Lower High Blood Pressure-Eat your Fruits and Vegetables

Research shows nine or ten servings of fruits and vegetables a day is optimal for good health, but a minimum of five servings a day is recommended. The problem is that most populations are consistently not reaching even half this goal.

If you have hypertension, how a diet rich in fruit and vegetables can help to reduce your high blood pressure?

Scientists agree: there is evidence that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables reduces blood pressure. Many studies suggest that vegetable and fruit consumption is inversely related to blood pressure.

A study suggested that vegetable protein intake was inversely related to blood pressure. The researchers said that some types of amino acid and other vegetable components, like magnesium, have been shown to influence blood pressure. They concluded that a diet high in vegetable products should be part of healthy lifestyle for prevention of high blood pressure and related diseases.

Fruits and vegetables are also rich in potassium, magnesium and sometimes calcium, all of which seem to have a role in blood pressure.

Another approach suggests the benefits of fibers. In a study fiber supplementation changed both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Reductions in blood presure tended to be larger in older (>40 years) and in hypertensive populations than in younger and people with normal blood pressure. So their conclusion was that increasing the intake of fiber in Western populations, where intake is far below recommended levels, may contribute to the prevention of hypertension. Another study from China, found that fiber from cereals was associated with a lower body mass index, blood pressure, and homocysteine concentration; fiber from vegetables with a lower blood pressure and homocysteine concentration; and fiber from fruit with a lower waist-to-hip ratio and blood pressure. A third study found that blood pressure reduced by whole grains whether the fiber was predominantly soluble (barley) or insoluble (brown rice & whole wheat) in moderately hypercholesterolemic men. So they concluded that increasing whole grain foods in a healthy diet can reduce cardiovascular risk.

The “DASH” diet plan (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) was a clinical study that tested the effects of nutrients in food on blood pressure. Study results indicated that elevated blood pressures were reduced by an eating plan that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy foods and is low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol. A diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products might act as a natural diuretic that could help many people reduce blood pressure without the use of medication. The DASH eating plan includes whole grains, poultry, fish, and nuts and has reduced amounts of fats, red meats, sweets, and sugared beverages.


Consider also the Mediterranean diet; a diet rich in plant-derived foods and also in fat. A study concluded that in a Mediterranean population with an elevated fat consumption, a high fruit and vegetable intake is inversely associated with blood pressure levels.

Another study examined tomato extract. Tomato extract contains carotenoids such as lycopene, beta carotene, and vitamin E, which are known as effective antioxidants, to inactivate free radicals, and to slow the progression of atherosclerosis. The purpose of their study was to evaluate the effect of tomato extract on systolic and diastolic blood pressure, on serum lipoproteins, plasma homocysteine, and oxidative stress markers. They concluded that a short-term treatment with antioxidant-rich tomato extract can reduce blood pressure in patients with grade one hypertension.


Finally scientists at the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences examined the effects of short-term nitrate supplementation (nitrates: a chemical found in vegetables like spinach and lettuce) in a group of 17 healthy, non-smoking young adults. The results showed that average diastolic blood pressure was lower after three days of nitrate supplementation than it was after taking the placebo for three days. Researchers found that the nitrates help trigger the production of nitric oxide in the body, which relaxes blood vessels.

So our recommendation is: Eat your fruits and vegetables. A fruit and vegetable-rich diet can help to reduce your high blood pressure.

Psychological Factor-Stress
(Update)

Negative emotions have been linked to increases in blood pressure.
Here is a recent study concerning positive emotions and lower blood pressure. The objective of the researchers was to test the hypothesis that high positive emotion would be associated with lower blood pressure in older adults.
The study included 2564 Mexican Americans aged 65 or older living in one of five southwestern states.
Their findings indicated an association between high positive emotion and lower blood pressure among older Mexican Americans. They proposed that targeting the emotional health of older adults might be considered part of non-pharmacologic hypertension treatment programs or as part of adjunctive therapy for those on antihypertensive medication.

Psychological Factor-Stress

Among the risk factors for hypertension, stress, has drawn increasing attention.

Researchers reported at the XVth Scientific Meeting of the Inter-American Society of Hypertension, which was co-sponsored by the American Heart Association’s Council for High Blood Pressure Research, that depressed people with high blood pressure are less likely to have their blood pressure under control than those who are not depressed.
A pilot study (still in progress), concerning women with high blood pressure during their pregnancy (over 10% of women have high blood pressure during their pregnancy which may affect their health or that of their baby) is intended to determine how guided imagery (imagining relaxing scenes) affects blood pressure and anxiety, and to assess how satisfied women are with this technique.
A potential work stress-related risk factor for hypertension identified in the past few years is work hours. A study analysed work hours and self-reported hypertension among the working population in the state of California. Compared with those working between 11 and 39 hours per week, individuals working 40 hours per week were 14% more likely to report hypertension, those who worked between 41 and 50 hours per week were 17% more likely to report hypertension, and those who worked more than 51 hours per week were 29% more likely to report hypertension. This analysis provided evidence of a positive association between work hours and hypertension in the California working population.
In another study, adults who worked more than 40 or 50 hours a week — particularly clerical and unskilled workers — were more likely to have high blood pressure than were those who worked 40 hours or less a week. Researchers tied the higher risk for workers with longer hours to unhealthy eating, less exercise, more stress and …less sleep…
Notice that if you are middle aged and sleep five hours or less a night, you may be increasing your risk of developing high blood pressure, according to research reported in Hypertension.

