Tag Archive for diet

What to eat to lower your high blood pressure

12/06/2009 admin Good Food = Lower Blood Pressure No comments

From: www.organicsandyou.com

FOODS THAT BALANCE BLOOD PRESSURE

Legumes: mung bean sprouts, soy bean sprouts, tofu, tempeh, peas, Adzuki Beans, Black Beans, Black-eyed peas, Broad Beans (Fava Beans), Butter Beans, Calico Beans, Cannellini Beans, Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans), Edamame
Great Northern Beans, Italian Beans, Kidney Beans, Lentils, Lima Beans, Mung Beans, Navy Beans, Pinto Beans, Soy Beans, including black soy beans, Split Peas, White Beans

Grains: (whole grains, ½ cup for all grains) sprouted wheat – hard red winter wheat, Amaranth, Barley, pearled, Buckwheat (kasha), Bulgar, Oats, whole kernel, Rice, brown, Rice, wild, Rye, whole kernel, Quinoa, Wheat, whole kernel, All Bran with Extra Fiber, Bran Buds, Fiber One, Kashi, Go Lean, Shredded Wheat, Shredded Wheat and Bran, Buckwheat Groats, Oat Bran, Old Fashioned Oatmeal, Steel-Cut Oats

Vegetables: (Pungent) radish, horseradish, hot peppers, onion family (garlic, onion, leek, scallion, shallot, chive), Leafy greens (cabbage, spinach, carrot greens, mint leaf, nasturtium leaf, dandelion greens, kale, wheat greens, barley greens, broccoli, parsley), asparagus, bell peper, rose hip, tomato, celery
Green seaweeds: Green rope, Green tuft, Dead man’s fingers, Encrusting codium, Bird guano alga, Sea lettuce, Stringy, hairy, ribbon Ulva, Green barrels, Brown seaweeds: Winged kelp, Bottlebrush seaweed, Seersucker, Three-ribbed kelp, Northern bladder chain, Flattened acid kelp, Witch’s hair, Green acid kelp, Geather Boa, Rockweed, Spiraling rockweed, Sea cauliflower, Perennial kelp, Twisted sea tubes, Bull kelp, Dwarf rockweed, Woody-stemmed kelp, Sea fungus, Sugar kelp, Stiff-stiped kelp, Sea cabbage, Split kelp, Wireweed, Soda straws, Studded sea balloons), Red Seaweeds (Turkish towel, Bleached burnett, Winged rib, Sea moss, Sea sac, Rusty rock, Sea tangle, Turkish washcloth, Tar spot, Iridescent seaweed, Coarse sea lace, Black pine, Flattened sea brush, Sea brush, Sea laural, Red ribbon, Sea comb, Bleachweed, Sea noodles, Red eyelet silk), chlorella, cucumber
Mushrooms: Honey Mushroom, Brown Stew Fungus, The Miller, Shaggy Ink Cap, Green Russula, Russula integra, Weeping Milk-Cap, Saffron Milk-Cap, Hedgehog Fungus, Man on Horseback, Wood Blewit, Chantarelle, Funnel Chantarelle, Horn of Plenty, Yellow-Crack Bolete, Slippery Jack, Brown Birch Bolete, King Bolete, Sheep Polypore, Pestle Puffball

Fruit: (citrus) Clementine, Kumquat, Minneola, Mandarin, Orange, Satsuma, Tangarine, Tangelo, Lemon, Rough Lemon, Lime, Leech Lime, Grapefruit, Pummelo, Sweety, Ugli, banana, persimmon

Nuts & Seeds: Almonds, hazlenuts (filbert), flax seed, chia seed, pumpkin seed (lightly roasted to remove surface E coli), poppy seed, walnut, sunflower sprouts

Animal products: fish: sardine, salmon, mackerel, Cold water fish (LAKE TROUT, RAINBOW TROUT, BROOK TROUT, BROWN TROUT, ARCTIC GRAYLING, ARCTIC CHAR, SPLAKE, etc.) raw honey, bee pollen

Herbs: hawthorn berry, dandelion root, burdock root, chaparral, peppermint (palpitations), cayenne pepper, ginger, rhubarb root (constipation), yarrow, chamomile, motherwort, valerian (Traditional Chinese herbs & American herbs)

