How To Lower Blood Pressure And Cholesterol Naturally
If you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels then take heart, there are natural foods out there that can help lower both. It is important to lower cholesterol levels and normalize blood pressure levels because both are major risk factors for heart disease. So the following list of foods are not just great for lowering cholesterol and blood pressure but also help to improve overall heart health and significantly lower the risk of heart disease developing.
An apple a day is excellent for promoting heart health due to its high potassium content and very low sodium content. Diets low in potassium contribute greatly to heart health problems as do diets high in sodium. The reason is that potassium plays an important role in the relaxation cycles of our muscles and this includes the proper beating of our heart, which is an organ that is almost all muscle.
Potassium is needed for the muscles of the artery walls to function properly too, and this is essential for maintaining good blood pressure levels. If we get low on potassium then the arteries cannot pump blood around the body effectively and this adversely effects our blood pressure. So getting plenty of potassium in the diet is a definite step for lowering high blood pressure.
Lowering cholesterol is another great benefit of eating apples. Apples are an excellent source of a soluble form of fiber called pectin. Pectin helps lower cholesterol because it binds with LDL 'bad' cholesterol in the intestines and removes it from the body before it has a chance to get absorbed into the blood stream.
No heart healthy list of foods is complete without including fatty fish such as salmon and tuna. Fatty fish are very low in cholesterol and saturated fat but loaded with heart healthy polyunsaturated fats called omega 3. Studies show that diets rich in fatty fish are among the most heart protective of all diets.
The omega 3 in fatty fish is great for our cardiovascular system because it helps to prevent plaque development upon the artery walls. This is fundamental for healthy blood pressure levels because plaque build ups create narrow arteries that raise blood pressure levels. Cholesterol levels are benefited too because fatty fish is extremely low in cholesterol.
Other great foods that are rich in Omega 3 include spinach, kale, linseed and sprouted alfalfa. So eating any of these foods every night, including fatty fish, can make big strides in lowering high blood pressure and lowering blood cholesterol levels. In addition to omega 3 fats, foods high in monounsaturated fats, like avocados and olives, also contribute strongly to heart health.
Red wine is the famous heart healthy alcoholic beverage that should most definitely be included in this list. One small glass of red wine per day helps to keep our blood healthy and reduces blood clotting that can increase blood pressure and lead to heart attack and stroke. The powerful plant chemicals in red wine, called polyphenols, also protects the cholesterol in our blood from oxidative damage that leads to plaque build ups.
To learn more about other heart healthy foods visit natural cures for high blood pressure and lowering cholesterol naturally.
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