They call it the silent killer. And it is. There are no symptoms for heart failure. We all know the obvious things. WE have to eat right, don’t smoke, exercise, manage stress. I know that sometimes even when you do all of these things, it still can be a constant struggle. My husband for instance. He runs everyday, he meditates, eats all the right things. Even with all of these wonderful lifestyle choices, he struggles with high blood pressure. Here are some changes that has helped lower his blood pressure.
That being said, with the help of natural foods, and overall healthy mindset, he has been able to get it under control.
IT felt like an uphill battle for such a long time. This poor guy can’t even have a grain of salt without his entire body going into complete and utter panic. It was definitely hard at first.
Here are some lifestyle changes that took my husbands blood pressure from 160/90 (average) to 125/80(ish)
Cutting out Salt
This is a very important step. If you go to any doctors office, the first thing he will say is reduce your sodium intake. It keeps your body retaining salt which causes excess strain on your heart and blood vessels.
Here are some foods to avoid
- Butter and margarine.
- Regular salad dressings.
- Fatty meats.
- Whole milk dairy products.
- Fried foods.
- Salted snacks.
- Canned soups.
- Fast foods.
- Deli meats.
How to Help Reduce Sodium Intake
- Do not even think about using table salt.
- Choose foods lower in sodium. Read every nutrition label!!!
- Look for “sodium-free,” “low sodium,” and “unsalted.”
- Try salt substitutes and fresh herbs. Even lemon.
- Read ingredients on the label. The ones higher up have the greatest amount.
- Try salt free spice mixes. Or make your own!
Food that are the Highest in Sodium
- Processed foods. This includes deli meats, sausage, bacon, and ham.
- Canned soups! These are loaded with sodium. And do not be fooled by reduce sodium soups. They still have an insane amount of salt.
- Lunch meats
- Packaged dressing and condiments
- Prepackaged mixes for potatoes, rice, and pasta.
- Most snack foods unless otherwise stated. Chips/pretzels/ popcorn…
- Olives
- Soy sauce
What else should I do to my diet?
- Limit alcohol
- Eat a variety of foods.The more colorful the diet the better!
- Eat foods high in dietary fiber. Increasing your fiber intake not only lowers blood pressure, it also promotes sustainable weight loss.
Some Foods that are good for Lowering Blood Pressure
- Citrus Fruit
- Fatty fish such as salmon. It aids in inflammation, which puts less strain on your heart.
- Swiss Chard. Its high magnesium content helps lower calcium levels in the blood. Which gets those numbers down!
- Beans and lentil. Due to its high fiber content.
- Berries. The antioxidants are excellent for your heart!
- Carrots/Celery/Tomatoes/ Broccoli. The more colorful your diet is the better. These veggies help your blood vessel function in a big way!
- Greek yogurt
- Beets and beet greens. They are very high in nitrates. This help relaxes the blood vessels, improving you circulation.
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