Diet is one of the most effective methods of lowering blood pressure. However, many people find it hard to change their old eating habits enough to get the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables. Juicing allows people to supplement their diets with healthy produce in a form that allows the body to absorb the nutrients most easily. Juicing is an easy way to get a little more healthy food at every meal, including essential nutrients such as potassium and Vitamin C, which are so important to controlling hypertension.
Step 1
Buy a high-quality juicer. When trying something new it's tempting to go cheap at first, but an inexpensive juicer will break down quickly, forcing you to buy a new one. A juicer may only be as good as its warranty, so buy one with at least a 5-year warranty. Look for one with a 1 hp motor for grinding through some of the tougher vegetables. For the best health benefits, get a juicer which is capable of juicing all kinds of fruits and vegetables rather than a citrus juicer. Finally, buy a juicer small enough for a permanent position on your kitchen counter. Juicers which have to be put away between uses are going to get used less often.
Step 2
Lay in a supply of fresh fruits and vegetables. The better your raw materials are, the better your juice will be. Although you may be juicing for health benefits, that doesn't mean you want it to taste like medicine. High-quality produce, organic if possible, will yield great-tasting juice.
Step 3
Make a glass of citrus juice. Starting with something simple is a good way to ease into the juicing lifestyle, and citrus juices are packed with vitamin C. The Linus Pauling Institute at the University of Oregon cites two studies demonstrating that Vitamin C supplements reduced systolic blood pressure in participants. A glass of orange juice at every meal can significantly lower your blood pressure. Any citrus fruit will do, but if you are taking cholesterol medication, check with your doctor before drinking grapefruit juice.
Step 4
Try celery or carrot juice. The New York Times reports in a June 1992 article that the phthalides in celery have been shown to lower blood pressure. Celery is also a great source of potassium, calcium and magnesium, each of which help to control hypertension, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Carrot juice is well known as a good source of Vitamin A but it provides a spectrum of other nutrients, including potassium and magnesium.
Step 5
Move up to beet juice. Science Daily reports that researchers from Barts and the London School of Medicine discovered that beet juice can lower blood pressure within an hour of drinking it and keep blood pressure down for up to 24 hours. A daily drink of beet juice can be a healthy way to control hypertension. However drinking pure beet juice can temporarily paralyze the vocal cords, so mix no more than one to two ounces of beet juice with six or more ounces of vegetable or apple juice.
Step 6
Keep eating vegetables. Even if you eat the pulp after juicing, it isn't practical to eat all the pulp so you lose some of the healthy fiber therein. Since juice doesn't make you feel as full as eating the original produce would, people may overeat on a juice regimen and get more calories than they need. They might also drink too much juice, getting an excess of nutrients. Juicing is a great supplement to a healthy diet but doesn't take the place of eating fruits and vegetables.
Things You'll Need
- Juicer
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
