Only DASH can
One of the tools your doctor can use to reverse your blood pressure is DASH - Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. This is a way of eating, not a diet. You desalt your meals, fill up on fruits and vegetables, and supplement with whole grains, fish, poultry, nuts, legumes and low-fat dairy.
More from Green and Fiber
Salt makes your body hold on to more fluid. This increases the pressure on the arteries. Fill your plate with leafy greens such as spinach, broccoli, kale or collards for a potassium boost. These foods help to flush minerals, sodium out of your body and relax your blood vessel walls.
Recommended daily serving: 3-6 bowls (leafy greens).
Nuts are good
The pigments that give blueberries, strawberries and blackberries their rich color have a benefit for your blood vessels: anthocyanin. Anthocyanin is a natural compound that can help your artery walls become wider and more flexible to lower your blood pressure and improve your heart health.
Recommended daily serving: 2-3 bowls (frozen or fresh berries).
Yogurt
Calcium is an important player for good blood pressure because it helps your blood vessels to tighten and relax when needed. Plain, low-fat yogurt is a good way to add calcium to your diet without too much sugar or fat. Some berries can be used for natural sweetness and more blood pressure help.
Recommended daily serving: 2-3 cups (yogurt or milk).
Fatty Fish
Another good source of calcium is fish such as canned salmon or sardines. Oily fish such as mackerel and sardines also contain fatty acids that boost your health and help your heart because they are swimming in omega-3. Studies on fish oil supplementation show that it can lower your blood pressure, especially if your high blood pressure is moderate or severe.
Recommended daily serving: 100 - 200 g (fish, lean meat and poultry).
Seeds
Add unsalted seeds such as pumpkin, flax and sunflower, oatmeal to your salad and yogurt to lower your blood pressure. Seeds are a source of vital minerals such as magnesium, which helps control your blood pressure and relax your blood vessels.
Recommended daily serving: 1-5 Tablespoons (Seeds)
Oatmeal
This whole grain is healthy and low in sodium. It's also full of fiber, which helps keep your weight and blood pressure in check. Cook your rolled or steel-cut oats with water or low-fat milk. Replace maple syrup or brown sugar with raisins or bananas for a sweet touch.
Recommended daily serving: 3-5 cups cooked (whole grains, rice and pasta).
Add beetroot
One study showed that drinking 2 cups of a mixture of three parts beetroot and one part apple juice lowered your systolic blood pressure (upper number) in just a few hours. Men may benefit more than women. High systolic pressure increases your chances of stroke, and beetroot and beet greens, which are high in potassium, are a good alternative to lower it.
Recommended daily serving: About 2 cups (raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice).
Garlic
Garlic can add more than just flavor to your dishes. It is also a way to increase levels of nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels. The more relaxed your blood vessels are, the less your heart works to pump blood, which helps reduce blood pressure.
Recommended daily serving: 1-2 cloves.
Raw pistachios
Tree nuts, such as walnuts and almonds, can be an excellent source of healthy fats that help your calories. But the best choice for high blood pressure is pistachios. They seem to have the strongest effect on lowering both your upper and lower blood pressure readings.
Recommended serving: 1-2 cups (nuts) per week
Nar
Pomegranate juice can help regulate blood pressure if you drink it regularly. But watch out for added sugar. Also, fruit juices don't have the fiber you get from fruit. So make sure you get fiber from other foods to help keep your heart healthy and your bowels regular.
Recommended daily serving: 2-3 cups (fresh, frozen or canned fruit).
Olive oil
Polyphenols, protective antioxidants, are more abundant in olive oil than in other oils. Polyphenols improve blood vessel health and help keep them elastic. A smart choice for a healthy fat. Use it instead of butter, vegetable oil or canola oil in cooking.
Recommended daily serving: 2-3 teaspoons (oil, mayonnaise or salad dressing).
Legumes and Beans
A daily cup of peas, lentils, kidney beans or beans can keep your blood pressure under control and even lower it. Legumes and broad beans are rich in fiber and can help prevent coronary heart disease.
Recommended daily serving: 1 cup (cooked beans and peas).
Foods Are Not a Complete Cure;
If you have high blood pressure or borderline high blood pressure, a healthy diet and informed food choices can help you manage or prevent your condition. But what you make off your plate also matters. So lose extra weight, exercise and take the medicines your doctor prescribes. People with diabetes should limit portions of sugar beet, pomegranate juice and dark chocolate.
