~*~ Lower Your Blood Pressure ~*~

High Blood Pressure Is A Common #Health Problem In Most Developed Nations Today.  
In Fact, The World Health Organization Says That Worldwide, More People Die From High Blood Pressure Than From Any Other Single Cause. 
In America, Some Seventy-three Million People, Or About One-third Of The Adult Population, Has High Blood Pressure (140/90 mm Hg Or Higher), And The Number Is Growing.

Blood Pressure Readings Between 120/80 And 139/89 mm Hg Are In The Range Called #Prehypertension.

Almost One-third Of The Adult U.S. Population Is In This Range. #Prehypertension Is A Warning That One's Blood Pressure Needs Attention Because Having Prehypertension Increases Your #Risk Of A Heart Attack Or #Stroke To Twice That Of Someone Whose Blood Pressure Is In The Healthy Range. 

Lowering Your Blood Pressure - Even From These Modestly Elevated Levels - Has Significant Health Advantages.

The National Institutes Of Health Promote A Diet Aimed At Lowering Blood Pressure. This Diet, Called The Dietary Approaches To Stop #Hypertension (DASH) Eating Plan, Emphasizes #Fruits, 

#Vegetables

And Other #Plant_based Foods.

Research Has Shown That Changing What One Eats Can Be Very Effective In Lowering Blood Pressure.  

The DASH Diet Recommends Eating At Least Eight (8) To Ten (10) Servings Of Fruits And Vegetables Daily. 

These Foods Are Naturally Low In #Sodium And High In #Potassium, Both Of Which Help Lower Blood Pressure.

Eating A DASH Diet

The DASH Eating Plan Promotes Primarily Plant-based Diet And Reduced Consumption Of Meat

And Other Animal Foods That Have A Lot Of Saturated Fat;

Thus, This Diet Is Low In #Saturated Fat And #Cholesterol. 

And Because Plant Foods Play A Major Role In This Plan, It's Also Low In #Calories. 

The Plan Emphasizes #Fruits, #Vegetables,  

#Fat_free Or #Low_fat #Dairy Products,

#Legumes

And #Nuts.

It Allows Moderate Amounts Of #Skinless_Poultry

And #Fish

For Those Who Want To Eat Some #Meat, But It Restricts The Consumption Of #Red_Meat,

#Refined Foods,

#Sweets,

#Added_Sugars And #Sugar_sweetened #Beverages.

People Who Follow This #Near_Vegetarian #Diet Experience A Remarkable Improvement In Their #Blood_Pressure And #Weight. 

And The More Plant Foods They Eat, The Better Their Blood Pressure Becomes, And Their Cholesterol Levels Come Down Too. When The Researchers Conducting The Adventist Health Study Compared Those Who Ate Meat Regularly With Those Who Seldom Ate It And Those Who Never Ate It, They Saw Results Similar To Those Produced By The DASH. The #Vegans Had The Lowest Blood Pressures.

You Can Largely Avoid High Blood Pressure And All Its Complications - Damage To The Heart, #Eyes, #Kidneys And #Brain - By Eating A #Vegetarian Diet, Including

#Unprocessed Foods

And Keeping #Sodium (#Salt) Low, Less Than 1,500 mg Per Day.

Other Lifestyle Factors Proven Effective In Lowering Blood Pressure Including The Following:

1. Getting Regular Physical Activity - Thirty To Sixty Minutes Of Moderate Activity Daily.

2. Losing Excess Weight - Even Ten To Fifteen Pounds (10-15lbs.) Can Help Significantly.

3. Avoid #Alcohol, Which Increases Blood Pressure

4. Getting Adequate Sleep - At Least Seven Or Eight (7/8) Hours Nightly.

 5. Living A Balanced Life, Which Means Including Time For Relaxation To Counter The Stress Of Living.

6.Getting Adequate Sunshine  Daily Or Taking Vitamin D Supplements.

7. Refraining From Smoking

Source: SIGNS OF THE TIMES Magazine ~ Life Matters
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: EAT WELL, IT'S EASY! And 250 RECIPES FOR HEALING AND PREVENTION And HEALTHY BY NATURE