What can help lower blood pressure

Bad eating habits can contribute to unhealthy blood pressure levels. According to studies, healthy diet can lower blood pressure.

Choose a diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables which help to lower blood pressure.

Avoid foods that are high in saturated fats like fried, processed and oily foods.

Salt and sodium can increase hypertension, so it is important to read the labels while purchasing packed foods.

Avoid fast foods as they contain more sodium which increases the blood pressure.

Include foods that are high in potassium as it works in combination with sodium for blood pressure regulation. Potassium works with sodium to maintain body's water balance. Sources of potassium include fruits such as bananas, watermelon, cantaloupe, oranges, dried apricots and kiwi-fruit. Vegetables which contain potassium are spinach, potatoes and zucchini.

Magnesium also works with potassium and sodium. It relaxes the blood vessels when blood vessels are constricted, not relaxed and when the heart works harder to pump the blood through the body causing high blood pressure. Sources of magnesium include grapefruit, figs, whole grains, nuts, almonds, seeds, lemons, yellow corn, apples and dark vegetables.

Calcium and magnesium work together to keep a good cardiovascular system. Two to three cups of low fat or fat free dairy products, soybeans, peanuts, dried beans, sunflower seeds, sardines and dark green leafy vegetables are good for you as they are high in calcium.

Having a diet that includes omega 3 fatty acids promotes good blood circulation. Foods that contain omega 3 fatty acids are tuna fish, salmon and trout.

Including garlic in the diet significantly lowers blood pressure. Garlic has blood thinning and purifying properties, therefore it becomes an important nutrient.

Fiber is one of the important diets that lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol. Foods that contain high fiber are citrus fruits, oats, rice bran, beans, barley and peas.