FOODS TO AVOID (worsens high blood pressure)

Sugar, or foods with added sugars, Processed grains, or foods containing them (except as listed on the Grains List e.g. packaged cereals, even whole grain cereals, are usually processed, verify), Refined grains (which don’t say “whole” in front of each grain on the label) or foods containing them, “Wheat” or “wheat flour” without the word “whole” is usually a code word for “white” (includes white rice, “Flour” listed alone is always white flour), Potatoes, Cakes, cookies, muffins, etc. Crackers, unless whole grain, Cereals, unless whole grain and at least 8 grams of fiber per serving, Chips, Ice cream, Jams and Jellies, Maple Syrup, Regular Soda and other sweetened beverages, Juices, Oils except for extra virgin olive oil, nut oils, and canola oil, Mayonnaise, Creamy salad dressings, Butter, Magarine, Dairy products that are not fat-free, including cheese, cream cheese, milk, etc., Fatty meats such as bacon or sausage, Anything with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats in it.

“The sages follow the laws of Nature and therefore their bodies are free from strange diseases. They do not lose any of their natural functions and their spirit of life is never exhausted.” — Inner Classic

Mark Hammer C.M.H.,  Master Herbalist - Longevity Mountain    5/09

Simon Foster

Simon Foster

That’s a huge list of foods to help lower blood pressure. Kinda boggles the brain!

My favorites from your list (that I eat regularly) include: oatmeal, oat bran, spinach, lavabread (locally harvested dark green/black seaweed in South Wales), bananas, mackerel, sardines, and hawthorn flowers/berries freshly picked locally (in my back yard).

With regards to your list ‘Foods to Avoid’ I would suggest that these should be eaten in moderation or healthy substitutes found.

High blood pressure is a sign of you body getting out of balance from too much this, or not enough of that – not from accidentally eating the wrong thing one day.

Is vegetarianism an answer to lowering blood pressure?

06/06/2009 admin Good Food = Lower Blood Pressure, hypertension dialogues No comments

From:  biggest-loser.net

It’s better that you stick to a 100% pure vegetarian diet if you want to live a long and healthy life in the surface of this happy planet. Health experts believe that a typical vegetarian diet contains more potassium, complex carbohydrates, polyunsaturated fat, fiber, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin A, all of which mostly have a favorable influence on bringing down a person’s high blood pressure. Eating food with lots of fiber in it it’s going to do you better than you could ever think.
Celery, garlic, onion, tomato, broccoli, carrot and saffron are all medical miracles. They do much more than we can imagine when it comes to taking good care of our heart and blood. So if you can do all that, you most certainly are going to have a nice time while you are at it. Yes, it is a bit difficult in the beginning, but as time passes you will get used to your new best friends, fruits and vegetables. When it comes to sticking to fruits and vegetables, the best part is you get a lot of different varieties, after all isn’t variety the spice of life?

Simon Foster

Simon Foster

I’m not sure if it fits into the ‘vegetarian vision’ but fish makes a great addition to a lowering blood pressure diet. It’s fully of essential fatty acids and omega 3 which are good helpers in get your circulatory system back in balance.

I’d agree that most of us tend to eat too much salt which increases hypertension. On the other hand if we eat only unprocessed foods without adding any salt we can suffer from a lack of salt. A measure of salt in our diet is needed to maintain optimum health.

Why drinking milk can lower your blood pressure

06/06/2009 admin hypertension dialogues No comments

From: www.saga.co.uk

Drink skimmed milk for lower blood pressure

milk

Consuming lots of low-fat dairy products, like skimmed milk and low-fat yoghurt, could cut the risk of developing high blood pressure and help maintain a healthy heart, say scientists writing the in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Researchers from Wageningen University in the Netherlands looked at 2,245 adults aged 55 and over who did not have a history of hypertension (high blood pressure). The volunteers were interviewed by a trained dietician and dietary habits including dairy intake were recorded.

Blood pressure was assessed at the beginning of the study and again two years later. High blood pressure was defined as 140/90 mmHg or above.