Previous research indicates that simple relaxation methods can reduce blood pressure and anxiety levels. The conclusion is: reduce stress as much as possible, work less hours as possible, get plenty of sleep. Practice muscle relaxation and deep breathing.

· Moderate-Level Physical Activities can help lower your blood pressure

Physical exercise is the performance of some activity in order to develop or maintain overall health. Being Physical Active is considered important for maintaining physical fitness including healthy weight; building and maintaining healthy bones, muscles, and joints; promoting physiological well-being; strengthening the immune system; and preventing or controling weight and high blood pressure. It also helps to reduce your risk of heart disease.
There are many fun things that you can do to be active by yourself or with family or friends. Here is a list of physical activities:
Walking.
Jogging.
Bicycling.
Stair walking for 15 minutes (not for knee arthritis sufferers).
Gardening.
Swimming.
Vacuuming.
Raking leaves.
Bowling.
Walk to work, school, the store, or place of worship.
Park the car farther away from your destination.
Get on or off the bus several blocks away.
Play with children or pets.
Exercise while watching TV (for example, use hand weights, stationary bicycle).
Dancing.
Doing aerobics.
Keep a pair of comfortable walking or running shoes in your car and office. You'll be ready for activity wherever you go!
Playing sports (soccer, basketball, volleyball, etc.)
Join a gym.
If you are not used to being active, start out slowly (10-15 minutes, no vigorous activity). Progressively add more activities for longer periods of time and finally add some vigorous activity. The key is to be consistent--be active 30 minutes a day, at least 10 minutes at a time, 5 days a week.
If you have a health problem, consult your doctor for specific information, before starting a vigorous exercise program.

· Healthy Weight

Obesity is one of the strongest predictors of hypertension in young adults. It takes about 10 years for high blood pressure in young people to develop after they become overweight, and obesity is on a steady upward climb in the young, according to researchers presented at the American Heart Association’s 44th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.
Maintaining a healthy weight isn’t something simple. There are many approaches: diet programs, physical activity, behavior therapy, drugs, dietary supplements, liposuction and surgery.
The combination of a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity could be your best choice. Check with your doctor first. Make sure that your health status allows lowering your caloric intake and increasing your physical activity.
The healthiest way to lose weight — and importantly — it offers the best chance of long term success, is to do so slowly. A weight loss of 10 percent of your current body weight over a six months period, is a reasonable target. When it comes to successful weight loss and weight management, steady and slow can be your best way to go, since this will increase your chances of both losing the weight and keeping it off.
Reducing fat as part of a low calorie diet is a practical way to reduce calories. Include at least five servings a day of fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains, lean meat and low fat dairy products.
You can try the DASH eating plan. This is a healthy plan that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy foods and is low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol. The DASH eating plan can be made lower in calories for those who need to lose weight.

CONTROL YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE

Healthy diet pattern:

You can try diets which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy foods. The “DASH” diet plan (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) was a clinical study that tested the effects of nutrients in food on blood pressure. Study results indicated that elevated blood pressures were reduced by an eating plan that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy foods and is low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol. A diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products might act as a natural diuretic that could help many people reduce blood pressure without the use of medication. The DASH eating plan includes whole grains, poultry, fish, and nuts and has reduced amounts of fats, red meats, sweets, and sugared beverages.
You must limit the amount of salt and sodium in your diet. Fresh food is your best choice instead of canned or processed food. Use less salt in cooking. Read the food label.
Diet rich in potassium, (Apricots Avocados Bananas, Milk, Nectarines, Oranges and Orange juice Potatoes, Prunes and Prune juice, Raisins, Spinach, Tomato products), calcium (Broccoli, Cheese, Milk, Sardine, Spinach) and magnesium (Beans, Broccoli, Halibut fillet, Nuts, Peanuts, Oysters) helps to control blood pressure. Stydies and researches prove that:

• Eating low-fat dairy products could lower your blood pressure, according to research reported in Hypertension.
• Men with high total cholesterol are much more likely to develop high blood pressure than men with low total cholesterol, according to a study in Hypertension.
• Children may be at risk, too. Poor lifestyle habits — such as an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise — contribute to high blood pressure.