Do you have high blood pressure? Discover some of the best natural foods with hypotensive action, which help you reduce high blood pressure (or hypertension if it is chronic).
Although there are many risk factors that can influence the elevation of blood pressure, and that ultimately influence a person to suffer from arterial hypertension, in reality, at the moment the real causes that occasionally cause blood hypertension are unknown.
That is, although up to now the specific causes that cause the elevation of blood pressure are not known, especially when this elevation is chronic and is maintained over time, there are a number of factors that influence its increase. Especially those factors that cause hypertension, which basically consists of a chronic increase in blood pressure.
In fact, elevated blood pressure is considered to exist when systolic blood pressure is between 140-159 mmHg and / or diastolic pressure is between 90-99 mmHg. However, this is serious when the systolic pressure is 180 mmHg or higher and the diastolic pressure is 110 mmHg or higher.
On the other hand, we cannot forget about hypotension, which consists of having blood pressure values below what is considered normal. In this sense, the WHO itself (World Health Organization) calls it that tension that was below 100/70 mmHg.
What are the causes of hypertension?
As we indicated, although there are no specific real causes in a specific way, there are risk factors that influence the increase in blood pressure. The most common are the following:
- Genetic factors: Genetic predisposition can lead to the development of arterial hypertension, especially when a first-degree relative already has this pathology.
- Sex: Men are more likely to develop high blood pressure. Until women reach the age of menopause, when the risk is equal in both sexes.
- Age: Age also becomes another of the fundamental factors, since it is common for blood pressure to increase over the years.
- Overweight and obesity: It is known that, as weight is gained, blood pressure also tends to rise.
- Certain diseases: Such as chronic kidney disease, polycystic kidney disease, renal artery stenosis, renin-producing tumors or Liddle’s syndrome.
These foods are helpful in reducing hypertension:
Garlic.
The garlic is considered not only as a delicious and wonderful food from a culinary point of view. It has also been known for years for its healing qualities, which is why it has come to be called a true superfood, thanks to its incredible protective and antibiotic benefits.
In the case of having high blood pressure, garlic has proven to be a natural food that helps lower it, both the maximum and minimum blood pressure. Why? Mainly because it has a very interesting vasodilator effect, which acts on small capillaries.
On the other hand, we cannot forget its heart-healthy qualities, which mean that it helps reduce high cholesterol levels, being useful in turn to prevent and avoid the formation of thrombi.
Onion.
The onion is equal to garlic, other natural foods whose curative and medicinal benefits are extremely well known and popular. Mainly because it is a food with recognized hypotensive action, which means that it helps reduce high blood pressure.
On the one hand, it is useful to improve blood circulation, a quality that translates precisely into that property or virtue to lower high blood pressure. On the other, it also acts as a diuretic, helping to promote the elimination of fluids.
Chicken Soup.
To those users who enjoy a good bowl of chicken soup, a meal that has been called “grandmother’s penicillin” (for its ability to fight the cold), are in luck.
And it is that recently Japanese researchers have discovered that this popular dish, so appetizing on both autumn and winter nights, can help reduce blood pressure.
The aforementioned researchers found that the collagen proteins found in chicken could actually lower blood pressure, being able to act just like blood pressure medications do.
Not surprisingly, previous studies had found that chicken breasts contained only small amounts of collagen, but not enough to be able to affect blood pressure.
In the new study, scientists examined the chicken thighs, thereby finding four proteins that had such collagen that acted like the aforementioned drugs inhibitors ACE.
Of course, the researchers have issued a warning: what would be medicinal is the chicken itself, and not the rest of the ingredients in the soup.
Medicinal plants and herbs.
In addition to some natural foods, there are also certain plants and herbs with hypotensive action, which help in a very positive way when it comes to reducing hypertension. The most useful and appropriate are the following:
- Olive leaves: Although less known than other plants with hypotensive action, they are in fact an ideal natural remedy in case of severe medium arterial hypertension. It has an active principle known by the name of oleuropein, which is useful for dilating small blood vessels (and fighting arrhythmias), in turn acting as a diuretic.
- Hawthorn: It is one of the best known hypotensive plants in this sense. It acts as a circulatory relaxant, acting not only on high blood pressure, but also on arrhythmias, headaches and irritability.
- Horsetail: Who does not know which of this plant, or has used it on occasion? Its diuretic action is due to its high content of flavonoids and potassium salts.
As we can see, there are certain foods that are very useful when it comes to reducing or controlling blood pressure, especially when it is high. However, it is essential to follow a healthy lifestyle, maintaining a varied diet rich in natural foods and low in fat.