The team found that those people who consumed the most low-fat dairy had a 31 per cent decreased risk of high blood pressure compared to those who consumed the least. The same association was not found with high-fat products like full-fat milk or cheese.

This is not the first study to show that a healthy diet can significantly cut the risk of developing high blood pressure and heart disease.

“Trials show a diet rich in fruit, vegetables and low-fat dairy products can substantially reduce blood pressure,” say the authors of the study. “Although the underlying mechanism remains to be established, it has been linked to proteins, bioactive peptides and minerals such as calcium, potassium or magnesium.”

Around 10 million people in the UK have high blood pressure which is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. High blood pressure tends to run in families and is also more common in people who smoke or are obese.

People diagnosed with hypertension are encouraged to make lifestyle changes to lower their blood pressure including following a healthy diet, losing weight and reducing salt, caffeine and alcohol intake. If blood pressure levels remain at 160/100 mmHg or above drug treatment may be advised. There are several medications for hypertension including ACE (Angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors, calcium-channel blockers, diuretics and beta-blockers.

Mike Rich, Executive Director of the Blood Pressure Association welcomed the study but cautioned against over indulging in low-fat dairy.

“While this study is further evidence that a healthy diet can help reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure, there is not enough evidence to say that low fat dairy products alone can do this, ” said Rich.

“So we wouldn’t suggest that people need to start gulping down gallons of skimmed milk or other low-fat dairy products just yet. It’s all about balance – opting for low fat in place of high fat dairy products, as part of a low-salt diet with lots of fruit and vegetables will set you on your way to lifelong healthy blood pressure.”

Simon Foster

Simon Foster

Milk has loads of calcium.

Calcium plays a role in the constriction and relaxation of your blood vessels. Supplementing with calcium has helped lower blood pressure in a number of studies.

If drinking loads of low-fat milk everyday isn’t your cup of tea talking a daily calcium suppliment (500 – 600 mg) will help put you on the road to lower blood pressure.

High Blood presure dialogues – how much salt is too much?

02/06/2009 admin hypertension dialogues No comments

From: foodessentials.com

Sodium and Salt – How Much is Too Much?

salt1by Shereen Jegtvig

Sodium is a dietary mineral that in the right amount is essential for your health.  It’s called an electrolyte mineral, which along with potassium and chloride, helps to keep the fluids balanced in your body.  Sodium also aids in muscle contractions and is necessary for nerve impulses.  Too little sodium could result in low blood pressure and eating too much sodium may contribute to high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.

Most likely, you already get enough sodium from the foods in your diet, and actually it’s very likely that you get too much sodium.  Experts calculate that healthy people should keep to no more than 2400 milligrams sodium every day, and people with high blood pressure should drop their sodium intake to less than 1500 milligrams.  Sodium is naturally found in salt, which is half sodium and half chloride, milk, cheese, beets and celery and some tap water.

These natural sources of sodium only contribute about one-quarter of your daily sodium intake.  The rest comes from processed foods like canned foods, boxed dinner mixes, frozen dinners and most of the snacks you’ll find in the grocery store.  Foods high in sodium don’t have to taste salty.  It’s found in many of the preservatives and additives used to enhance the flavor and shelf-life of products.  You’ll also find lots of sodium in the meals you order in restaurants and cafeterias.

If your diet is high in fresh fruits and vegetables and you stay away from highly processed foods, you probably are getting the right amount of sodium.  If you eat a lot of processed foods, dine frequently in restaurants or overdo the salty snacks, you may need to cut back.  So how tough will that be?

To be honest, avoiding sodium when you eat a lot of processed foods isn’t easy, but you can find low-sodium versions of many foods.  You can also switch from table salt to a salt substitute that contains potassium.  For cooking, you can play around with different herbs and spices that add flavor and no additional sodium.

The US FDA has set these guidelines for sodium claims on food labels:
Sodium-free: less than 5 mg per serving.
Very low sodium: 35 mg or less per serving.
Low-sodium: 140 mg or less per serving.
Light in sodium: at least 50 percent less sodium per serving than that brand’s regular product.
Reduced or less sodium: at least 25 percent less per serving than that brand’s regular product.

