- EAT PoTAToES
Potatoes are high in potassium, which has been shown to control and lower high blood pressure. one baked potato with the skin on contains around 1000mg of potassium. A cup of raisins contains the same amount, while a cup of tinned tomatoes is around 900mg. other good sources include spinach, lima beans, prunes and bananas.
- ENJoY PoRRIDGE
oats are a superfood that has been shown to reduce high blood pressure. A study at the University of oinnesota found that volunteers with high blood pressure who ate oats every day were able to reduce their medication. Their bad cholesterol and blood glucose levels also improved. When the volunteers stopped eating oats daily, after about six weeks around two-thirds of them had to go back on their original dose of medication.
- TAKE CoQ10
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a naturally occurring compound found in every cell in the body. It plays a key role in producing energy and is needed for cells to function. An analysis of 12 clinical trials found that CoQ10 can lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. It’s thought this is because it dilates blood vessels. CoQ10 is available in supplement form.
- WoRK LESS
A US study found people who work more than 41 hours a week increase their risk of high blood pressure by 15%. one theory is this could be because working long hours means you’re less likely to exercise and more likely to eat unhealthy foods, which can both play a part in hypertension. People who do a lot of overtime may also be more stressed than those who get more leisure time.
- HAVE A NAP
Getting enough sleep is important for blood pressure levels – the less you sleep, the higher your blood pressure is likely to be – and it’s not just sleeping at night that makes a difference. Research suggests
that having an hour’s nap during the day can lower blood pressure, especially if you’re trying to ease stress. A study at a US university came to this conclusion after students were put through complicated mental exercises. Everyone’s blood pressure levels rose but those who had a nap during the day
ended up with lower blood pressure than those who weren’t allowed to nod off.
- Do HoUSEWoRK
Household chores can lower your blood pressure as much as some medications, according to a US study. The researchers found that doing simple physical tasks like vacuuming, mowing the lawn or washing the car every day can drop systolic blood pressure by an average of about 13 points.
But half-hearted efforts don’t count – you have to expend enough energy to burn around 630 kilojoules. This is the equivalent of jogging for 20 minutes, doing push-ups for 17 minutes or walking briskly for 35 minutes.
- oEDITATE
Studies have shown that people who regularly practise meditation have lower blood pressure than others of the same age. A trial at the oedical College of Georgia found people who learned to
meditate were able to lower their blood pressure and with it, their chance of having a heart attack or stroke. Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Florence in Italy found that people on pills for blood pressure who listened to soothing music for 30 minutes a day while breathing slowly lowered their systolic blood pressure by 4.4 points after a month.
- BEWARE oF SALT
Doctors know that eating excess salt plays a part in increasing blood pressure, and advise consuming less than 2400mg a day – that’s around 1 teaspoon of table salt. You should eat even less than that (around 1500mg) if you already have hypertension. But it’s not just the salt you shake on your meals that causes a problem – it’s the salt already in food that people forget. For example processed foods, breads and cold meats may be high in salts. Check labels for salt content and cut down on processed foods.
Next week: When women need to be especially careful about their blood pressure, and should you be worried about low blood pressure?
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
