1. Harness the Power of Potassium
If you are one of the millions of Americans who struggle with high blood pressure (hypertension), you may find help in the vegetable garden. When Grandma said, "Eat your veggies," she was right. All vegetables are good for you, but some contain large amounts of potassium, a mineral important for regulating blood pressure. Spinach and zucchini are rich in potassium. So is the common potato. A 7-oz. baked potato provides more than twice the potassium you get from eating a medium-sized banana. Don't peel your potatoes. Eat the skin, too, and get more potassium power to lower blood pressure.
2. Add Celery to Your Diet
Make celery a regular part of your diet. The Asians use celery to treat high blood pressure. Research shows that celery contains certain compounds that lower high blood pressure in as little as a week. Phthalide (a chemical compound found in celery) relaxes the artery muscles that regulate your blood pressure. This chemical compound allows blood vessels to dilate, taking pressure off as your blood flows more freely. The chemicals in celery also reduce stress hormone levels in your blood. Stress hormones cause your blood vessels to tighten, thus driving up your blood pressure. Celery has other benefits as well: It contains plentiful amounts of vitamin C, potassium and calcium, and it's also a good source of fiber. Eat about four celery stalks per day to help lower blood pressure.
3. Rinse Canned Vegetables
Fresh vegetables are best for getting full benefits that lower blood pressure, but canned vegetables are good also. Read the labels and look for canned vegetables that say "no salt added" or "low salt." Salt doesn't affect everyone the same, and may not be the culprit causing your high blood pressure at all. But just in case, rinse canned vegetables before you eat them. Many are packed in large amounts of salt, so dump your canned veggies into a colander and run cold water over them. This rinses out extra salt, making the veggies healthier and more effective for lowering blood pressure.
4. Lose the Lard
You may have been taught to cook your vegetables in good old fat, probably lard, and that may make vegetables taste delicious (especially when you fry them). But all that saturated fat doesn't function well in lowering blood pressure. That fat and lard may actually raise your blood pressure. Eat your vegetables raw as much as possible. When you do cook your vegetables, cook them in oils low in saturated fats. Sprinkle your vegetables with a little extra virgin olive oil and roast them in the oven or on the grill. This is a delicious and healthy way to use vegetables in lowering blood pressure.
