Cooking with Grandma

High blood pressure or hypertension can be caused by many things. Taking care of your high blood pressure before it causes heart disease, heart attack or stroke should be your top priority. You may have high blood pressure due to smoking, lack of physical activity, a diet high in salt, high alcohol intake, stress, certain diseases and disorders, or it could just run in your family. A healthy diet specifically designed to aid in lowering blood pressure is a great way to gain control of your health.

Flavonoids

These are found in most plants and play an antioxidant role once consumed. Flavonoids have been shown to decrease systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as reducing LDL cholesterol and increasing the good cholesterol HDL.

To incorporate more flavonoids in your diet top more foods with onions and kale, and consider adding green beans, broccoli, celery, cranberries and orange juice as a side. These foods are delicious and all have over 50 mg of flavonoids per 100 g of food. White tea and dark chocolate (with 70% or higher cocoa) happen to be a great source of flavonoids as well as being a healthy dessert.

Fiber

Fiber will reduce your cholesterol, control your blood sugar and keep your digestive system regular. Substitute whole grain and whole wheat if you aren’t doing so already, and use more barley, bran and brown rice in dishes. Snack on pistachios, almonds, pecans and carrots for extra fiber and lower cholesterol.

Potassium

Working together with sodium to balance the water in the body, this crucial mineral also controls blood pressure and heart function. Baked potatoes (with skin), spinach, bananas, soy and kidney beans, salmon, avocado and white mushrooms will provide the most potassium. Make sure you eat a variety of fruit and vegetables and you’ll easily get enough potassium.

Magnesium

This mineral is involved in many body functions, but perhaps most importantly it regulates heart rhythm, decreases the risk of stroke, and may lower blood pressure in women.  To get more magnesium you can eat halibut and mackerel, boiled spinach, bran breakfast cereal and pumpkin seeds.

Sometimes the best medicine comes from Mother Nature. A healthy diet rich in essential nutrients will help you gain control of your blood pressure. This is just part of a healthy lifestyle. Don’t smoke, don’t consume too much alcohol, and remember to breathe to avoid unnecessary stress. Embrace your life and live it to the fullest.