I had previously written something on high blood pressure (click HERE). However, I believe that only consuming suppliment is sometimes not sufficient, particularly for people who do not prefer taking pills. Since the increase (high) or decrease (low) of blood pressure can sometimes be used to measure a person's health, I will start writting in more detail, especially the type of foods to consume in order to reduce the high blood pressure.

I will stress on food and nutrition on this post.


Caption: symptoms of high blood pressure

As stated in the previous post, high blood pressure is elevated as hypertension, a state where the blood level is abnormally high. It is a physiological state rather than a disease. Therefore, a person can reduce the hypertension with medication or consuming appropriate foods. As a summary from the previous post, blood pressure is measured in two identical numbers (1) systolic is a number measured after the heart contracts and is highest, and (2) diastolic is measured before the heart contracts and lowest. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a person will suffer from high blood pressure when the pressure in their blood is pumping significantly, i.e. 160/90. The measutoement of normal blood pressure is between the two figures; 100/70 a 140/90. The blood pressure below 100/70 produces low blood pressure while higher than 140/90 will subsequently produces high blood pressure. Try to maintain your blood pressure within the two figures.


Caption: what to consume

Those people who suffered from high blood pressure may have no particular symptoms, though some may suffer from headache, nosebleed, palpitation (a rapid and irregular heart beat), visual disturbances, dizziness, chest pain, fatigue and sometimes breathlessness. Having high blood pressure may increase the rate of heart disease and stroke, and associate with various diseases such as diabetes, obesity, kidney. In fact, there are various explanations that causes the high blood pressure. This include genetically, mental stress, overweight, nutrition deficiencies, high cholestrol, kidney disorder, high caffeine (coffee) and alcohol (wine, beer etc.) consumption, smoking and food intolerances.


Caption: importance of dieting

It is really important to consume nutritious foods. If so, you should consume more of these foods when suffer from high blood pressure.

1. Garlic and onions: both of these will help in cardio vascular (increases the efficiency of the circulatory system in an organ, i.e. transporting nutrients, blood gases, hormones, blood cells etc.).

2. Fruits and vegetables (potassium and magnesium): I personally believe you need to consume 8 servings of these everyday, particularly those rich in vitamin B, vitamin C, potassium and magnesium. These are vital for cardio-vascular. Kiwi is a good source of potassium. Lentils and beans are also good source of potassium. Banana is essential to reduce high blood pressure. However, you should not consume more than two a day.Green-leaf vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grain (e.g. brown rice, bread, buckwheat etc.) are good source of magnesium. Whole grain such as buckwheat also contain the B vitamins and fibre, extremely essential for our heart. Fibre is also necessary to remove excessive cholestrol from our body.

3. Fruits and vegetables (vitamin B and C): There is a series of vitamin B (you may wish to read more about vitamin B by clicking HERE). Vitamin C on the other hand is important for healing the blood vessel walls. Both vitamin B and C are almost important to reduce stress! Therefore, you may need a combination of fruits that provide different vitamin B. There are many fruits that contain vitamin B and C, such as kiwi, tomatoes, banana, oranges and watermelon. However, Avacado contain most of the vitamin B (although we should not consume too much avacadoes due to fattening). Other fruits such as peach is also nutritious for a person, though it only contain vitamin B3. You may also wish to consume some fruits that contains vitamin C, such as cantalope, apples, lemon, grapes and lime. They offer plenty of vitamin C. I have match vegetables that a person with high blood pressure should consume. Here are some examples: brocolli, peas, cauliflowers, spinash, green pepper, small portion of potatoes, asparagus, onions, corn and carrots. You should also consume more of these berries: strawberries, blueberries/blackberries, cranberries and raspberries since those provide plenty of antioxidants and different vitamins, way too beneficial for human body.

4. Vegetable juices: vegetable juice is important for our body. It provide significant amount of potassium and magnesium, and other nutritions that helps significantly in the reduction of high blood pressure. This include: carrots, beetroot, radish, ginger, cabbage, chard and celery.

5. Magnesium: consume some magnesium suppliment. They were proven to lower blood pressure.

6. Fish oil: it improves the blood circulation and heal blood vessel walls. However, do not consume any if you are on blood thinning medication.

7. Coenzyme Q10 (CO-Q10): provides antioxidant particularly for our heart. It will reduce high blood pressure when you consume it daily for more than 6 months.

Since high blood pressure is always linked to stress, therefore try reduce stress in the first place. Exercises (e.g. walking, jogging, yoga, tai-chi, gym, ) may help reducing stress. There is one traditional but I heard is a quite effective meditation method. When you wake up early in the morning, sit on your bed, close your eyes, place your right hand on your stomach and simply breath in through your nose and out through your mouth very slowly. Feel the breath in your stomach. You should do this process for 20 times simultaneously. The main idea is to increase your heart beat rate.


Caption: diagnosing high blood pressure

However, these are the foods you must avoid (if you are in the state of high blood pressure):

1. Reduce salt consumption: originally, salt increases the level of blood pressure. Therefore, GP will usually suggest to reduce the consumption of salt. This is one of the suggestion: use herbs and spices to flavour your food instead of using salt.
Foods that contain salt are bread, cheese, ham, bacon, processed meat (e.g. canned meat), biscuits, cereals, cakes, pastry and soy sauce. Also, try not to consume processed foods (click HERE to read). Processed food include ice cream, chocolate etc.

2. Reduce caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, sugar, carbohydrates (DO NOT consume too much rice since rice produces sugar and increases sugar level. Else, please do more exercises such as gym, yoga, jogging etc. to reduce the sugar level), dairy products, fried foods and saturated fats. Try not consuming any margarines, mayonaise and junk foods as these will increase total cholestrol and negatively impact your cardio-vascular health. Olive oil is a better substitution.