Doctors used to focus on low salt as the only dietary way to control hypertension. Recent research, however, has shown that many foods actively lower blood pressure. Foods that play this role in enhancing cardiovascular health are rich in the vital nutrients potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
First let's look at potassium. This is a common mineral, but surprisingly many Americans are woefully deficient in it. In fact many of us could stand to double our potassium intake. Luckily potassium is readily available in many common foods so once you put some thought into it, increasing your daily intake is not all that difficult. Here are some amazing examples of potassium rich foods that lower blood pressure:
- bananas
- avocados
- apples
- yogurt
- tomatoes
- salmon
- chicken
- spinach
- walnuts
- orange juice
Potassium is involved in proper muscle and nerve cell function. It may help the blood vessels relax. Salt is still important when it comes to hypertension, but doctors are finding that the salt to potassium ratio in the blood is what really matters-so you can do more for your health by increasing your consumption of potassium.
Calcium is pretty straightforward. Drink milk, eat cheese and consume yogurt. But what about magnesium? This may be the most obscure of the hypertension fighting minerals. Some natural sources of magnesium are:
- Avocados
- Halibut
- Almonds
To get enough magnesium, you may consider taking a supplement. Magnesium is available as a singular supplement or in combination with other minerals such as-you guessed it-calcium and potassium. The role that magnesium plays in the body isn't entirely clear, but it is probably involved in relaxing the blood vessels.
By consuming the right foods that lower blood pressure, its possible to improve cardiovascular health naturally.
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