For hypertension patients, the change of dietary habits is of particular importance. This is because the right diet can often prevent the use of medication or at least reduce their dosage. In the following, we have compiled some nutrition tips for you that can be integrated into everyday life without much effort. It is important that you follow the tips in the long term – then your blood pressure will also benefit!
Salt only in moderation
A diet high in table salt can drive up blood pressure. That’s why, as a hypertension patient, it’s best to eat a diet as low in salt as possible. Per day, they should not consume more than four to six grams of salt. However, this is often not so easy, as many convenience products, as well as foods such as bread, sausage, cheese, meat, potato chips, ketchup or mustard, contain large amounts of salt. Therefore, try to avoid ready-made products and rather cook with fresh products yourself.
You can also try seasoning your food with other spices such as pepper and garlic or fresh herbs such as parsley, chives or basil instead of salt. This not only tastes delicious, but is also good for your blood pressure.
Blood pressure lowering potassium
Potassium acts as an antagonist to sodium, which binds water in the body, increasing blood volume. This in turn can lead to an increase in blood pressure. What is most important for blood pressure is the ratio of sodium to potassium in the body. Because if there is enough potassium, more sodium is excreted through the kidneys and blood pressure is not affected.
Therefore, make sure to eat enough potassium-rich foods. Large amounts of potassium are found in foods such as:
- Spinach
- Potatoes
- Kale
- Bananas
- Apricots
- Avocados
- Kiwis
- Nuts
Fish and olive oil as a source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Fish and olive oil are particularly rich in valuable omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids, respectively. These have a positive effect on blood pressure and are therefore particularly recommended for hypertension patients. Large quantities of omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish such as tuna, herring, salmon, mackerel and sardines.
In contrast to fish, you should only consume meat in moderation: Meat should not be on the table more than two or three times a week – but this does not only apply to those affected by high blood pressure. Prefer white meat such as chicken or turkey and make sure to buy lean cuts without skin.
10 tips to lower high blood pressure without medication
Plenty of fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are healthy and that is why they are recommended for hypertension patients. Many varieties are rich in valuable minerals – in addition to calcium and magnesium, the potassium they contain is particularly important.
Fruits and vegetables can be easily integrated into everyday life: Cut some fruit into your muesli in the morning, eat a fruit salad as a dessert at lunchtime or decorate your breads with some cucumber or tomato in the evening. In addition, fruits and vegetables are also great as small snacks for in between.
Avoid alcohol as much as possible
A glass of wine now and then is said to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, but regular high alcohol consumption has been shown to increase blood pressure. Similar to salt, therefore, the same applies to alcohol that you should not go overboard: For men, no more than one large glass of wine (30 grams of alcohol) is allowed per day; women should have no more than one small glass of wine (20 grams of alcohol). However, it is advisable to refrain from drinking alcohol altogether more often.
Reduce excess weight
A balanced diet affects blood pressure not only directly, but also indirectly. Because if you eat a healthy diet as far as possible and only indulge in sweet and fatty foods now and then, your weight will also drop – and your blood pressure will benefit from this! Because while being overweight can have a negative effect on blood pressure, losing weight improves the values: for every kilogram of body weight lost, blood pressure drops by about 2mmHG.
