Blood pressure

Health service staff should start checking people’s blood pressure at gyms, barber shops and football stadiums in a bid to cut deaths from heart attacks and strokes, NHS bosses are being urged.

Nurses should also offer health checks in workplaces and at train stations to help identify the millions of people in England with undiagnosed high blood pressure, the British Heart Foundation says. The condition is the commonest cause of heart attacks and strokes, which together remain the biggest source of premature deaths, despite success in recent years in reducing them.

Britain’s leading cardiac health charity wants NHS England chiefs to end the service’s reliance on blood pressure checks being done in traditional settings such as GP surgeries and hospitals.

Its new report says the forthcoming NHS long-term plan, due at the start of December, must include such innovative moves to help people understand the risks they face of heart attack, stroke or vascular dementia. Thousands of extra lives a year could be saved through “a relentless determination to detect and treat these risk factors as early as possible”.

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Blood pressure and cholesterol and unblocking arteries - a little knowledge is a dangerous thing

He says on the 26th minute that drinking water thins the blood.

Rapidly consuming a bunch of fluids will raise your blood pressure transiently. True. But not a clinical problem; the only time this will cause issues is if a patients gets intravenous fluids rather quickly, usually several liters too much in a short time frame, in which case they can have hypertension but more importantly face fluid collecting in their lungs, giving them “congestive heart failure,” or something similar to starting to drown.

As for thinning, eh, no, that’s not a thing. Clotting and viscosity are quite different. The viscosity of blood from a patient who is normal and another one on a potent blood thinner will be THE SAME. The difference is that when the blood of the first patient is exposed to damaged tissues / bleeds, it clots normal (soluble fibrinogen is converted to nets of fibrin, making it solidify into a clot). The patent on the blood thinner doesn’t do that as well.

When you drink a lot, you’re not going to increase your blood volume that much. As soon as the water you drank started getting absorbed, your body would sense it, and start excreting dilute urine to keep your salt concentrations ok. Drink too fast, and before your blood is diluted to any real extent, you’ll have brain swelling, seizures, coma and death because you screwed up your sodium level.

Even if you could drink enough to dilute your clotting factors by a lot and your liver failed to make extra to keep up, this won’t affect your clotting at all! You have a lot of redundant clotting capacity. People with hemophilia (clotting factor deficiencies) usually only experience bleeding when the deficiency is profound, like less than 10% normal. And again, to drink your blood that dilute, you would have killed yourself several times over already.

I hope that helps… blood “thinning” is really a metaphor for what anticoagulants do. Clotting happens because of a complex system of proteins that work to solidify blood at sites of bleeding, not in relation to red cell number. So water doesn’t thin your blood, it doesn’t prevent clots, and you can’t make much of a dent in your red cell concentration without drinking anyway, unless you kill yourself by lowering your salt concentration too much too fast (don’t do that).

Super Foods That Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

Looking for foods that lower blood pressure? Eating the right foods is  one of the most powerful ways to lower your blood pressure naturally. There are super foods  so powerful that they can not only reduce your blood pressure in two weeks, but also lower blood cholesterol, improve your sleep and reduce your headaches.

What makes one food superior to another in lowering your blood pressure? Proper balance of nutrients that works to lower blood pressure naturally. As a high blood pressure sufferer, you want your food to contain elements that balance Sodium, and you want to
reduce sodium as much as possible, preferrably under 1000 mg of daily intake. And not only that. Foods that contain Potassium, Magnesium and Calcium,  foods that act like diuretics and food that make your arterioles walls flexible again are top super foods that lower blood pressure.

There are foods that you should NOT eat of you suffer from high blood pressure. You will want to cut out  sugar and most fats, which contribute to your hypertension because they increase inflammation and harden your arteries.

Right now, let’s look at the list of champions-the top super foods that lower blood pressure.

