5 Foods to Lower your...

Citrulline is an amino acid contained in watermelon which is versatile for the management of blood pressure. Citrulline enables the body to produce nitric oxide which is a gas that relaxes blood vessels and facilitates flexibility of arteries. This facilitates the flow of blood thus reducing high blood pressure.

In a research involving adults with obesity condition and mild hypertension or prehypertension who consumed watermelon extract exhibited reduced hypertension in the brachial and ankle arteries. Studies have also verified that animals given food rich in watermelon showed improved health.

In a study, it was found that mice that were given a watermelon juice had 50% less plaque in their arteries compared with the control group.

A research study carried out in 2015 attributes the high levels of Nitric Oxide to the effect that blueberries have on high blood pressure.

From the study findings, participants who consumed 22 grams of dried blue berry powder on a daily basis for eight weeks showed an average 5.1 percent decrease in blood pressure top figure and 6.3 percent decrease in the bottom figure.

The other participants consumed a control powder. Researchers have established that blueberries contain one of the most important natural impacts on blood pressure amongst vegetables and fruits.

People who have high blood pressure should consume fruits rich in potassium, one of which is banana.

Potassium is known to be one of the major minerals that the human body utilizes to maintain the functioning of organs.

Potassium enables kidney filter the excess fluid from blood, while sodium makes the body to retain excess fluid that augments pressure on cell walls. One strategy to boost consumption of potassium is via natural sources while at the same time reducing the amount of sodium in the food.

Processed foods contain large amounts of sodium, therefore it is recommended to consume potassium rich foods to aid this process. Go bananas!

Spinach is also rich in potassium which as mentioned above, is facilitating the proper functioning of the body in reducing sodium levels as too much of it could result in high blood pressure as the body retains more water to “wash away “the excess sodium.

This excess water can put pressure on your blood vessels eventually resulting in high blood pressure.

Garlic is one of the most sought after natural spice based on its medicinal components and the fact that it is a natural antibiotic. The major active component in garlic is allicin which is often attributed with health benefits. Some studies purport that garlic augments the body’s production of nitric oxide that facilitates relaxation of smooth muscles and dilation of blood vessels to lower high blood pressure. A survey indicated that garlic extract lessened both diastolic and systolic blood pressure among hypertensive persons.