High blood pressure diet - naturally treating hypertension with nutrition

The connection between diet and high blood pressure

Proper and healthy diet is of crucial importance in prevention of a number of conditions and diseases, and high blood pressure is only one of them. Yes, even though more than a few factors influence blood pressure, the fact is that unhealthy diet makes people more susceptible to the development of hypertension. It also makes them more prone to obesity, which is a contributing factor for hypertension as well. Having this in mind, it is logical that for those who do develop this problem the diet can influence blood pressure significantly. Just as improper food can raise it, adequate and healthy nutrition can decrease the blood pressure. Furthermore, if a person is overweight, in this way the extra pounds can be eliminated gradually. Even though it might sound demanding and hard, it is not. Strong will and discipline are essential for new dietary habits to be introduced and implemented and although it might be a bit more difficult at the beginning, very soon the person will get used to it and the benefits will be experienced.

On the other side, all those who decide to ignore the importance of food that they take in will very soon face new health issues that hypertension provokes, of which the majority is usually related to the heart.

Findings on the influence of nutrition on blood pressure

It has been proven that foods rich in sodium have the potential to increase blood pressure, although it does not necessarily have to happen in every case. However, those who suffer from hypertension should avoid this food, or limit its intake. Those who do not take in a lot of sodium can control their blood pressure much easier. Beside sodium, nutrients such as potassium, magnesium and fiber influence the blood pressure as well, but in a positive way, which means that their intake should be increased. The most natural sources of all the three of them are fruits and vegetables, and what is also important is that they are low in sodium.

When talking about the diet, it is important to mention alcohol and caffeine as well, because they also affect blood pressure in a negative way, which means that those who suffer from hypertension should avoid it, as well as those who are at risk of developing this condition. Caffeine does not have such a drastic influence, but it can raise it a little, which can be dangerous enough for some people.