#1. sprouts are one of the top healthy foods that lower blood pressure

Broccoli, Wheatgrass, Alfalfa, Sunflower, Beans

Sprouts contain an antioxidant called glucoraphanin that has demonstrated its ability to lower blood pressure and risks of stoke and heart attack. In the scientific experiments, rats were fed a glucoraphanin-rich diet. It lowered inflammatory response and improved cardiovascular health as was demonstrated by decreased blood pressure and decreased inflammation in the heart, arteries and kidneys.
So sprouts will not only lower your blood pressure naturally, but also work to prevent heart attack and stroke.
At the sprouting stage of growth, plants have the highest concentration of proteins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants,
anti-carcinogens, vitamins and minerals.
Sprouts are the most economical and nutritious food.
Home grown organic sprouts are the best. Although some people would say it is too much effort to grow sprouts at home, they should realize that in order to get the best result, one always should go an extra mile. If you grow organic sprouts at home, they get to your table without losing any nutritional value. At the same time, commercial, conventionally grown foods not only have about 14-20% less nutrients than organic ones. Both organic and non-organic foods lose 50% more of their nutritional value on their way to your dinner table. You can buy a small sprouter and organic broccoli seeds and start protecting yourself from effects of teh high bllod pressure… and from cancer, too!

#2. green leafy vegetables provide the most vitamins at low cost

Kale,Swiss chard, dandelion, bok choy, spinach, collard greens,
mustard greens.

Green leafy vegetables provide  completely absorbable, balanced protein packaged together with antioxidants that lower blood
pressure. For very few calories, you also get lots of vitamins, minerals, and all sorts of enzymes. These Kale recipes and healthy greens recipes will help you start eating more greens.

You may resist the idea of eating more greens because they just taste bitter. Bitterness is the demonstration of the presence of
antioxidants. Start small, and put some greens into your salads and smoothies. After eating greens for about two weeks, your taste buds readjust themselves. Many people actually start craving greens – their body, given a choice, craves super foods rather than empty food.

#3. herbs that lower blood pressure

Ginger, garlic and chives, cayenne pepper, valerian root, kava kava, cinnamon…

The benefits of herbs for the human health are remarkable and that is why herbal medicine was used for centuries for many maladies, including high blood pressure. What are the easy way to use them every day? Here are some ideas for you:

• Add a dash of cinnamon to you morning cereal.
• Use more garlic in your cooking. Garlic is on of the best researched super foods that lower bloods pressure naturally.
Get herbal tea that contain valerian root. It calms down your nerves and this relaxation reduces hypertension.

#4. vegetables

Celery, Broccoli, rapini, cabbage, asparagus, carrots, cauliflower, beets,
onion, garlic.

One of the most important health benefit of celery is its role as a diuretic.
Although it is made up of 90% water and is high in Sodium, celeryhelps rid the body of excess fluid by stimulating urine production with the right combination of Sodium and Potassium.

A study published in HYPERTENSION (March 2008) indicated that drinking just two cups of beet juice a day lowered blood pressure by approximately 10 points. This puts beet juice was on par with results from many antihypertesive medications.

Garlic is most famous for its potent anti-inflammatory and antiviral benefits, but it’s ability to fight coronary heart disease by
unplugging arteries is also amazing. The gas that is produced in the stomach as garlic gets processed relaxes youe arteries and lowers blood pressure.

#5. fruit is the ultimate healthy snack and a part of the  dash diet.

Apples, plums, pears, banana, pomegranate, mango, etc.

Fruit provide fructose mixed with a healthy dose of fiber, vitamins, and critically important minerals such As Potassium and Magnesium.  Apple cider vinegar is known as one of the top home remedies to lower your high blood pressure.

Dried plums, also known as prunes, are one of the top two antioxidant foods. Pomegranate is a top runner up for the antioxidant
crown,too. One banana a day can provide a dose of potassium, helping to reduce blood pressure and fend off cardiovascular disease.

#6. nuts and seeds provide protein and healthy fats

Almond (and almond milk) , Brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts, pine nuts
Almonds, for example, are very high in good protein, they help against diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This small potent nut is capable of lessening after-meal surges of blood sugar, lowering cholesterol and protecting against arteriosclerosis.

Flax, chia, sesame, pumpkin seeds

I add ground flaxseed to my baking, dehydrated crackers and healthy smoothies.
Not only it acts as an egg replacer and increases vitamins absorbtion, but also provides enough omega-3 for a day to keep your brain going.

