The majority of people are suffering from high blood pressure. This disease can be managed with proper use of medicine. Do you know that just using medication is not enough to get rid of this health issue? Following a proper diet plan and regular exercise is also necessary to improve your quality of life and manage the symptoms of high blood pressure. This article discusses foods that a patient of high blood pressure should eat and exercises which can be helpful in such a situation!
Diet Plan For High Blood Pressure
Following foods are good for maintaining your blood pressure level. Check them out!
- Leafy Greens
Leafy green vegetables include potassium which assists your kidneys to work efficiently. In such a way, your elevated blood level becomes low.
These vegetables include;
- Swiss chard
- Beet greens
- Spinach
- Collard greens
- Turnip greens
- Kale
- Arugula
- Romaine lettuce
Try to get fresh leafy greens as the sodium is added in canned veggies. Though you can easily store these vegetables by freezing them and it’s completely fine. You can also make a smoothie by blending these veggies with nut milk or banana to add flavor and more nutrients to them.
- Berries
Natural compounds are available in berries. Try to add berries –specifically blueberries in your diet.
“According to a study, consuming berries can lower the pressure of your blood. In this way, you can prevent high blood pressure.”
You can easily add strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries to your diet. You may add them in your morning food or freeze them for later. They can also be added into a healthy dessert.
- Skim Milk & Yogurt
Skim milk contains low fat but it’s a rich source of calcium. Both of these food elements help to lower the blood pressure. In case, you don’t like milk or cannot drink it because of some reasons, then go for yogurt.
“As per the American Heart Association, women get 20% reduction in their blood pressure level when they start to eat five or more servings of the milk or yogurt in every 7 days.”
You may add some fruits, almonds, or related ingredients into yogurt to add more health benefits into it. If you are going to purchase canned yogurt, then must keep a check on added sugar. It would be better to buy yogurt with a low amount of added sugar.
- Oatmeal
Oatmeal includes low-sodium, low-fat, and high-fiber work for lowering the blood pressure. You can make it your habit to eat oatmeal in your breakfast. It will give you energy for the rest of your day.
You may also take it as a meal at night when you feel hungry. You can make different recipes to eat it in different delicious ways.
- Bananas
Bananas are rich sources of potassium. You can simply eat it or add it in your cereal to boost the taste. You can also make a quick breakfast by adding a boiled egg with the banana.
- Seeds
Seeds are enriched with various minerals including magnesium and potassium. These ingredients are useful for reducing blood pressure. You may add ¼ cups of squash seeds, pumpkin, and sunflower as a snack meal.
- Herbs & Garlic
You can cut out the use of salt from your food by adding useful herbs and garlic in your diet. You may add rosemary, thyme, cinnamon, basil, and related herbs.
A trusted research revealed that garlic is helpful in managing elevated blood pressure. Garlic has nitric oxide which helps in managing blood pressure. Also, it assists in widening of arteries and promotes vasodilation.
- Olive Oil
Without any doubt, olive oil is a good and most recommended source of getting healthy fat for your body. Polyphenols are included in it which helps in fighting inflammation. As a result, you get a reduction in hypertension.
Exercises For High Blood Pressure
When it comes to reducing your blood pressure, then you also need to maintain your weight along with it. So, what to do to achieve such a goal? Exercise and physical activities are the best things that can assist you.
“According to Wesley Tyree, MD (an experienced cardiologist), choose the best exercises to maintain your weight so that you can reduce the risk of hypertension.”
Following is a list of some selected exercises that can be helpful for you.
- Brisk walk
Exercise is always recommended by doctors. It reduces the stiffness of blood vessels so that the blood can easily flow through the arteries. When you do a workout, you will be able to notice its effects on an immediate basis or after a few days. But when it comes to lowering of blood pressure, you will see a significant difference right after the exercise.
The ideal way to combat your blood pressure is to do the brisk walk. You may do the brisk walk for 10 to 30 minutes in a day to get the best results.
- Cycling or biking
30 minutes are enough for doing biking or stationary cycling to lose your weight. Also, this exercise will help you out in reducing your elevated blood pressure. You can divide these 30 minutes into 3 portions, 10 minutes each.
- Hiking
One more effective exercise is hiking. It is best for increasing your stamina. You will be amazed to know that it decreases your blood pressure level up to 10 points.
- Pedal Pushing or Desk Treadmilling
Desk treadmill and pedal pushing are other exercises that help to build up the strong stamina. Make it your routine to do any of these exercises for about 10 minutes every 30 minutes.
- Weight Training
You may be amazed to read this, but believe me, weight training helps to reduce the blood pressure. Also, it assists in overall fitness and improves your quality of life.
- Swimming
Swimming is one of the best fitness exercises that control your blood pressure as well as works for your overall fitness.
“According to a study, swimming helps in reducing the level of blood among adults ages 60 or older.”
Caution: Before following any diet plan or exercise plan to reduce blood pressure, consult your doctor and ask for the suggestion.
