olidhealth.com – Have you ever considered how much normal blood pressure it will be? Or how high blood pressure are you now? Paying attention to these things is important for maintaining health since it can be an asset for your future. “Preventing is better than cure” has become a common word that we often hear from doctors. It’s better to prevent high blood pressure than regret it. If you have high blood pressure right now and want to know how to deal with it? There is always a way to reduce high blood pressure, one of the options is organic foods.
In this article, we will explain how dangerous high blood pressure is as a silent life-threatening disease and how to reduce it with organic food.
What is High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure or hypertension is a condition where the pressure of blood passing through the blood vessels is higher than normal circumstances. This pressure can be triggered by narrowed blood vessels. Thickening artery walls caused by blood clots with narrow gaps can impede blood circulation and raise blood pressure.
Unhealthy Lifestyle causes High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can be caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. Certainly, food is one of the main causes. Overconsuming behavior at this age causes a lot of problems like increased blood sugar and cholesterol level. Eating fried food also can accelerate cholesterol levels in blood vessels. “bad fat” causes thickening and narrowing arteries which stressed the heart to pump blood. Drinking alcoholic beverages can worsen symptoms of hypertension and lead to chronic disease.
In addition, staying up late and stressed due to work overload can cause blood pressure to be higher than usual [1]. Hereditary factors can also occur because parents also have a history of high blood pressure. Other factors such as elderly people attend to have high blood pressure.
How High Blood Pressure Affects Your Body
In the first case, young people don’t care about nutrition and calories in their food. Neglecting this matter can be affected to the body in the long term. Blood pressure can vary every each person. However, Does high pressure indicate a good heart system? absolutely not. High blood pressure can cause organ dysfunction and many other cases [2].
High blood pressure can be forming blood clots. In a threatening situation, blood clots can be narrowed or blocked arteries. It will increase heart attack rate and lead to heart failure.
Numerous of the problems caused by high blood pressure like:
- Stroke and brain problem – Caused by blood clots
- Arrhythmias – Irregular heartbeat
- Aneurysm – The artery that is weakened and inflamed, causing intense pain.
- Choroidopathy or bleeding in the eye – Caused by burst blood vessels and buildup fluid
- Artery damage – Thinner your artery wall which will cause the artery to tear.
- Dementia and cognitive decline – Hard to remember things
- Osteoporosis – Eliminate calcium caused by high blood pressure
- Kidney failure – Caused by rupture of the artery
- Lowering sexual desire and erectile dysfunction – Caused by narrowing artery in the reproductive organ.
In order to stay healthy, you must know how to take care of your own body. Attention to this problem can save to your future itself.
How To Check Your Blood Pressure
There are two numbers that appear in a blood pressure test. The first is systolic blood pressure (when the heart is beating) and diastolic blood pressure (when the heart rests between beats). Systolic blood pressure less than 120 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure less than 80 mmHg consider as normal blood pressure. If the blood pressure is higher than that, it can be detected as hypertension.
Managing Your High Blood Pressure with Organic Foods
If your blood pressure is too high, you must be able to manage it. Ignorance is not an option to avoid this matter. Uncontrollable blood pressure causes too many problems that can affect your productivity. Controlling this problem depends on how persistent you are. It can be tiresome and frustrating to keep managing hypertension with drugs or supplements. Medication with organic food can be an alternative option to relieve.
Below are organic foods that can reduce blood pressure for your reference.
Fruits
Fruits are a commodity that is often found in the market. Fruit can also be grown for personal use as natural medicine. There are some fruits that have the potential to lower blood pressure [3] [4]. These fruits include:
- Berries – Have anthocyanin compounds that can reduce high blood pressure, also high vitamins and minerals. Choose edible berries to be consumed, because some of them are poisonous.
- Orange and Lemon – Have high vitamin C and antioxidant compounds that can reduce high blood pressure and the risk of heart disease.
- Avocado – Have rich in potassium which can reduce inflammation and strengthen blood vessels.
- Kiwi – Have vitamins and fiber to lower blood pressure and improve your digestion system.
- Pomegranates – Have high anthocyanin compounds and antioxidant agents to reduce systolic blood pressure. It also has polyphenol compounds to reduce vascular inflammation.
Tips to reduce blood pressure by processing fruits
You can process fruits to make a kind of dish or it can be preserved. There is some advice for processing fruits.
- Smoothies – You can use one fruit or mixed with other fruit to make smoothies. Peel the chosen fruit and put it in the blender. Add ice cream or shaved ice and blend it. To enrich the sweet flavor, you can add honey or dates.
- Juices – You can use one fruit or mixed with other fruit to make juice. Prepare peeled pomegranate, berry, and peeled kiwi. Cut them into little pieces and put them in the blender jar. Add water and honey to a sweeter flavor. Blend until smooth and is ready to serve. drink with its pulp for more benefits.
- Jam – You can use berry for this recipe. Add water to cook berry in low heat and add sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes and boil until the water reduce. Move it to a jar and add lemon juice for preventing bacteria to grown.