#7. whole grains and beans provide protein, potassium, and fibre

Quinoa, oats, brown rice, amaranth, buckwheat, millet and beans

Quinoa is an excellent protein-rich food. It consists of about 20% of complete protein; it is high in lysine and is a good source of iron, B vitamins and potassium. You want Potassium in your diet to balance harmful effects that extra Sodium does to your blood pressure. Remember,  there are two ways to reduce impact of Sodium on your blood pressure: Reduce Sodium and Increase Potassium and Magnesium in your diet.

#8. berries come packed in antioxidants

Blueberries, cranberry, acai

Berries reduce inflammation in the body and relax arteries, both of these effects help to lower your blood pressure.

Blueberry is probably the most advertised berry. It provides an array of health benefits due to its antioxidant content.

#9. seaweeds are #1 in minerals competition

Kelp, kombu, nori, arame, wakame, chlorella

Chlorella is nature’s top energy food. It provides all essential amino acids in perfect ratios, and is often used to prevent
or curb the spread of cancer, enhance immunity, promote a good balance of bacteria in the gut, and lower blood cholesterol.

Kombu increases digestability of beans; it also acts as an antidote to excess sodium consumption and it is known to reduce blood cholesterol and hypertension. Use kombu in a miso soup.
Unassuming miso soup is a powerful natural remedy to many health issues.

#10 fats

Flax oil, Olive oil, hemp oil.

It seems counterintuitive to place fats into top ten healthy foods, but you absolutely need some fat in your diet. Certain fats are
vitally important for the body, both saturated and unsaturated. Omega-3 fats are essential to brain function. Saturated fats are needed to build cellular membranes throughout the whole body. Don’t exclude fats from your diet, but use moderation and choose the best.
To lower your blood pressure, it is essential to switch to a low-fat diet. Aim for fats naturally present in foods, such as flax seed and avocado. Avoid all hydrogenated or trans fats, reduce saturated fat.

Add a teaspoon of flax or hemp oil to your salads or healthy smoothies.
Some vitamins, for example, Vitamin A, are oil-soluble. In other words, your body will not absorb them unless they come with some form of oil. Adding flax oil or flaxseed to your smoothie will not alter the taste, but increase nutritional value of it.

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Healthy diets reduce blood pressure

Low-salt diets packed with fruit and vegetables lower blood pressure more than medication after just four weeks, a Harvard University study reveals.

Cutting out salt and eating lots of fruit, vegetables and low-fat dairy, reduces people with high blood pressure's results by an average of 21 mm Hg, the research adds.

To put that into context, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the US' drug-approving body, will not accept anti-hypertension medications unless they lower blood pressure by at least 3-4 mm Hg.

Most medications typically reduce hypertension readings by between 10 and 15 mm Hg, but come with side effects including fatigue, dizziness and headache.

Study author Dr Lawrence Appel said: 'What we're observing from the combined dietary intervention is a reduction in systolic blood pressure as high as, if not greater than, that achieved with prescription drugs.

'It's an important message to patients that they can get a lot of mileage out of adhering to a healthy and low-sodium diet.' 

Around 32 percent of adults in the US have high blood pressure, which puts them at risk of heart disease and stroke.  

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Rhythm Pad

A new device that detects an abnormal heart rhythm by scanning a patient’s hands could be used to prevent strokes by speeding up diagnosis in GP surgeries.

Called RhythmPad, it’s about the size of a laptop and has two hand shapes cut into the surface. The patient places both hands on the device and tiny sensors then record electrical pulses generated by the heart as they pass through the muscles and nerves beneath the base of the thumb.

From the results, their GP can tell if they may have a condition called atrial fibrillation (AF), which causes about 16,000 strokes a year in the UK.

About 25 RhythmPads are already being used in GP waiting rooms across England, and a separate trial involving more than 700 patients is under way at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Surrey.

At least a million people in the UK are known to have AF, when electrical activity in the heart goes haywire and causes it to beat irregularly. Symptoms include chest pain, dizziness and fatigue, but a significant number have no idea they are ill until they have a stroke.

