It’s a fact that our blood pressure will rise and fall during our lives — it should be checked regularly. We need to keep a tab on what we eat, just to ensure that our blood pressure remains low. To give an example, every meal that we eat could contribute to hypertension in a myriad of ways. When this occurs, pressure is applied against the walls of our blood vessels, causing the heart to work harder than the normal.
This leads to hazardous health problems.
Regular exercise can help us mitigate such a health problem, but we can also help ourselves by avoiding foods that have a high sugar or salt content. Here is a list of foods that can help keep your blood pressure at low levels as you become old.
Pot Pies are a strict “no-no”
Pot pies have a high content of sodium and fat and therefore, bad for our blood pressure. Statistically , pot pies contain 14, 00 mg of sodium and 35 grams of fat (of a harmful kind!). A local snack, they are unhealthy and therefore should be avoided, except for occasions that are rare or special.
To lower chances of having a high blood pressure, avoid this meal at all costs. It’s not only the pastry that’s harmful but also all the ingredients inside the pie that cause even greater harm!
Have More of Leafy Greens
Potassium, found in leafy greens, such as arugula or lettuce, can help your kidneys get rid of sodium — an element that contributes to high levels of blood pressure.
Consider adding some fresh leafy greens into your meals the next time around, and you’ll find your blood pressure fall to lower levels. You may have been resentful of your parents during your childhood when they forced you to eat green vegetables, but now, you will thank them they did so.
Avoid Cheese At All Costs
Everyone agrees that cheese is delicious. It’s important to know that it also has a high salt content. While there’s 621 mg of sodium per 100 grams in Cheddar cheese, other forms of cheese have an even higher concentration of sodium. There’s 819 mg of sodium per 100 grams in Gouda cheese, while there is 1,671 mg of sodium per 100 grams in American cheese. That’s way too much! Therefore, the next time around, reduce the intake of cheese. You would do well to stop taking it completely, but you may not resist the temptation.
Have more of Berries
Many berries and blueberries in particular are rich in natural antioxidants and flavonoids, which are compounds. They help in reducing hypertension and in lowering your blood pressure. Including a few berries in your daily diet is fairly easy. You can have strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries as a snack, or they can be added to granola in your morning diet. These sweet snacks have very few drawbacks and can elevate your mood and improve your health.
Shun Candy
Even as children, we were told about the bad effects of candy. Candies have a high amount of fructose corn syrup, a sugar, which can cause obesity, diabetes, or kidney disease, finally leading to high blood pressure. Apart from that, candies cause your teeth to rot and also cause acne, so just avoid them! So, keep in mind the long-term damage that candies can cause the next time you have them.
Oatmeal, a Big Yes!
Oatmeal makes for a perfect breakfast food as they are a high-fibre, low-sodium, low fat, and tasty way to reduce your blood pressure. Oatmeal builds your stamina to keep going throughout the day can be the base for berries, which is also a great food. Oatmeal can supplement granolas, cereals, and other dishes to keep you satisfied for a long time, and also reduce the urge for snacking. This can help you in losing weight. So try oatmeal for breakfast every morning!
Soft Drinks Contribute to BP Spikes
Soft drinks are just as damaging as candies. They are a big problem too, as being addictive, they leave you craving for more and more. Soft drinks have high sugar content, causing blood pressure levels to spike. The American Heart Association recommends consuming not more than 355ml of soft drinks per week. But if you feel the need, only stick to the ‘diet’ versions which have no sugar content. They are not as tasty, but can be life-saving.
Energy Drinks Are Bad for Your BP Too
Energy drinks have caffeine, something which differentiates them from your occasional soda. Caffeine causes increase in blood pressure, briefly, but intensely, spiking your energy levels. Considering that energy drinks have both sugar and caffeine, the latter’s effect, lasting three to six hours, will make it hard to sleep in the evenings. Therefore, it’s better to have a cup of coffee instead, without the sugar.
Take More of Omega-3s
Fish is rich in lean protein and omega-3s. Salmon or mackerel, fish with good fats, reduce your blood pressure due to the high amount of acids in them. They are also rich in vitamin D, found in very few foods. Fish is easy to cook, as it involves just baking or frying for a few minutes in your oven. You can better try it as sushi, which is a very popular food.
Sauce Can Be Deadly
Condimentslike mayonnaise; salad dressing, ketchup, and gravy have a high sodium content and cause your blood pressure to rise. Hot sauce is even more dangerous, as it has 2,643 mg of sodium per 100 grams, Oyster sauce has a sodium content of 200 mg per gram; even mustard has 300 mg of sodium for every gram. If you relish spice, it would be better to switch to chilli flakes at your next meal or have none.