Vegetables
Most vegetables are used to help the digestion system. However, the fiber in vegetables also has the benefit to reduce blood pressure. Green leafy vegetables have rich in magnesium which can lower systolic blood pressure [3] [4].
Below are vegetables that have health benefits in lowering blood pressure.
- Broccoli – Have minerals like potassium, magnesium, and calcium to lower blood pressure.
- Celery – Have phthalides compound to reduce blood pressure.
- Tomato – Have a carotenoid compound (lycopene pigment) that may reduce heart risk.
- Carrot – Have a high phenolic compound to lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation.
- Kale – Have minerals like potassium and calcium to strengthen blood vessels. It also has nutrients to lower cholesterol.
- Beet – Have high nitrate and folate to help lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation.
- Spinach – Have rich in nutrients and vitamins. It also has active compounds such as lutein, quercetin, and zeaxanthin for anti-inflammation and improving eye health.
Tips to reduce blood pressure by processing vegetables
Vegetables can be served fresh and raw. However, Processing vegetables make it more attractive to consume them.
- Juices – Prepare the spinach, apple, berry, and celery. Wash out the ingredient and cut them into little pieces. Put in the blender jar and add water fairly. Blend until smooth. You can drink it with its has pulp, or strain first to remove its pulp. You can also add more variants like dates or beet in these recipes.
- Salad – Prepare ingredients such as kale, tomatoes, minced green onion, cucumber, chopped basil, and celery. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and add lemon juice and olive oil. You can add other fruits and vegetables to add more flavor.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts could help lower our hypertension but there are many health benefits in nuts and seeds such as anti-inflammation and antioxidant agents. Consuming nuts with a moderate amount to avoid the risk of obesity [4].
Just to be sure, nuts and seeds are not the same. The nut can also be a seed but seeds are not a nut.
Below are nuts and seeds considered to have benefits in lowering blood pressure.
- Pumpkin seeds – Have phytosterol compounds such as plant sterol to lower bad cholesterol and improve blood vessels. It also can improve the production of nitric oxide to reduce blood pressure.
- Amaranth – Have a good amount of magnesium and iron to strengthen blood vessels.
- Pistachios – Have high vitamin B6 for improve hemoglobin production. It also has the benefit of lowering cholesterol and strengthening blood vessels.
- Almonds – Can reduce bad cholesterol levels and have anti-inflammation.
- Garbanzo Bean – Have minerals such as magnesium and potassium to reduce blood pressure.
- Hazelnut – Have vitamin E and minerals such as magnesium and copper to lower blood pressure.
Tips to reduce blood pressure by processing nut and seeds
Some nuts and seeds should be processed first to have their benefits. Furthermore, there are some nuts that can be added to some cuisine.
- Topping – you can add nuts and seeds as a topping in your favorite dish. Besides increasing health benefits, it also enriches the flavor of your favorite dish. You can try to roast first to enrich the aroma, but we do not recommend it.
Herbs and Spices
In ancient times, Herbs and spices are used to flavor foods and cuisine. Although they add unique flavors like sweet or savory, they are providing health benefits. Some of them have antioxidant properties and can reduce inflammation [4].
Below are herbs and spices which have benefits in lowering blood pressure.
- Parsley – Have a carotenoid compound and vitamin C as antioxidants and lower blood pressure.
- Thyme – Have the potential to lower bad cholesterol and improve blood flow.
- Garlic – Have an active compound called allicin that can increase the production of nitric oxide and relax blood vessels.
- Ginseng – Have the potential to maintain blood pressure. It also has the benefit of lowering blood sugar levels and obesity.
- Ginger – Can reduce bolt blood pressure and blood flow.
- Black Cumin – Have thymoquinone compound to reduce systolic blood pressure.
- Saffron – Have safranal and crocin pigment to reduce blood pressure.
- Tumeric – Have curcuminoid compound to reduce vascular inflammatory.
Tips to reduce high blood pressure by processing herb and spice
- Drying – Herbs and spices can be dried to be used as a flavor in food and cuisine. The number of herbs and spices may vary due to the dish itself.
- Boiling –Â Traditional way to produce medicine is by boiling certain herbs and spices.
In addition to maintaining a healthy lifestyle
Consuming organic foods doesn’t make you invisible to high blood pressure. To keep your body fit and healthy, you must maintain a healthy lifestyle. It looks like annoying advice, but it can save your body several years or decades.
The trick to reducing high blood pressure is to stay focused on your target. For example, Maintaining a physical routine like cardio exercise or jogging for several minutes can improve your metabolism system. It also can reduce blood pressure in different ways. It would not hurt to try different exercise for your own benefit and keep it safe.
The last piece of advice, stop damaging your own body with unhealthy food and reduce drinking alcoholic beverages. Consuming it once or twice in purpose to treat yourself could be acceptable, but every day is a big no. You must set your limit and save that for the occasion only.
Reference
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5083786/ – Stress related to hypertension
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5733954/ – High blood pressure could increase risk of complication disease
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5350612/ – Fruit, and vegetables that could reduce high blood pressure
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4857880/ – Natural food that good for hypertension