The cause is unknown, though high blood pressure, chest infections, an overactive thyroid and too much caffeine or alcohol have been cited as possible triggers.

Research suggests people with AF are five times more likely to have a stroke than those who are well.

This is because as the heart no longer beats regularly, blood that should get pumped around the body instead begins to pool and thicken in the left ventricle — the heart’s main pumping chamber. If a clot then breaks away and travels up the narrow blood vessels that feed the brain, it can block the supply of oxygen-rich blood, causing a stroke.

Common treatments include the blood-thinner warfarin to stop clots forming, and cardioversion, where the heart is shocked into normal rhythm.

The RhythmPad harnesses the same technology used in electrocardiograms (ECGs) to check patients with suspected heart attacks. In these, up to ten electrodes are attached to different parts of the body to measure electrical signals.

The RhythmPad, which costs just over £1,000, gives a slightly less detailed result, but is sufficient to detect abnormal rhythms.

Patients with signs of AF would then be referred for more thorough tests and get treatment earlier.

Research shows more than 28,000 patients have used the devices in GP waiting rooms over the past year.

Cardiocity, the UK-based firm that manufactures the device, says so far almost 200 new cases of AF have been identified. The results are due to be published in a scientific journal next year.

Professor Nicholas Peters, an expert in abnormal heart rhythms at Imperial College London, says the device will be helpful in detecting AF, but warned that some cases would be missed as abnormal rhythms can come and go.

‘This will be helpful and quite appealing to patients, who are increasingly aware of the benefits of automated health screening,’ he says. ‘But atrial fibrillation can occur intermittently and may not be present at the time of use.’

Ice cubes can erase pain of jabs in A&E

Ice cubes are an effective way to reduce the pain from local anaesthetic injections given to patients in A&E before their wounds are stitched, reports the Emergency Medicine Journal.

Injections of lidocaine, a widely used local anaesthetic, can often be painful. In a trial of 50 patients aged 18 to 65 at Ajou University Hospital in South Korea, some patients had an ice cube inside a sterile vinyl glove held against their skin for two minutes before the jab.

They reported much less pain than those who had the injection without the ice cube.

 

■ Half an hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day can ease inflammation in the body, according to recent published research. The study, based on 396 adults, showed that being active for 30 minutes every day over a period of a week saw white blood cell counts drop, a sign of reduced inflammation.

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Apple watch and blood pressure

The Apple Watch can accurately detect sleep apnea and high blood pressure, a study found.

An app called Cardiogram implemented technology earlier this year to detect abnormal heart rhythm used to predict and prevent heart disease by tracking heart rate.

Now new research has found the technology can detect other serious conditions such as sleep apnea with 90 percent accuracy and hypertension with 82 percent accuracy.

Being able to detect these conditions through wearing a simple device that continuously screens the body's heart rate will cut the time between doctors visits, tests and lead to a quicker diagnosis.

The study was conducted using the Cardiogram app with more than 6,000 participants wearing the Apple Watch.

The app tracked heart rate and step count in the subjects between one week and a year. 

It was able to detect sleep apnea in 1,016 of the participants and hypertension in 2,230 of the testers.

Cardiogram and University of California San Francisco conducted the study using a deep learning algorithm called DeepHeart to detect the conditions with accuracy.

'The idea here is that by screening continuously you would identify people with hypertension who might not know they have it,' said Cardiogram’s co-founder and study lead Johnson Hsieh. 

He adds: 'Then you'd guide them through the appropriate final diagnosis, which would be through a blood pressure cuff and then treatment.' 

Right now most patients go to the doctor and wait to be tested for these conditions, adding a large time gap between symptoms and a diagnosis. In other cases, patients don't even recognize symptoms until it becomes critical. 

By continuously tracking heart rate, the app can alert a patient of abnormalities leading to a swifter diagnosis and hopefully faster treatment and recovery. 

Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder largely associated with heavy snoring in which breathing repeatedly stops. 

It affects 22million adults in the US and if left untreated the oxygen deprivation from sleep apnea can result in a growing number of health problems, including high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, diabetes and heart attacks.

