‘Plant-based diets and diets rich in whole fruits and vegetables are strongly associated with lower blood pressure, so much, that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) officially recommends adopting healthy eating practices as one of the best ways to prevent or lower high blood pressure and hypertension.’
A healthful diet can also reduce the risk of future cardiovascular problems. Medications prescribed for lowering blood pressure may help but do not address the root of the problem and can have undesirable side effects.
Follow a heart-healthy diet:
Keep a food diary: Write down what you eat, how much, when and why, even for just a week, to monitor your true eating habits.
Increase your dietary intake of potassium: Potassium can counter the effects of sodium on blood pressure. The best source of potassium is natural, unprocessed food such as fruits and vegetables, rather than supplements.
Make a shopping list before going to the supermarket to avoid buying junk food. Read food labels whenever you shop and follow your healthy-eating plan when dining out, too.
Eat more poultry (skinless chicken breasts, turkey), fish, nuts, and legumes (beans), tofu and less red meat.
Avoid frozen and breaded products, pre-marinated meats and poultry, processed chicken, bacon, sausage, deli meats which tend to be high in sodium and fat.
Choose low-fat or nonfat milk and other dairy products instead of full-fat versions.
Eat vegetables and fruits instead of sugary or salty snacks and desserts.
Select breads, pasta, cereals, and other carbohydrate-rich foods made from whole grains, instead of highly refined white flour.
Eat fruit instead of drinking fruit juice.
Use unsaturated fats like olive, canola, soybean, peanut, corn, or safflower oils instead of butter, coconut oil, partially hydrogenated oil, or palm-kernel oil.
Choose fresh or frozen foods instead of canned and processed foods.
Choose low-sodium foods whenever possible; use herbs, spices, vinegar, and other low-sodium flavorings instead of salt.
Don’t skip meals; try to eat 1/3 of your calories at breakfast.
Tips to reduce the amount of sodium you consume:
One level teaspoon of salt has 2,300 mg of sodium. Limit sodium to this amount each day or preferably less. Less dietary sodium will help to reduce your blood pressure.
A lower sodium level, 1,500 mg a day or less, is recommended for people 51 years of age or older, and individuals of any age who are African-American or who have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.
Estimate and record how much sodium is in what you eat and drink each day.
Read food labels: Choose low-sodium or salt-free alternatives of foods and beverages you normally buy.
Avoid foods high in sodium such as canned foods, instant rice and pasta mixes, snacks like chips and crackers, foods that have been preserved or pickled, frozen entrees and fast foods.
Eat fewer processed foods: Potato chips, crackers, frozen dinners, bacon, processed deli meats and cheeses are all high in sodium.
Use herbs, spices and citrus juices, rather than salt, to add more flavor to your food.
If you have difficulty eliminating sodium from your diet, cut back gradually: Your palate will adjust over time.
Buy fresh, plain frozen, or canned no-salt-added beans and vegetables.
Use fresh fish, poultry and lean meat, rather than canned or processed foods.
Use herbs, spices, citrus juice, and salt-free seasonings in cooking and at the table.
Cook rice, pasta, and hot cereals without salt. Cut back on instant or flavored rice, pasta, and cereal mixes which usually have added salt.
Choose “convenience” foods that are lower in sodium.
Reduce your consumption of frozen dinners, pizza, packaged mixes, canned soups or broths, and salad dressings.
Rinse canned foods, such as beans, salmon or tuna, to remove some of the sodium.
When available, buy low- or reduced-sodium, or no-salt-added versions of foods.
Choose breakfast cereals without or lower in sodium.
The National Heart Lung Blood Institute (NHLBI) suggests eating at least 3,500 mg of potassium a day, from foods such as yogurt, cantaloupe, spinach, and bananas. Potassium may help rid the body of too much sodium by acting as a diuretic.
Drink plenty of water to help flush excess sodium from your body.
Avoid tobacco products and secondhand smoke:
Nicotine in tobacco products can raise blood pressure by 10 mm Hg or more for up to an hour after you smoke. Smoking throughout the day may keep your blood pressure constantly high.
Inhaling smoke from others puts you at risk of various health problems, including high blood pressure and heart disease.
Reduce your intake of alcohol:
While alcohol in small amounts may lower blood pressure slightly, too much alcohol (more than 1 drink/day for women and men older than age 65, or more than 2/day for men age 65 and younger) will raise blood pressure.
