FOODS TO AVOID WITH HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

By Sunil Malhotra Stock Images

High blood pressure cannot be cured but it can definitely be controlled and thus you will lower your risk of certain other complications such as heart attacks, stroke, congestive heart failure, kidney.. failure etc; By making a few dietary and lifestyle changes you can simply control your high B.P.

Cut down your intake of SALT

Drastically reducing the intake of salt in your food makes a strong impact on controlling your high B P Increase your consumption of vegetables and fruits Salt intake always raises your blood pressure, the higher the intake of salt, the higher your blood pressure. Having a low-diet fat that includes lots of fibre, like fruits, vegetables, bread and whole grain rice help lower your blood pressure

Cut down on CAFFEINE

Drinking too much coffee each day increases your blood pressure. You need to cut down on your caffeine-rich drinks such as tea, colas and even certain energy drinks. Tea, Coffee etc; should be taken in moderation

Quit SMOKING

Although smoking does not directly cause your blood pressure to rise it puts you at a much greater risk of a stroke or heart attack. Due to smoking your arteries tend to narrow down just as in high blood pressure High blood pressure alongside smoking causes your arteries to narrow down much faster thereby increasing the risk of lung disease or heart disease shortly.

Limit your intake of ALCOHOL

Your blood pressure tends to rise over time if you are a regular drinker Drink in absolute moderation I.e. not exceeding the recommended limit of 14 units a week, which also should be avoided if you can. Being high in calories, alcohol can make you gain weight and further increase your blood pressure

Lose WEIGHT

When you are overweight, your heart has to work harder to pump blood around your body which can result in increasing your blood pressure Losing weight will not only make you feel good but at the same time make a significant difference to your overall health and blood pressure.

Be ACTIVE

Your heart and blood vessels are kept in good healthy condition if you exercise regularly and keep yourself active. Losing weight through regular exercise helps lower your blood pressure. Exercises of moderate intensity, like cycling or brisk walking all through the week, are highly beneficial

Canned VEGETABLES

Lots of fresh vegetables and fibre should be a part of your healthy diet plan. Canned vegetables are high in sodium but you should always make sure they are low in sodium or no salt added variety Still, if you have to use canned vegetables rinse and drain them regularly to get rid of the added sodium.

Sugar

If you are having high blood pressure you are advised to monitor your intake of sugar. Studies on diabetes have shown a correlation between increased blood pressure and excessive sugar intake. Even if you don’t have high blood pressure it is always a very good decision to avoid added sugar like in soft drinks or canned fruits in syrup Keep your sugar levels in check and you will find that your blood pressure levels will also remain in control.

Your main focus though should be on a healthy diet and lifestyle to control your blood pressure.