Simon Foster

Simon Foster

Interesting post. The USA sodium classification sounds confused.

Such ‘light’ or ‘reduced’ sodium for 50% or 25% less salt than usual.

What’s ‘usual’? Virtually meaningless and misleading.

My motto is ‘save money and save your health – use only unprocessed food.’

Yes, it takes a little more time to prepare. Might have to watch one less TV program.

Salt and High Blood Pressure

29/05/2009 admin hypertension dialogues No comments

From: fatburningfood.org

A key to healthy consuming is picking foods lower in salt and sodium. Before the widespread accessibility of medicine to control high blood pressure, people with severe hypertension had only one high blood pressure treatment option, a drastically salt-reduced, low-calorie “rice dieting.”

Simon Foster

Simon Foster

Before processed foods were the mainstay of Western diets then there was little risk that too much salt induced hypertension.

In fact, if you start cooking again using basic food stuffs you run the risk of not getting enough salt, increasing your risk of heart disease in the process.

My practice is to eat food without added salt and and ensure you add enough salt to your diet but not too much.

And not all salt is the same. Use good naturally harvested Celtic sea salt without all the nutrients and essential minerals extracted as with refined table salt.

Everything in moderation is the key to health and reasonable blood pressure.

P.S. For more information on good salt and were to get it see my blog entry – Good salt Bad Salt under Good Food = Lower Blood Pressure

Good Salt Bad Salt

25/05/2009 admin Good Food = Lower Blood Pressure No comments
Simon Foster

Simon Foster

Eating too much salt increases blood pressure. We should all aim to eat less.

Up to 3/4 of the salt we ingest is already in prepared foods we purchase at the store. Processed meats and canned good in particular.

You can virtually eliminate salt in your diet by cooking with basic unprocessed foods – meat, vegetables, fruits, grains, etc.

But don’t do it!

Salt is a vital element that helps regulating water retention around cells. A study has shown that those with the lowest amount of salt intake had a 20% higher risk of suffering heart attack or stroke.

Everything in moderation. Around 6 grams of salt a day is considered a healthy intake.

But not all salt is the same.

White table salt most of us were brought up on  has been highly refined and processed removing all the nutrition and leaving us with sodium chloride.

Sea salt harvested in the age-old traditional method maintains all the natural nutrients your body will love you for.

In the words of Kevin Riley:

Celtic sea salt has gained fame in the culinary world … treasured as one of the finest condiments. You should be using this wonderful salt in your kitchen … and on your table. It is unlike other salts … much more than just sodium and chloride – it is rich with minerals and trace elements.

This natural sea salt is harvested from acres and acres of preserved pristine marshes … off the northwest coast of France. The salt flats are large pans of grey clay, into which the seawaters of the Atlantic are channeled. There the sun and wind evaporate the water … leaving a mineral-rich salty brine.

The salt crystals that form … pick up a light grey color from the clay mud. The clayionizes the salt – making it richer in healthy electrolytes. Celtic sea salt is carefully harvested using ancient Celtic methods. Only wooden rakes are used to gather the salt by hand … no metal ever touches the precious salt.

The final product is a nutritious unrefined sea salt … with a pleasing light grey color … slightly moist … and delicious. This wonderful salt can be used in all your cooking – it tastes fantastic sprinkled on garden-fresh tomatoes.
Enjoy the healthy salt that was collected by the early Celts … and keep your body’s electrolytes in balance.

- Get Natural! Drop Your Blood Pressure

The most well known Celtic Sea salt is Sel de Guerande harvested on the northern shores of Brittany.

Their website is in French, English, and German, as well as the local tongue, Breton. You can order Sel de Guerande on line there but only through French. When I tried it wouldn’t accept my UK credit card for some reason. I guess my French languages skills aren’t adequate.

Nevertheless I found another website that that sells the Celtic Sea Salt (and at a better price too)  from London however. If you interested in trying out a bag check out the London Fine Foods Group.

Scientists Identify Genetic Links To High Blood Pressure

23/05/2009 admin hypertension dialogues No comments

From: www.lsblog.org

An international scientific study involving researchers from the University of Glasgow has identified eight common genetic differences which may increase the risk of high blood pressure.