If you normally avoid alcohol, don’t start drinking as a way to lower your blood pressure: There’s more potential harm than benefit to drinking alcohol.
Drinking more than moderate amounts alcohol can actually raise your blood pressure by several points, as well as, reduce the effectiveness of high blood pressure medications.
Keep an alcohol diary to track your true drinking patterns. One drink equals 12 ounces (355 milliliters, or mL) of beer, 5 ounces of wine (148 mL) or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor (45 mL). If you’re drinking more than these amounts, cut back.
Reduce your intake slowly: If you are a heavy drinker, suddenly eliminating all alcohol can actually trigger severe high blood pressure for several days. Therefore, reduce your alcohol intake with the supervision of your doctor, or taper off slowly over one to two weeks.
Avoid binge drinking: Having 4 or more drinks in a row can cause sudden, large increases in blood pressure, in addition to other health problems.
Reduce your intake of caffeine:
Drinking caffeinated beverages can temporarily cause a spike in blood pressure, but whether the effect is temporary or long lasting is unclear.
To see if caffeine raises your blood pressure, check your pressure within 30 minutes of drinking a cup of coffee or another caffeinated beverage you regularly drink. If your blood pressure increases by 5-10 points, you should cut back.
Foods which can help lower your blood pressure or reduce your need for medication. These should be consumed as part of a comprehensive approach, including increased exercise and other lifestyle changes:
Fresh fruits and vegetables (5 cups a day): Rich in antioxidants, fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, these will help you to lower your cholesterol, lose weight, and improve your heart health. Choose these first whenever you need something to eat!
Apples
Asparagus
Avocados in moderation, due to their high fat, high caloric content
Berries: Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries contain natural anthocyanins, compounds that protect against hypertension.
Whole beets and beet juice
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery or celery root
Dark leafy greens like bok choy, dandelion and mustard greens, kale, spinach, Swiss chard, turnips)
Eggplant
Green beans
Grapes
Guava
Kiwis
Melons: Cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, etc.
Onions
Oranges
Papaya
Peaches
Organic fresh or frozen peas
Pears
Plums
Squash
Sweet potatoes
Tomatoes
Zucchini
Low-fat or nonfat dairy products naturally high in calcium (Avoid cream)
Buttermilk, low-fat or nonfat
Cheese, nonfat or reduced-fat
Cottage cheese or ricotta cheese, nonfat, 1%, unsalted if available
Cream cheese, nonfat or light
Skim or low-fat milk
Non-fat or low-fat yogurt
Non-fat or low-fat frozen yogurt
Almond milk, soy milk, and other non-dairy products: These can be options, especially if fortified with calcium, Vitamins A and D, and other nutrients, but buy unsweetened versions to avoid added sugar.
Fish, poultry, lean meats, and meat substitutes: The American Heart Association suggests 2 servings of fish a week. Eat more heart-healthy tofu and other soy protein and limit fatty cuts of meat, cold cuts, sausage, and other processed meats.
Beef, lean cuts and lean ground round or sirloin
Chicken or turkey breasts and tenders, skinless, boneless
Chicken or turkey, ground
Fish, high in omega-3s: Arctic char, herring, mackerel, wild Alaskan salmon, wild Pacific cod, sardines, tilapia, trout, tuna
Pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat
Seitan
Tempeh
Tofu
Frozen Foods: When your favorite fruits and vegetables are out of season, choose frozen ones for nutritious desserts, side dishes, and snacks.
Fruits without added sugar, such as frozen blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries
Soybeans (edamame)
Vegetables and vegetable mixtures without added sauce, gravy, or sodium
Beans, grains, soups, and sauces: Beans and whole grains like bran flakes, oatmeal, oat squares, shredded wheat, brown rice, buckwheat, quinoa , and wheat berries offer fiber to help lower your cholesterol.
Beans and lentils, canned (select unsalted or reduced-sodium)
Beans and lentils, dried
Broth, reduced-sodium vegetable, chicken, or beef
Whole-grain cereals with 5 or more grams of dietary fiber and less than 8 grams of sugar per serving
Flaxseed, ground or whole
Whole wheat flour
Whole grains such as barley, brown rice, buckwheat, bulgar, oat bran and rolled, steel-cut, or Irish oats, wheat berries, couscous, polenta, millet, and quinoa
Pasta sauce, low-fat or fat-free
Pasta, whole wheat, spelt, or kamut (Note: These whole-grain pastas come in bowtie, fettuccini, lasagna, spaghetti, fusilli, spiral, elbow macaroni, and ravioli varieties.)
