what keeps their hearts healthy and the pounds off.

This also reminds me of my stint at UPS in the pre-load. You had to walk fast if you wanted to keep up with the packages or else you'd get backed up and unable to catch up. So now when I walk people often struggle to keep up with me as I kept that brisk UPS walk with me when I left.

To your new healthy walking habit and your lower blood pressure.

-Chris

Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/15/health/webmd/main3170798.shtml