Articles > Health Tip > High Blood Pressure

We have all heard a great deal about high blood pressure and we no doubt know many people who are currently on medication for the rest of their lives to keep their blood pressure down to a safe level.

When an issue is given headlines year after year, the real story is often lost, so I thought I’d just mention the reasons why all health carers are so concerned about high blood pressure. And give you some basic pointers for keeping your blood pressure down or reducing the level naturally.

If you are currently on medication for high blood pressure, please contact your health care practitioner to discuss changes to your diet and lifestyle. The main differences that you should notice are a reduced need for medication and an increasing sense of health and well being.

People with uncontrolled high blood pressure have:

seven times as many strokes

four times as much congestive heart failure

three times as much coronary heart disease

and high blood pressure is linked to many other conditions

Because of the western diet and the amount of stress we all face in our lives every single one of us could easily find our blood pressure rising dangerously, but there are several things that you can do to ensure that this is never a problem for you:-

• keep your weight down

• give up smoking

• reduce alcohol consumption to two drinks a day

• exercise at least 3 times a week

• reduce stress in your life or learn to handle it

Make gradual changes to your diet:

Before you begin to change you diet, spend a week making a careful list of EVERYTHING that you eat now. Once you have this you will more easily identify target areas, like reduction of high fats or salt, or the amount and times that you eat. THEN:-

• Increase your intake of fibre - GENTLY- change from white bread to oatmeal or wholemeal - but be sure to buy organic wholemeal because the pesticides are concentrated in the wheat germ.

• Light cooking helps - grilling, steaming, poaching and baking

• Fry in extra virgin olive oil, and avoid burning or over browning

• reduce salt intake to one tenth of an ounce daily -experiment with using herbs, spices and fruits to flavour meals.

• Increase your intake of water.

• Get out of the habit of big meals. It is always better to eat less more frequently. Learn to snack on healthy foods.

• Super foods - i.e. DO add these to your diet on a daily basis:- soy beans, oats, carrots, garlic

Foods to avoid:

• luncheon meats,

• bacon

• animal fat

• fast food

• caffeine

• cola

• dark chocolate

• black liquorice