Another 75 million American adults have high blood pressure or hypertension, putting them at high risk for heart disease and stroke which are the top causes of death in the US.

Hsieh believes this study shows promise for other wearable technology to incorporate a heart-rate sensors including FitBits.

Cardiogram and University of California San Francisco's study on heart health is the third major study of deep learning in medicine, following Google Brain's results on diabetic eye disease in December of 2016 and Stanford's study on skin cancer this January.

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Stroke!

Look at the risk factors for Poland.....

STATISTICS

Remember the free course in stroke prevention

The key is blood pressure reduction:

1. Increase your activity level and exercise more

Sedentary older adults who participated in aerobic exercise training lowered their blood pressure by an average by 3.9 percent systolic to 4.5 percent diastolic (4). This is as good as some blood pressure medications.

As you increase your heart and breathing rates, your heart gets stronger and pumps with less effort. This puts less pressure on your arteries, and lowers your blood pressure.

How much activity? A 2013 report by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association advises moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity three to four sessions weekly, 40 minutes each (5).

The American College of Sports Medicine makes similar recommendations (6).

But you don’t have to run marathons. Increasing your activity level can be as simple as using the stairs, walking instead of driving, doing household chores, gardening, going for a bike ride, or playing a sport. Just do it regularly and work up to at least half an hour per day of moderate activity.

An example of moderate activity with big results is tai chi. One study found that 12 weeks of tai chi training for 40 minutes three times a week produced a 8.8-15.6 mmHg decrease in blood pressure (7).

A 2014 review of studies on exercise and lowering blood pressure found that there are many exercise combinations that lower blood pressure. Aerobic exercise, resistance training, high intensity interval training, short bouts of exercise over the day, or walking 10,000 steps a day all lowered blood pressure (3).

Another review found that low- to moderate-intensity exercise training is as effective as higher-intensity exercise training in lowering blood pressure (8).

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2. Lose weight if you’re overweight

If you’re overweight, losing even 5 to 10 pounds can reduce your blood pressure. Plus, you’ll lower your risk of other medical problems.

A 2016 review of several studies reported that weight loss diets reduced blood pressure by an average of 3.2-4.5 mmHg (9).

3. Cut back on sugar and refined carbohydrates

Many scientific studies show that restricting sugar and refined carbohydrates can help you lose weight and lower your blood pressure (10).

A 2010 study compared a low-carb diet to a low-fat diet. The low-fat diet included a diet drug. Both diets produced weight loss, but the low-carb diet did much better in lowering blood pressure. The low-carb diet lowered blood pressure by 4.5-5.9 mmHg. The diet of low fat plus the diet drug lowered blood pressure by only 0.4-1.5 mmHg (11).

A 2012 analysis of 17 studies of low-carb diets and heart disease risk found that these diets lowered blood pressure by an average of 3.10-4.81 mmHg (12).

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A side effect of a low-carb, low-sugar diet is that you’ll feel fuller, because you’re consuming more protein and fat. You’ll also lower your risk for other diseases, such as diabetes (10).

4. Eat less sodium, more potassium

Cutting back on salt and increasing your potassium intake can lower your blood pressure (13).

Potassium is a double winner: It lessens the effect of salt in your system, and also eases tension in your blood vessels.

It’s easy to increase your intake of potassium — so many foods are naturally high in potassium. Here are a few:

• dairy foods (milk, yogurt)
• fish
• fruits (bananas, apricots, oranges)
• vegetables (sweet potato, potato, tomato, greens, spinach)

Note that individuals respond to salt differently. Some people are salt-sensitive: A higher salt intake increases their blood pressure. Others are salt-insensitive. They can have a high salt intake, and excrete it in their urine without raising their blood pressure (14).

Reducing salt intake using the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is recommended by the National Institutes of Health (15). The DASH diet emphasizes low sodium, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, and fewer sweets and red meats.

5. Eat less processed food

Most of the extra salt in our diet comes from processed foods and restaurant food, not your salt shaker at home (16). Popular high-salt items include deli meats, canned soup, pizza, chips, and other snacks.

Foods labeled “low fat” are usually high in salt and sugar to compensate for the loss of fat. Fat is what gives food taste and makes you feel full.

