The doctor told me which products stabilize my blood pressure. What should we include in the diet?

Experienced hypertensive patients know: medications for high blood pressure, although the easiest way to lower it, are definitely not the best. After all, pills can cause unpleasant side effects: dizziness, insomnia, convulsions. The DOCTOR tells you what inexpensive foods you need to include in your diet to stabilize your blood pressure.

WHO data suggests that there are about 1.3 billion hypertensive people in the world, and almost half of them are unaware that they have problems with blood pressure. The fact is that, as a rule, only if it is very high - from 180/120 and above, a person feels headache , dizziness, blurred vision, chest pain, vomiting and nausea, tinnitus. You may also experience difficulty breathing, irregular heart rhythm, increased anxiety levels, and nosebleeds. In this case, you should definitely consult a doctor. After all, if hypertension is not treated, it can lead to kidney disease, heart disease and stroke.

Among the universal recommendations of doctors for reducing blood pressure are quitting smoking, losing weight, physical activity and proper nutrition . Natalia Chernyavskaya, a hygienist at the sanitary and epidemiological department of the State Institution "Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology of the Leninsky District of Minsk", also advises including special foods in the diet:

- They lower blood pressure, are accessible and inexpensive. And the body will not be slow to respond to the new menu with good HEALTH after a short time.

First on the list of products is garlic. For your blood pressure to return to normal, it is enough to eat just one clove every day.

“Garlic must be fresh, because only in this case does it contain a substance called allicin,” Natalia Chernyavskaya points out. - For the same reason, it is advisable to consume this product in its pure form, and not as part of dishes. After all, as a result of heat treatment, allicin is destroyed. In addition, fresh garlic contains many minerals and vitamins. However, it is important for people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract not to forget: their use of this product should be limited.

Fruit for dessert

Since it is very important for hypertensive patients to monitor their weight, doctors advise them not to eat sweets. The exception is dark chocolate, which can lower both upper and lower blood pressure, as well as cholesterol levels. However, dark chocolate should also be consumed in very moderation.

You also need to know moderation with bananas: in large quantities they can thicken the blood, which is undesirable for hypertensive patients. In addition, this fruit contains many natural sugars, sucrose, fructose, so diabetics should limit their consumption.

- Bananas can lower blood pressure due to their significant magnesium content. They are a good source of vitamin C, B6, folic acid, manganese, copper, calcium, phosphorus and selenium. In addition, one medium-sized banana contains more than 500 milligrams of potassium, the doctor lists the advantages of the overseas fruit.

Pomegranate is no less useful for those suffering from high blood pressure. It protects the heart and blood vessels.

- One pomegranate contains about 700 milligrams of potassium, vitamin K, folic acid, magnesium, copper, manganese and selenium. This fruit supports blood flow to the heart, even when we are under stress, and slows down the thickening of the carotid artery in the neck, notes Natalia Chernyavskaya. - However, we must remember that pomegranate contains a large amount of natural SUGAR, and the juice must be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:2, since the acids it contains irritate the stomach and corrode tooth enamel.

Great snack choices include nuts, seeds and dried fruits. They also have plenty of magnesium and calcium. And for a hypertensive sweet tooth, these products are an excellent alternative to unhealthy treats.

Tea and MILK

The doctor draws attention to the fact that it is no coincidence that Japan occupies one of the last places in the number of patients with hypertension. And this is because this country is the leader in the amount of green tea consumed.

- It is very useful for normalizing blood pressure. But it is important to remember the rule: moderately hot green tea lowers blood pressure, while cold tea can increase it. In addition, it is very important to know when to drink this drink in moderation. If one or two cups a day will only benefit the body, then a larger amount tends to thicken the blood. In addition, green tea should not be drunk in the evening - it contains a lot of tannin enzyme, which is very invigorating and can prevent you from falling asleep on time, reminds the hygienist.

Natalia Chernyavskaya also draws attention to another product that is useful for hypertensive patients - milk. It reduces blood pressure due to its high calcium content.

- Low-fat dairy products are also good because with them you will not gain excess weight, which aggravates the situation with hypertension. Dairy products of normal fat content can also have a positive effect on blood pressure if consumed together with plant foods, she notes.

For main course - potatoes

The ideal lunch or dinner for hypertensive patients is baked potatoes with fish. Of course, not from any kind, but only from fatty varieties and those living in cold seas.

- Baked potatoes are an excellent source of potassium. It not only reduces blood pressure, but also normalizes heart rate and cleanses the body of toxins. And this is also very important. It’s no secret that hypertensive patients sometimes also suffer from arrhythmia,” explains the doctor. - It is very simple to develop a potassium deficiency: it is enough to experience severe emotional or physical stress, which often happens to modern people. Potatoes will help compensate for the lack of this mineral: a medium-sized peeled tuber contains 600-700 milligrams of potassium, and an unpeeled one contains twice as much. Therefore, I recommend boiling or baking this vegetable “in its jacket”. By the way, the daily norm of potassium is 2-5 grams. To replenish it, it is enough to eat four medium jacket potatoes.

Now about the most useful fish for hypertensive patients. It must be of fatty varieties - for example, the salmon family, mackerel and sardines. It is enough to include it in the menu once or twice a week.

- Fatty fish strengthens the cardiovascular system. This product contains a lot of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, as well as potassium, magnesium, selenium, calcium, and B-complex vitamins. Fish should be included in the diet not only to stabilize blood pressure, but also to prevent cardiovascular diseases, reduce the risks of blood clots in blood vessels and the development of atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke, and improve blood flow in the capillaries, notes Natalia Chernyavskaya.

A very healthy side dish for hypertensive patients is cabbage. Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli are also suitable. This product is an excellent source of potassium, magnesium, calcium and vitamin C, and also contains vegetable protein and fiber, which cleans blood vessels.

- Green vegetables are generally a storehouse of health, especially for hypertensive patients. Beans, peas , and lentils are also rich in potassium, which has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system. You can also safely include spinach, green peas, pumpkin, zucchini and greens in your diet. Such a set of products will make your menu not only varied, but also tasty, says the doctor.

The first indicator when measuring blood pressure (systolic pressure) reflects the pressure in the blood vessels at the moment of compression or contraction of the heart muscle. The second (diastolic pressure) is the pressure in the vessels at the moment when the heart is at rest between two contractions. The diagnosis of “hypertension” is made if, according to blood pressure measurements on two different days, a reading of 140/90 or more is recorded.

| Elena IVASHKO, newspaper "7 days", photo from open Internet sources.

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