Eat Your Way to PERFECT Blood Pressure (Here’s How)

Hands down, keeping your blood pressure under control is one of the best ways to keep your heart healthy.

High blood pressure increases your risk of heart attacks and strokes, aneurysms, heart failure, metabolic syndrome, dementia, and more.

But here’s the good news: You have complete control over your blood pressure.

And if you incorporate a handful of specific foods into your diet, you can lower your high blood pressure without taking a single drug.

Here’s how to do it.

There’s an entire diet devoted to lowering blood pressure. It’s called the DASH diet – Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.

I agree with a lot of the recommendations – like eating more fruits, vegetables, and fiber-rich foods.

But I DON’T agree with eating low-fat dairy.

Dairy is fine…just make sure it’s the full-fatkind.

Those general guidelines are fine, but let’s talk specifics.

Because there are a number of particular foods that have specifically been found to lower your blood pressure and boost your heart health.

For starters, any food that is high in potassium is great for your cardiovascular system.

Potassium lowers blood pressure by helping the body eliminate salt through your urine. A few foods high in potassium include bananas, leafy greens (like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard), sweet potatoes, and avocado.

Just one avocado contains about 25% of your daily intake of potassium.

Foods that are deep purple or red are especially good for your arteries. Berries (like blueberries) contain nitric oxide, which is a compound that helps dilate your blood vessels, which increases blood flow.

One study showed that eating less than one ounce of blueberries per day can significantly lower blood pressure.

Beets also contain nitric oxide, and studies have shown that beetroot juice can lower your systolic BP by 5 mmHg.

When garlic is crushed or chopped, it releases a compound called allicin, which has been shown to help reduce blood pressure.

Salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which has also been shown to lower blood pressure. And olive oil contains beneficial polyphenols that have been linked to lower blood pressure.

And in terms of overall heart health, diets high cruciferous vegetables like broccoli lead to lower levels of heart disease.

The same is true of diets high in whole grains like oatmeal, which can lower heart disease risk by 15%, and dark chocolate, which contains flavanols that help keep your blood vessels healthy.

Eating more foods like these – and avoiding processed junk – is all you should ever need to lower your blood pressure, and the risk of everything that goes with it.