The University researchers, led by Professor Anna Dominiczak and Professor John Connell, contributed to the global study of genes in high blood pressure through participation in the Medical Research Council’s British Genetics of Hypertension study.

High blood pressure – or hypertension – affects at least eighteen million people in the UK and is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Although lifestyle factors such as smoking and diet can raise blood pressure, it also runs in families suggesting a genetic link.

The genes identified by the researchers are thought to influence blood pressure in different ways: for example, through the production of chemicals, known as steroids, which affect how the kidneys process salt; or how the blood vessels regulate blood pressure.

Although the effect of each of the new gene variants is small, when combined their influence could significantly raise a person’s risk of stroke or heart attack.

The role of steroid hormones in controlling hypertension is one of the key areas studied within the British Heart Foundation Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre at the University.

Prof Connell, a senior researcher and Professor of Endocrinology, whose research group has a particular interest in steroids and blood pressure, said: “This latest study increases understanding of the underlying causes of high blood pressure, why some people are more susceptible to it than others and opens up further avenues for research into potential treatments.

“It is important to stress that environmental factors also play a big part so diet, smoking and weight control all important methods of controlling high blood pressure.”

In the new study, scientists looked at the human genome for genetic variations affecting blood pressure. They compared 2.5 million genetic variants from more than 34,000 people with measurements of their blood pressure. They found eight genetic differences linked to changes in blood pressure.

The study, published in Nature Genetics, involved over 150 scientists from 93 centres in Europe and the USA with funding from a variety of sources including the Medical Research Council, the British Heart Foundation and the Wellcome Trust.

Source
Nexxus, Scotland

Simon Foster

Simon Foster

The link between genetics and high blood pressure is very convincing and goes a way to explain why some people (such as myself) suffer from extreme high blood pressure while living an otherwise healthy lifestyle.

Some people are simply programmed to have high blood pressure.

This doesn’t mean that it’s OK and isn’t a health risk.

It does mean that we are going to have to work a little harder lowering our blood pressure.

It means we are going to have to do more than simply change our diet and exercise each day.

It means we have to re-program our bodies to function with lower and safer levels of blood pressure.

I have discovered that this re-programming is entirely possible without recourse to prescription drugs and their undesirable side-effects.

Foods That Lower High Blood Pressure

21/05/2009 admin hypertension dialogues No comments

From: www.romow.com

With all the horrible news that pops up every other day about how this food and that is bad for your blood pressure, it may seem hard to believe that you can actually lower blood pressure with some nutritional foods. The truth of the matter is that you can. Some foods will naturally lower your blood pressure. This does not mean that you can use this to replace medication, but it does help immensely with those that are borderline high. Also, it can enhance the effects of medicines for high blood pressure.

Here are a number of different foods that can lower blood pressure naturally:

Some of the best foods to lower high blood pressure are those that are high in calcium. Calcium has always been known to be a good thing for high blood pressure, and no food is better than skim milk. Skim milk gives you the good (calcium and vitamin D) without giving you the bad (tons of fat) Any other foods that are high in calcium are also usually great for lowering high blood pressure. These include almonds, sardines, and most leafy green veggies.

Some more great foods for lowering blood pressure include yellow corn, grains, apples, and grapefruit. These foods are wonderful because they contain another fantastic enemy of high blood pressure…magnesium. Yet another reason to eat your spinach as well.

High blood pressure is one of the few reasons that your doctor might advise that you enjoy a little chocolate. Dark chocolate is said to lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings. Not many people that I know would have a problem taking some chocolate now and then for their blood pressure. This is not for everyone so be sure to check with your doctor to see if the benefits are higher than the risks for your particular medical situation.

Another important food factor in lowering blood pressure is potassium. Most people are aware that bananas are high in potassium, but do not realize there are a number of other delicious foods that are as well. They include watermelon, oranges, baked potatoes, and even zucchini. Omega three foods are also great for high blood pressure and include most of the oily fishes including tuna. Finally, garlic is long considered to be one of the best natural enemies of high blood pressure.

