Hypertension Diet Tips | Leisure Fitness Equipment

Article by everdayhealth.com, Recommended by Jessica Loeser, Wellness Outreach Team

If you have hypertension, you?ll need to take action to protect your health and reduce your chances of developing serious, even fatal, health issues. And while medication can bring high blood pressure down, there?s more that you can do to improve your condition, like sticking to a diet that is known to help control hypertension.

Foods to Avoid When You Have High Blood Pressure

Your doctor probably already told you to lay off fattening hamburgers and salty fries as part of your hypertension diet, but there are foods you may not consider harmful that can wreak havoc on your blood pressure. The main culprit when it comes to skyrocketing blood pressure levels is sodium, found in more foods that you might expect.

Steer clear of or limit these high-sodium foods in your hypertension diet:

Dried, preserved, or salted meats, like bacon, ham, beef jerky, and pepperoni
Heavily salted snacks, like peanuts, chips, or crackers
Canned foods and meals, including vegetables and soups
Frozen foods and dinners
Sauces, condiments, and marinades
Table salt or salty seasonings
Foods That Help Manage High Blood Pressure

There are plenty of foods that can actually help lower high blood pressure. Studies show that potassium is very important in helping to lower high blood pressure and is a key ingredient in a diet that helps reduce hypertension. Choose these high-potassium, low-sodium fruits and vegetables:

Raisins, prunes and prune juice
Citrus fruits and juices
Honeydew, cantaloupe, and watermelons
Avocados
Apples and apple juice
Bananas
Fresh corn
Cooked squash, eggplant, cabbage, and cauliflower
Lima beans and peas
Peppers and radishes
Baked or boiled potatoes

A good way to make sure you?re getting exactly what you need to normalize your blood pressure is to follow the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet (DASH). The DASH eating plan was developed to help lower blood pressure and boost heart health, based on research supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Here are the key parts of the DASH hypertension diet:

Two to three daily servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy products (serving sizes include 1 cup milk or yogurt)
Four to five daily servings of fruits and vegetables (serving sizes include 1 cup leafy vegetable, 1 medium-size fruit, one-half cup juice)
Six to eight daily servings of whole grains (serving sizes include 1 slice of bread, 1 ounce dry cereal)
-Less than six daily servings of lean protein (serving sizes include 1 egg, 1 ounce cooked meat or fish)
Two to three daily servings of healthy fats and oils (serving sizes include 1 teaspoon vegetable oil or soft margarine, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise)
Four to five weekly servings of seeds, nuts, and legumes (serving sizes include 2 tablespoons peanut butter or seeds)
No more than five weekly servings of desserts and sweets (serving sizes include 1 tablespoon sugar or jam)

Managing hypertension with diet is all about reading the labels ? it helps to know what you?re putting into your body, and how food affects blood pressure.

Source: http://blog.leisurefitness.com/2013/01/hypertension-diet-tips/

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