Doctors usually treat high blood pressure by pushing medications like beta blockers and Captopril. But popping these drugs every day can cause serious side effects… Things like depression and liver damage. Some antihypertensive drugs can even raise your death risk by 12.6%.1
That doesn’t sound like much of a solution. And trust me, I’ve gone head-to-head with my own doctor on this one. I struggle with keeping my BP in a healthy range. So if you’re like me, the 1-in-3 adults with high blood pressure,2 you’ll want to include these five everyday foods to keep it in check.
1. Grapes: This one is a personal favorite. We’ve told you before that the skin contains resveratrol. It’s one of the most effective antioxidants for fighting high blood pressure. Research shows 300 mg of grape seed extract can lower your systolic blood pressure by 28 mmHG in one month. Pretty impressive. But after four months, 93% of subjects brought their levels back down to normal.3
Eating grapes can also improve your heart function. That’s because their potassium content helps balance sodium levels in your body.4 Their natural antioxidant content also helps shield your heart from inflammation and oxidative stress.5
2. Blueberries: Health Watch readers know eating just a handful of these berries a week can lower your blood pressure by 10%. Mostly thanks to pterostilbene. It’s the main antioxidant in this fruit. One study revealed it can decrease systolic pressure by 7.8 mmHG. It also lowered diastolic pressure by 7.3%.6 And a new study confirms just how heart healthy they are…
Researchers found eating about a cup of blueberries a day lowered systolic blood pressure by 5.1%. It also reduced diastolic blood pressure by 6.3%. That’s an 11% overall decrease in blood pressure in just two months.7
3. Eggs: We’re talking about the whole thing. Eating more protein alone can lower BP by 40%.8 It’s split almost equally between the egg white and yolk. The egg white contains RVPSL. It helps protect your arteries from narrowing. But don’t skip the yolk. It provides even more sources of heart-healthy nutrients…like vitamin B12 and folate.
(Don’t be fooled into thinking these protein powerhouses are bad for your cholesterol. People who ate three eggs a day for three months actually improved their levels.9)
4. Cucumbers: They may be made up of mostly water… But cucumbers also provide you with key nutrients that help lower blood pressure. These include potassium, magnesium, and fiber.1 High levels of magnesium alone lowered the risk of hypertension by 70% in women…and 18% in men.11
Cucumbers also contain anthocyanins. They’re powerful antioxidants for fighting high blood pressure. It may be why one study found cucumber vine supplements reduce blood pressure by as much as 81%.
5. Flaxseeds: There’s more to them than just fiber…though that can be enough to help boost your heart health. These seeds also contain lignans. They’re a type of antioxidant. And it may be why flaxseeds help tame blood pressure.
A study in Finland found people who had high levels of these compounds were less likely to die of coronary artery disease.12 Another study revealed adding two tablespoons of flaxseeds reduced BP from around 140/90 mmHg to 125/83 mmHG in six months.13
Eating these foods are safer—and usually more effective—than relying on a prescription. Let us know either on Facebook or in the comments what’s worked for you.
In Good Health,
Angela Salerno
Publisher, INH Health Watch
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References:
1 http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=186169#Abstract
2 http://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/facts.htm
3 http://www.naturalhealthresearch.org/33756/
4 http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/271156.php
5 http://med.umich.edu/cardiac-surgery/patient/about/stories/bolling.shtml
6 http://hyper.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/meeting_abstract/60/3_MeetingAbstracts/A617
7 http://www.andjrnl.org/article/S2212-2672%2814%2901633-5/abstract
8 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140911125920.htm
9 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23021013
10 http://www.academia.edu/7687409/05_N002_38374
11 http://www.rodalenews.com/lower-blood-pressure-minerals
12 http://www.lignans.net/health-benefits.html
13 http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/01/us-flaxseed-bp-idUSBRE9A00R520131101