Top Five Ways to Control Blood Pressure

by Ian Lee, HealthCaste.com

Nine out of ten Americans will develop high blood pressure in their lifetime. As a leading cause of heart disease, high blood pressure should not be taken lightly – getting blood pressure under control should be a top priority.

“Implementing the recommended dietary changes has been shown to lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure within about two weeks,” dietitian Gloria Tsang, founder of nutrition network HealthCastle.com and author of Go UnDiet: 50 Small Actions for Lasting Weight Loss, said. 

“There are few other actions we can take that have such an immediate and beneficial impact on our health.”

Here are HealthCastle.com's top recommendations for ways to lower blood pressure:

1. Fruit, veg, and whole grains: A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy appears to be effective in shaving points from your blood pressure reading.
    
2. Limit salt and alcohol: Cutting down on sodium and limiting alcohol are proven ways to help control blood pressure.
    
3. Bump up potassium and calcium: These both help to regulate blood pressure. Find potassium in bananas, beans, tofu, and potatoes, and calcium in dairy, soy, canned fish with bones, or fortified products.
    
4. Avoid certain supplements: Ephedra, ginseng, licorice, and feverfew may increase blood pressure.
    
5. Go for antioxidants: Focus on high-antioxidant produce like berries, grapes, kale, peppers, and cherries – darker color usually indicates more antioxidants.