By sampling each of these foods on a regular basis and keeping them in moderation, you can help to get control of that high blood pressure. Take your medicine and watch your diet, and you will find that your blood pressure will respond in kind.

Simon Foster

Simon Foster

Response:

This is some very sound advice on eating to lower your blood pressure.

To your list I would add oatmeal. One bowl a day. The most healthiest meal in the world! (And cheap).

For a complete guide on how to live well and eat healthy you can’t go wrong with Kevin Riley’s guide Get Natural! Drop Your Blood Pressure

Is Garlic Good For Blood Pressure?

21/05/2009 admin hypertension dialogues No comments

From: www.cholesterolrevealed.com

My Blood Pressure is sometimes high but not all of the time,for this reason i dont want to take any medication. I heard garlic suppose to be good for blood pressure. Also i have high cholesterol for many years and it does seem to be going down. I dont eat a lot of fat and dont like dairy product (dont drink milk or like cheese). I do however like to drink half a bottle of sweet wine every day.Is this why my cholesterol is so high. Waiting for your reply. Thanks.

Simon Foster

Simon Foster

Response:

Garlic prevents hypertension by blocking inhibitors, producing more nitric oxide gives good control over blood pressure. Eat garlic, raw, everyday.

A study with obese, hypertensive men showed a marked reduction in blood pressure that lasted through the afternoon after drinking just one glass of red wine with the noon meal. (The ethanol and polyphenols in red wine work together to enhance nitric oxide.)

This protective flavonol is especially high in the dark red wines such as merlot,  cabernet, zinfandel,  shiraz, and pinot noir.

Cheers!
Simon Foster

P.S. Get more information on how what to eat and how to live to lower your blood pressure naturally from Kevin Riley’s guide Get Natural! Drop Your Blood Pressure at www.naturalbloodpressure.com

Alternative approaches to lowering blood pressure – faith and skeptism

30/04/2009 admin high blood pressure solutions No comments

I’m on two ‘alternative approaches’ to lowering my very high pressure.

One is largely diet-based gleaned from this book, “Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally, Safely & Without Drugs.” (I’ll put a link up in the side bar when I figure out how to.)

The other one is a bit more strange. Three exercises of both mental and physical nature. Nothing too hard. The first one is a kind of rhythmic walking for 10 minutes. The second is an emotional release/breathing exercise (25 minutes). And the third one is a deep relaxation exercise best performed in bed before one drifts off to sleep (also 25 minutes in duration).

These exercises are on audio and in a written transcript and are advertised and sold on the net by a Christian Goodman who has an address in Iceland.

But who is Christian Goodman and do his exercises really work? Time will tell. He’s not cheap. $49 if I remember correctly. When I first came across his site, product, and claims I thought ‘what a con!’.

But I signed up to his list and got the occasional alert to his blog entries. Seemed to be talking sense.

After one month of taking my daily prescribed medicine my blood pressure hadn’t drop one single point (192/120). I revisited Christian’s site and read it again and pondered. He gives a 2 month guarantee with his exercises. Either it works and your blood pressure is lowered. Or he’ll return every penny of the cost – no questions asked.

So I asked myself – what have I got to lose? If it works then living a longer and healthier life is definitely worth 50 bucks. If it doesn’t work – it want cost me anything but time trying it out.

So I got it about three weeks ago. I’ve been pretty faithful and doing the exercises every day. Has it worked? Maybe. My pressure is lower (150 -165 range) but that could be to change in diet as well.

So the verdict is out for the moment. If my blood pressure drops below, say 140 before the trial 8 weeks is up I’ll let him keep my money. If not I’ll ask for it back.

I think they are good exercises. I don’t think he’s a con. But that doesn’t mean the exercises will for everyone every time.

I’ll put a link to his website on the bar to the right also.

As an end note, I want to mention another site I came across that uses special audio tapes you breath along with to slow your breathe and lower your blood pressure. They have samples and I tried them out. Seems to work. My blood pressure dropped to 130 / 90 for the first time in probably many. many years. I’m not convinced the lower blood pressure will last more than a hour or so. (You see I’m a very skeptical person.) But it’s definitely worth a check out. I’ll try to paste a link to them also.

Chow for now,
Simon

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