Blood Pressure
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Hypertensive people must learn moderation in their eating habits and should follow a plan of well-balanced diet in which the constituents of food should be approximately in the following proportion: carbohydrates 20%, protein 10-15%, fat 5% and fruits and vegetables 60-65%.
100. In fact, the most effective way to lower BP safely rapidly and permanently, is an entirely vegetarian diet. Thus going green might bring your BP out of the red zone. Vegetarians who eat lots of fruits and vegetables across the world in general tend to have low BP. A Harvard study found that people who ate little fruit and vegetables were 46% more likely to develop high BP over the next 4 years than those who ate equivalent fibre in 5 apples a day. It is believed that fibre in fruits has stronger hypertensive effect than fibre in vegetables and cereals.
101. Fruits and vegetables have plenty of fibre as well as vitamins and minerals like potassium, magnesium and calcium and they contain negligible fat and sodium and are cholesterol free. All that adds to a great strategy to fight high BP. Antioxidants present in fruits and vegetables increase the amounts of hormone-like substance, prostacyclin, which dilates blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. Moreover fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamin C, which has been found beneficial in lowering BP.
102. Fruits helpful in lowering BP include citrus fruits like oranges, apples, pears, raspberries, strawberries, mangoes, bananas, prunes, pineapples, guavas, papaya and water melon. Beneficial vegetables preferably in raw state include cucumber, carrots, tomatoes, radishes, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, amla, lemon, onions, garlic and celery.
103. However, vegetables often lack sufficient protein and iron. To make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need, add beans and legumes for protein; oatmeal and whole wheat for iron and mustard, olive or canola oil for omega-3.
Suggested Diet for Hypertension
104. Below you will find a sample three stage diet regimen for high blood pressure. There is nothing magical about the diet. All that is being stressed is a diet composed of a very large proportion of raw and cooked vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, and vegetarian proteins. Refined salt is restricted totally from the diet. This one change alone will help reduce the average blood pressure considerably. Use only an unrefined sea salt such as Celtic salt, as a multi-mineral. The early stages restrict carbohydrates for weight reduction, if needed; and also protein to achieve a true elimination effect. Brief fasting periods are very useful for rapid blood pressure reductions and then finally eliminating the last of the blood pressure drugs. These diets are alternated as deemed suitable by the naturo-food therapist and are followed by a good general diet, either vegetarian or including light meat-eating (fish or poultry), with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and unrefined whole grains.
