What is pressure and what does it happen? How to monitor your pressure so that it is normal? What products to lower pressure or, conversely, increase it? The answers to these and other questions are contained in the following article.
Pressure
Human blood pressure is a force that occurs in the arteries at a time when resistance is created in the peripheral blood vessels. It reaches a maximum when the heart contracts and a minimum when it relaxes. These two indicators accompany each other. They are given in the form of fractions and are expressed in millimeters of mercury. On average, the normal pressure of a healthy adult who is at rest is 130/70 millimeters of mercury.
Increased pressure is considered when the indicator is 140/90 and higher. This painful condition is called hypertension and has become the scourge of our time.
High blood pressure
Hypertension is inherent in both children and adults, but the latter, of course, have much more factors leading to this disease:
- first of all, it is atherosclerosis, because of which the vessels are narrowed;
- overweight;
- a large amount of salt consumed;
- accelerated pace of life in the city;
- oral contraceptives;
- smoking;
- poor physical activity;
- constant strong emotional stress at work;
- a sharp change in atmospheric pressure and weather;
- other diseases.
Having identified the presence of high blood pressure once, it is necessary to check it several times to make sure that this was not an isolated case as a result of a stressful situation, alcohol intake or other reasons. It should be borne in mind that after a working day in the evening it is usually slightly higher.
When establishing the fact of the presence of hypertension, measures should be taken to reduce it. For this, it is not necessary to immediately drink medications. You can start by finding out which foods lower a person’s blood pressure and consume them.
Low pressure
Another painful condition is hypotension, or low blood pressure. Usually, people suffering from it are diagnosed with vegetovascular dystonia, when the pressure starts to decrease at the slightest uncomfortable state, which makes the skin turn pale, dizziness, nausea and general weakness begin. A person may develop cold sweat or even faint.
It is difficult and long to be treated in this case. Typically, they drink green tea, coffee, and herbs to increase blood pressure. It is extremely important for such people to have a long healthy and restoring sleep. Food should be high in calories, containing a large amount of glucose.
How to keep track of your pressure
Before you go on a diet and study which foods increase pressure and which ones lower, you should learn how to measure it correctly.
The patient is recommended to keep a diary of measurements, tracking his condition. Measure the pressure in the morning at 6-8 hours, before taking the medicine, and then in the evening, from 18 to 21 hours. Best if done at the same time. The following is recommended:
- five minutes to rest, and if there was a load of a physical or emotional nature, then rest for at least a quarter of an hour;
- one hour before the procedure, do not drink tea, coffee or even more alcohol and do not smoke;
- keep quiet when measuring;
- sit in a comfortable position and keep your hand on a fairly hard surface;
- enter all measurements in a special notebook.
Now that it’s been clarified how to behave in the presence of a disease, you can go to the nutrition section and discover which products to lower the pressure.
Nutrition
When there are problems with pressure, an important component for its normalization is a properly selected diet. You need to know exactly which foods increase pressure and which lower, and use them depending on your state of health.
At the same time, a list of products containing certain vitamins, minerals and trace elements is compiled.
With increased pressure, it is necessary:
- vitamins C and E;
- Omega-3 fatty acids;
- potassium and magnesium;
- folic acid.
Under reduced pressure, the diet should contain:
- B and C vitamins;
- squirrels.
Protein will equally help those who suffer from high or low blood pressure. Thanks to it, better blood circulation is provided.
Folic acid strengthens blood vessels and normalizes heart function.
Fatty acids, in particular Omega-3, build elastic walls of arteries.
Vitamins act on the body gradually and contribute to the development of the necessary protection. They participate in the blood supply and regulate the tension on the walls of blood vessels.
The role of minerals is also great. They normalize the work of the heart, ensuring its optimal rhythm and help to adapt to stress.
Other components
In addition to resolving the issue of which products can reduce pressure and which increase, you need to reconsider your entire lifestyle. Maybe a lot needs to be changed, and something completely abandoned.
Needless to say, bad habits, such as alcohol and tobacco, will have to be abandoned?
Normalization of blood pressure, of course, will contribute to moderate physical activity (whether running, charging or just washing the car), performed daily.
Proper breathing, sometimes called meditative breathing, will also play a positive role in this matter and reduce stress if it exists.
Do not give yourself to work entirely. If you work more than forty-one hours a week, then the risk of hypertension increases. This is especially pronounced if the work is associated with stress and psychological stress.
Listening to calm music will also help normalize blood pressure.
Herbal medicine with proper and regular use can give remarkable results.
Of course, if the problem has become very serious, then in addition to the above funds, you will have to resort to medical drugs.
What foods to lower pressure
The general dietary guidelines for hypertension are as follows:
- it is necessary to eat vegetable fats and abandon animal fats;
- consume a minimum amount of salt;
- refuse cakes, sweets, pastries and other things;
- smoked and spicy dishes are only occasionally;
- forget about alcohol and strong tea or coffee (green tea is allowed to drink).
So, which foods lower blood pressure? First of all, hypertensive patients should eat more dairy products. They contain a lot of calcium. Skim milk and non-fat products from it are best suited. But along with other healthy foods you can eat a small amount of fatty dairy products. This vitamin is also found in all green vegetables, sardines and almonds.
Magnesium, which copes with high blood pressure, is found in apples and grapefruits. In addition, a considerable amount of it is present in cereals.
Bananas, watermelons, oranges, tomatoes, dried apricots, baked potatoes and tuna are rich in potassium.
Garlic successfully fights hypertension - it is recommended to eat one clove daily.
Fruits and berries, especially grapes, peaches, plums, apricots, lingonberries, cranberries, hawthorn and viburnum, have a rich composition of nutrients that normalize pressure.
Broccoli will also be a good help, but it should be cooked only a few minutes, no more.
Answering the question, which foods lower blood pressure in humans, one cannot but mention aronia. It can be added to tea, mixed with honey, eaten with rose hips or citrus fruits.
Not everyone can drink beetroot juice, but if mixed with carrot juice, it will be much easier to do and at the same time even more useful.
You should know that during the period of gestation, hypertension can also develop. Therefore, women should definitely consider which products lower blood pressure during pregnancy. Following the right diet will help the female body cope more easily with its task.
If you have low blood pressure
Now it is known which products to lower the pressure, and what is there if the pressure, on the contrary, is reduced? How to increase it?
Monitoring your diet for hypotension is very important. In this case, a one-time amount of food is better to reduce and make more meals.
Here are some foods under reduced pressure:
- coffee and dark chocolate;
- salted fish and canned food from it;
- smoked meats;
- drink strong tea.
Fatty, salty and spicy foods will increase pressure. When used, the body retains water in itself, which, in turn, normalizes pressure.
With hypotension, herbal medicine can significantly help, in particular medicinal plants such as ginseng, St. John's wort, eleutherococcus and Schisandra chinensis.
What foods lower intracranial pressure
In addition to arterial pressure, there is the concept of intracranial pressure. It means a lack of cerebrospinal fluid or, conversely, its accumulation in the cranium. When these problems occur, in addition to all related products, a specific diet is recommended.
So, the answer to the question what foods lower this type of pressure are lemon and garlic. It is also worth consuming more foods that are rich in potassium.