Rice: brown, wild, and brown basmati
Soups, low-sodium, and 98% fat-free cream of mushroom
Soy flour
Tomato paste
Tomatoes, whole or diced, reduced-sodium
Vegetarian or nonfat refried beans
Condiments: Watch out for high amounts of salt in condiments and sauces.
Barbecue sauce, low-sodium
Ketchup, reduced-sodium
Mayonnaise, reduced-fat or nonfat
Mustards: whole grain, honey, Dijon, yellow
Soy sauce, reduced-sodium
Vinegars such as rice, red wine, balsamic, apple cider, raspberry make delicious salad dressings.
Use healthy oils, like olive and canola, instead of butter and margarine:
Nonfat cooking sprays
Olive oil and canola oil
Use applesauce, fruit puree, or yogurt as a substitute for fat (butter, shortening) or sour cream when baking
Salad dressings, reduced-fat or nonfat
Snacks: Stock your pantry with nuts, dried fruit, and whole grain products for snacks and meals.
Unsalted nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds)
Dried fruits like unsweetened figs, raisins, prunes, dates
Popcorn cakes or brown rice cakes
Plain, unsalted popcorn
Whole grain breads, tortillas, pitas
Whole-grain, trans-fat-free, low sodium crackers
Whole grain pretzels
Baked, trans-fat-free tortilla chips
Use the following spices and herbs to flavor your food instead of salt:
Allspice
Basil
Bay leaves
Black pepper
Caraway seeds
Cayenne
Chili powder
Chinese five-spice
Cinnamon
Cloves
Coriander
Cumin
Curry powder
Dill
Garlic powder
Ginger
Italian seasoning
Marjoram
Mint
Nutmeg
Onion powder
Oregano
Paprika
Parsley
Red pepper flakes
Rosemary
Thyme
Sodium-free seasonings
Sweeteners: Reduce your intake of sugar, artificial sweeteners, and brown rice syrup which has been found to be high in arsenic. These provide non-nutritive (empty) calories and will only increase your appetite. Instead, use honey or maple syrup in moderation when a sweetener is needed.
Foods which raise blood pressure:
Fast Food: The heavily processed nature of fast food means that you’re getting additives, fat, sodium, sugar, and caffeine with most any meal you order. The high total fat content, including high levels of saturated fats and trans fats, leaves you feeling lethargic and unmotivated, and can instantly raise your blood pressure again.
Alcohol: Increases the number of free radicals in your body and creates a toxic environment for your liver. Drinking alcohol in excess causes an immediate effect on your blood pressure. Even drinking it in moderation can cause an unhealthy effect on your body. It’s best to save alcohol for special occasions, if you are trying to keep yourself as healthy as possible. If you have already been diagnosed with high blood pressure, it may be best to avoid it completely.
Caffeine: Caffeine works physiologically to stimulate your body and raises your heart rate. If you have become addicted to caffeine and feel like you need it to start functioning at the beginning of each day, you should seriously consider weaning yourself off of it or going cold turkey. If you start to get caffeine headaches when trying to quit, it’s a sign that your body is addicted to it.
Canned, processed, and prepared foods
Condiments and sauces
In addition to regular physical activity, eat a diet that is plant-based, rich in fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and skimps on saturated fat, cholesterol, salt and sugar to lower your blood pressure naturally!
References:
American Dietetic Association: “Fresh, Canned, or Frozen?”
American Heart Association: “Eating Low-Fat Dairy Foods May Reduce Your Risk of Stroke.” 04/19/12.
American Heart Association: “Eating Fish for Heart Health.” 05/15/15.
American Heart Association: “Fats and Oils.” 10/15/14.
American Heart Association: “Shaking the Salt Habit.” 05/18/15.
American Heart Association: “Sugars, Added Sugars, and Sweeteners.” 06/29/15.
“Cholesterol and Triglycerides Health Center: Your Heart-Healthy Grocery Shopping List.” WebMD, LLC. Reviewed by Arefa Cassoobhoy, MD, MPH: 07/02/14. (Source: http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/heart-healthy-kitchen?page=2)