Written By: Shraddha Rupavate | Updated: November 19, 2015, 10:12 AM
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Animal products like meat, fish, eggs, poultry and dairy. These foods are loaded with animal fat, this fat is absorbed faster than vegetable fats in our body, leading to faster plaque formation.
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Good fats like olive oil, ricebran oil, fish and flaxseeds with omega 3 fatty acids as they prevent weight gain and help to maintain normal blood pressure. Avoid fried foods, ghee, butter and margarine.
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Eat less oil , ghee, margarine, Vanaspati etc. Fats occurring in plants are less harmful than animal fats, but all the same it can cause damage to the body. If you do feel that oil is an important part of your diet, then you could choose to eat nuts like peanuts etc since their fiber content reduces the speed at which the fat is released into the body.
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Eating homemade food is best for your health. Packaged foods are usually loaded with fats. This is usually done by manufacturers to increase their shelf life, while reducing ours.
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As excess salt intake holds on to the water in the body raising the blood pressure. Try not to consume more than 1tsp (6 gm salt)/day. Use herbs like pepper, jeera powder, oregano, chilli flakes, lemon juice etc for adding flavor to your foods. Avoid processed foods like breads, biscuits, ketchups, ready to eat options, canned meats etc as they are loaded with salt.
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As it has empty calories, and if consumed in excess it can increase weight and your pressure. It also affect the muscles within the blood vessels causing them to constrict.
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as it is a stimulant and can increase heart rate and blood pressure. Though effects of coffee are temporary, they do have an effect on a patient with hypertension. Try to drink coffee occasionally.
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Include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet as they contain potassium and fiber. They have an opposite effect to sodium and prevent water retention, thereby reducing blood pressure. Make sure to include 3-4 fruits and 4-5 servings of veggies in a day. Try consuming them whole, which means that you should avoid peeling the fruits and vegetables, wherever possible.
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Include whole wheat, grains into your diet. Fiber contained in ‘whole’ foods help to break down the cholesterol deposited in the artieries, making the blood more fluid and free flowing by releasing the fat very slowly into the blood stream.
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Sunlight and fortified foods like milk, cereals, yoghurt etc because vitamin D deficiency can affect blood pressure as it plays as important role in calcium metabolism. Calcium is important for normal smooth muscle contraction.
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When someone is diagnosed with hypertension, it can be quite confusing when it comes to diet restrictions and lifestyle changes. Most people are under the impression that reducing salt intake is all it takes to control hypertension. Our experts – Dr Nandita Shah, leading homeopath and Neha Chandna, dietician provide inputs about the foods you should avoid, and the ones you should include in your diet to keep your hypertension under control.
