Blood Pressure

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Vegetable Juices

181.   Raw vegetable juices, especially carrot and spinach juices, constitute a powerful blood pressure lowering food. They can be taken separately or in combination in treating high BP. If taken in combination, 300 ml of carrot juice and 200 ml of spinach juice should be mixed together. Juices of beetroot, cucumber, papaya, orange, alfalfa, garlic, basil and wheatgrass are also beneficial in hypertension. 

Walnuts (Akhrot)

182.   Walnuts contain a host of important minerals, vitamins, proteins and antioxidant ingredients. The main interest in walnuts is their content of fatty acids, They are high in right proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), Omega-6 and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), Omega-3, and especially linoleic and alpha-linoleic acids. These two fatty acids cannot be synthesized by our body and must be provided daily in diet. Both heart friendly fatty acids in walnuts have been found to lower total and LDL bad cholesterol and increase good HDL cholesterol, to prevent dangerous blood clots and to thin blood. All this reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.

183.   In a study published recently in the Journal Angiology, individuals who ate 20-30 grams of walnuts (one ounce or 1 cup) a day for 8 weeks enjoyed improved blood circulation and considerable increases in their good HDL cholesterol and decreases in total and bad cholesterol. Omega-3 in the blood can also reduce arterial inflammation and the stickiness of platelets making them less likely to cling together and to form plaque which can build up and block arteries and cause high BP and heart problems. High level of l-arginine, an essential amino acid, in walnuts is of special benefit in hypertension.

Notes – (i) Never eat walnuts that taste bitter which means oxidation has started, with possible harmful effects. (ii) Due to walnuts’ hot effect, excessive consumption can result in mouth ulcers and skin rashes. For better compliance walnuts can be eaten after being soaked overnight in water.

Watermelon

184.   This is a fat-free, low-calorie, 92% water fruit, packed with vitamins A, B1, B2, B3 and lycopene, and has antioxidant properties. High in potassium and low in sodium, watermelons are useful in lowering blood pressure and avoiding heart disease and stroke. Lycopene in watermelon helps fight cholesterol and thus helps improve BP and heart function.