Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure occurs for a variety of reasons. If you have mild high blood pressure, you can often lower it by making certain lifestyle changes such as altering your diet. People with moderate to severe hypertension usually need to take blood pressure-lowering medications. Before you make any changes to your diet, consult your doctor to evaluate your treatment options.
Foods to Avoid
If you have high blood pressure, one of the most important food substances to eliminate from your diet is salt or sodium chloride, says the University of Michigan Health System. There is a direct link between reducing salt intake and lowered blood pressure, and a very low-salt or no-salt diet could reduce your blood pressure dramatically. The typical recommended daily intake of sodium for healthy adults is 2,400 milligrams, but your doctor may recommend a lower amount if you have hypertension, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. Limiting your intake of sugar, caffeine and reused vegetable oils for frying can also help lower your blood pressure. Alcohol can also play a role in your blood pressure, so women should consume no more than one alcoholic drink per day and men should drink no more than two.
Foods to Add
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension -- DASH -- diet is often recommended for people who have or are at risk of high blood pressure, says the UMMC. The DASH diet typically consists of low-fat dairy products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. This diet also concentrates on nutrient-rich foods that provide calcium, potassium and magnesium, which are minerals associated with healthy blood-pressure levels, MayoClinic.com notes. The DASH diet includes foods that are low in fat, especially saturated fat, and cholesterol while consuming a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet. On the DASH diet, you would eat each day six to eight servings of whole grains, four to five servings of vegetables, four to five servings of fruits, four to five servings of legumes, seeds and nuts, two to three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy products, six servings or less of lean meats, fish or poultry, and two to three servings of unsaturated fats or oils. The DASH diet also limits sweets to just five servings or fewer per week.
Key Nutrients
Certain nutrients are especially beneficial for people with high blood pressure, and getting these nutrients from your diet or from supplements may help in treating your hypertension. You might take supplements of fish oil, potassium, soy, coenzyme Q10, calcium, fiber or magnesium to help treat your high blood pressure, says the University of Michigan Health System. Melatonin supplements are helpful for people who have elevated blood pressure particularly in the evenings or at night, and vitamin D can benefit people with hypertension who have a deficiency. Taking l-arginine could reduce your blood pressure by dilating your blood vessels, notes the UMMC. Other helpful nutrients and supplements for hypertension include vitamins C and E, taurine, garlic extract, hibiscus tea, Achillea wilhelmsii, and reishi mushroom. Don't start taking any supplements before first consulting your doctor, however.
Considerations
In addition to your diet, you can make other changes to your lifestyle to reduce your blood pressure. Quitting smoking and exercising every day can help lower your blood pressure, says the UMMC. Adding about 30 minutes of physical activity to each day can help treat hypertension, but you should talk with your physician before beginning an exercise regimen. Because being obese or overweight can increase your risk for hypertension, controlling your body weight can play an important role in keeping your blood pressure at a healthy level, notes the University of Michigan Health System. Losing just 10 pounds of body weight can substantially lower your blood pressure if you're overweight.
Warning
Although enriching your diet with potassium-containing foods can help lower your blood pressure, high potassium intake can be dangerous for people taking certain hypertension medications called potassium-sparing diuretics, warns the University of Michigan Health System. These types of diuretics include Midamor and Maxzidel. Don't stop taking any conventional medications for hypertension in lieu of the DASH diet or supplements, unless your doctor directs you to do so, cautions the UMMC.
