Hypertension or high blood pressure is a serious health problem amongst people all around the world. Over time, it can lead to blood vessel damage, which causes kidney disease, heart disease, stroke and other problems. In some cases, hypertension is also called the silent killer because it doesn’t product any symptoms by itself. Therefore, it is not a surprise that most women are unaware that they have high blood pressure unless they get it checked regularly. As a matter of fact, it can go undiscovered and untreated for years. However, you don’t want to take any medications for getting your blood pressure under control because they have undesirable side effects.
The good news is that you can keep your blood pressure under control if you watch over your diet. Whether you have normal or high blood pressure, your diet is known to play an important role. There are a variety of dietary recommendations made by health experts for lowering blood pressure such as reducing your intake of alcohol, sodium and fat. Apart from that, it is also suggested that you increase your intake of certain foods as this can also be beneficial in controlling blood pressure. But, what are the foods that women should be eating for this purpose?
Some of the best foods that can help women in keeping blood pressure under control are:
Leafy Greens
Foods that are laden with potassium can give you a better ratio of sodium and potassium in your body. Your blood pressure can be reduced with the help of this ratio. Leafy greens such as collard greens, turnip greens, arugula, roman lettuce, spinach and kale are all high in potassium. It is best to go with frozen or fresh greens because canned ones often contain sodium.
Berries
Berries, particularly blueberries, are known to be high in natural compounds called flavonoids. It was found by a study that you can prevent hypertension by consuming these compounds and your high blood pressure will experience a fall. It is easy to add raspberries, blueberries and strawberries to your diet because all you have to do is put them on your cereal every morning. You can also eat frozen berries as a healthy and delicious dessert.
Potatoes
High in both magnesium and potassium, potatoes can be immensely useful in lowering blood pressure. There is also plenty of fiber in potatoes, which is essential for a healthy overall diet. You can have baked potatoes for dinner and add salsa or plain yogurt for flavor instead of salty or fattening butter or sour cream.
Beets
It was discovered by researchers that drinking beetroot juice helped patients of high blood pressure significantly by bringing it down. It only took 24 hours for reducing the blood pressure because of the nitrates it contains. You have the option of making your own beetroot juice or you can also cook and eat the entire root. You can easily find recipes on it. You will find beetroot to be delicious when you add it to stews or stir-fries or simply roast it.
Skim Milk
Incorporating more calcium-rich foods in your diet is also an excellent way to combat high blood pressure. Milk is one of the best sources of calcium, but most women don’t drink it because it has lots of calories. You can easily find an alternative in the form of skim milk that’s low in fat and has plenty of calcium.
Oatmeal
Low sodium, low-fat and high-fiber foods are exactly what you need for getting your blood pressure under control. Oatmeal can fit the bill in all these regards and you can charge up for the day by having it for breakfast. Sure, oatmeal is a bit bland when you have it on its own, but you should avoid adding too much sugar. If you want to sweeten it up, you can simply add frozen or fresh berries to sweeten it up or even a little bit honey. Furthermore, read the reviews on food processors on chopchoplabz.com, some of which cane be helpful for making great oatmeal foods.
Bananas
A surefire way of boosting your potassium intake is by eating bananas. Rather than taking potassium supplements, it is better to add foods that are high in this mineral. Slice a banana into your oatmeal or breakfast cereal or take one to work so you will have an inexpensive and quick snack.
Dark Chocolate
All chocolate lovers out there are definitely going to rejoice because you just have another excuse to eat them. If you eat just one-ounce square of dark chocolate every day, you can bring down your blood pressure. This is because it has lots of flavonoids and these natural compounds cause the blood vessels to dilate.
Adding these foods to your diet will be a great help in keeping your blood pressure under control. Women should also cut back their alcohol consumption and read food labels carefully before making purchases.