Want to know the most powerful medication for fighting high blood pressure? Food. The right nutrients and lifestyle factors can dramatically lower your blood pressure without the cost and side effects of medication.
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: Please be sure to talk with your healthcare provider before embarking on this journey.
Here are 5 nutrition steps to help you lower your blood pressure and improve your health
Step 1: Eat more plants
Aim to eat more fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, which are rich in fiber, healthy fats, and other important nutrients.
As mentioned earlier, we also want to eat more potassium-rich foods to help our body get rid of excess sodium and relax blood vessel walls. Aim for foods like swiss chard, kale, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, spinach, mushrooms, green beans, avocado, and tomatoes.
Step 2: Eat balanced meals.
We want to prevent high blood sugar spikes, and a way to do this is to not eat carbohydrates alone. Try to eat my CORE4 method, which is combining meals that consist of protein + fat + fiber + greens. For example, salmon (protein + fat), roasted cruciferous vegetables (fiber + greens) seasoned with olive oil (fat), and then add some yams (fiber) for flavour. Aim to eat the rainbow by trying to get eight to 10 servings of vegetables every day, which contain disease-fighting vitamins, minerals, fiber, phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory molecules.
Step 3: Ditch the sugar.
Sugary foods and refined carbohydrates all turn straight into sugar in the body. Sugar creates high insulin levels, which can lead to insulin resistance, inflammation, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, increased risk of cancer, poor sex drive, and depression.
Step 4: Eat good, healthy fats.
Contrary to some people’s beliefs, eating fat does not make you fat and quality fat is not bad for your heart. Aim to eat healthy fats from great sources, such as avocados, extra-virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds, extra virgin coconut butter, organic full-fat coconut milk, free-range eggs, fatty fish, and grass-fed animals (beef, bison, lamb, organic poultry). Also, eliminate hydrogenated fat, found in margarine, shortening, and processed vegetable oils.
Step 5: Eat more fiber!
Fiber is fabulous for your overall health and can do amazing things for your cholesterol. Soluble fiber can actually reduce the absorption of cholesterol in your bloodstream. A product I LOVE to include is inulin fiber. This magical white powder is AMAZING and can be added to literally anything. I put a scoop or 2 in my coffee every morning and use it in baking all the time. It dissolves easily in water, can be added to smoothies, and can be used to naturally sweeten chia pudding and oatmeal.
Also, try adding 2-4 tbsp of ground flaxseeds every day for additional fiber and omega-3 power. Sprinkle it on top of your salads or add it to your shakes.
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