Believe it or not, white bread can raise blood pressure readings because of all the excess salt it contains. Just a few slices of bread can contain nearly a quarter of your recommended salt intake - and you can easily eat this with breakfast and lunch!
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and the Mediterranean diet both recommend including whole grains as part of a healthy diet. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, adults should eat about 3 ounces of whole grains a day, or the equivalent of three slices of whole-wheat bread.
Exercise, eating a healthy diet, limiting alcohol and caffeine intake, practicing yoga, meditation, or deep breathing, meditating, praying, journaling, laughing, listening to music, spending time with family and friends, and playing with animals can all help reduce your stress and lower blood pressure.
If you're worried maintaining lowered blood pressure might mean giving up bread, you will be thrilled to know that whole grain breads made out of whole wheat, whole rye or whole multigrain have shown to have a blood pressure lowering effect if eaten regularly.
“Dairy foods, especially yoghurt, may be capable of reducing blood pressure. “This is because dairy foods contain a range of micronutrients, including calcium, magnesium and potassium, all of which are involved in the regulation of blood pressure.
Still, you can make lifestyle changes to bring your blood pressure down. Something as simple as keeping yourself hydrated by drinking six to eight glasses of water every day improves blood pressure. Water makes up 73% of the human heart,¹ so no other liquid is better at controlling blood pressure.
Egg consumption has no significant effects on systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adults.
Some research suggests coffee can lower the risk for high blood pressure, also called hypertension, in people who don't already have it. But drinking too much coffee has been shown to raise blood pressure and lead to anxiety, heart palpitations and trouble sleeping.
High levels of stress can lead to a temporary increase in blood pressure. Stress-related habits such as eating more, using tobacco or drinking alcohol can lead to further increases in blood pressure.
Cheese is a great source of protein and calcium but is often high in saturated fat and salt. This means eating too much could lead to high cholesterol and high blood pressure, increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
According to the book, 'Healing Foods' by DK Publishing House, "potatoes are high in chlorogenic acid and anthocyanins, chemicals that help to lower blood pressure. The polyphenol in purple potatoes may also help." Additionally, potatoes are also a good source of potassium.
Avocados are rich in potassium. Potassium helps level out your blood pressure by lowering sodium levels in your blood and easing tension in your blood vessel walls.
Polyphenols, in particular flavanols in cocoa products, have been shown to increase the formation of endothelial nitric oxide, which promotes vasodilation and consequently may lower blood pressure [6-8].
Bananas. These are rich in potassium, a nutrient shown to help lower blood pressure, says Laffin. One medium banana provides about 375 milligrams of potassium, about 11 percent of the recommended daily intake for a man, and 16 percent for a woman.
As in most cases, a moderate intake of butter will obviate most of the health risks ascribed to it, including a high level of bad cholesterol. This is especially so in individuals who already have heart disease or high blood pressure.
Walking lowers systolic blood pressure by 4.11 mm Hg (95% CI, 3.01 to 5.22 mm Hg). It lowers diastolic blood pressure by 1.79 mm Hg (95% CI, 1.07 to 2.51 mm Hg) and resting heart rate by 2.76 beats per minute (bpm; 95% CI, 0.95 to 4.57 bpm).
“Consuming diets with adequate magnesium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension).
Drinking more than 4 cups of coffee a day may increase your blood pressure. If you're a big fan of coffee, tea or other caffeine-rich drinks, such as cola and some energy drinks, consider cutting down.
Study Shows Blueberries Can Reduce Hypertension
One half was given a drink with 200 grams of blueberries, while the other half received a control drink. Researchers tracked the participants' blood pressure over time and noticed a significant drop in blood pressure for the group consuming a daily dose of blueberries.
Milk products contain key blood pressure–lowering nutrients, including calcium, potassium and magnesium. “Milk products also contain a special type of proteins, called bioactive peptides, which have been shown to have a positive effect on blood pressure control,” says Bourdeau.