Cutting down on (or even better, cutting out) processed food will give you less salt, less sugar, and fewer refined carbohydrates. All of this results in lower blood pressure.

Make it a practice to check labels. Sodium that’s listed as 5 percent or less on the label of a food item is considered low. Twenty percent or more is considered high, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (16).

6. Stop smoking

Stopping smoking is good for your health all-around. Smoking causes an immediate but temporary increase in your blood pressure and an increase in your heart rate (17).

In the long term, the chemicals in tobacco can increase your blood pressure by damaging your blood vessel walls and narrowing your arteries. The hardened arteries cause higher blood pressure. The chemicals in tobacco can affect your blood vessels even if you’re around secondhand smoke. Children around secondhand smoke had higher blood pressure than a control group (18).

7. Reduce excess stress

We live in stressful times. Workplace and family demands, national and international politics — they all contribute to stress. Finding ways to reduce your own stress is important for your health and your blood pressure.

Relieving stress starts with recognizing your stress triggers and your relaxation inducers. Practice deep breathing, take a walk, watch a comedy, listen to relaxing music. These are some of the ways people successfully relieve stress.

Music has been successfully used as a therapy to reduce blood pressure (19). Regular sauna use is also proven to reduce stress and blood pressure (20). And acupuncture has been shown to reduce blood pressure (21).

8. Try meditation or yoga

Mindfulness and meditation, including transcendental meditation, have long been used (and studied) as a method to reduce stress. A 2012 study notes that one university program in Massachusetts has helped more than 19,000 people using a meditation and mindfulness program (22).

Yoga, which involves breathing control, posture, and meditation techniques, can also be effective in reducing stress and blood pressure. A 2013 review of 17 studies of yoga and blood pressure found an average blood pressure decrease of 3.62-4.17 mmHg. Some types of yoga were nearly twice as effective as the average (23).

9. Eat some dark chocolate

Yes, chocolate lovers: Dark chocolate has been shown to lower blood pressure.

But the dark chocolate should be 60 to 70 percent cacao. A Harvard Medical School study found that eating one square of dark chocolate helped lower blood pressure. The benefits are thought to come from the flavonoids present in unsweetened chocolate, which help dilate, or widen, your blood vessels (24).

A 2010 study of 14,310 people found that higher dark chocolate consumption led to a significant decrease in blood pressure (25).

10. Try these medicinal herbs

Herbal medicines have long been used in many cultures to treat a variety of ailments.

Some of these herbs have been shown to lower blood pressure. More research is needed to find out what components in the herbs are most useful (26).

Always check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist before taking herbal supplements. They may interfere with your prescription medications.

Here’s a partial list of herbs whose effects in lowering blood pressure have been studied in human beings:

• black bean (Castanospermum australe)
• cat’s claw (Uncaria rhynchophylla)
• celery juice (Apium graveolens)
• Chinese hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida)
• coffee weed (Cassia occidentalis)
• ginger root
• giant dodder (Cuscuta reflexa)
• Indian plantago (blond psyllium)
• maritime pine bark (Pinus pinaster)
• river lily (Crinum glaucum)
• roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
• sesame oil (Sesamum indicum)
• tomato extract (Lycopersicon esculentum)
• tea (Camellia sinensis), especially green tea and oolong tea
• umbrella tree bark (Musanga cecropioides)

11. Make sure to get good, restful sleep

Your blood pressure dips down when you’re sleeping. If you don’t sleep well, it can affect your blood pressure. People whose sleep is disturbed, especially the middle-aged, have an increased risk of high blood pressure (27).

For some people getting a good sleep isn’t easy. There are many ways to help you get good sleep. Try setting a regular sleep schedule, relaxing, exercising during the day, avoiding daytime naps, and making your bedroom comfortable (28).

The national Sleep Heart Health Study found that sleeping below 7 hours a night and more than 8 hours a night was associated with an increased prevalence of hypertension. Sleeping less than six hours a night was linked to the highest risk of hypertension (29).

12. Eat garlic or take garlic extract supplements

Fresh garlic or garlic extract are both widely used by people to lower blood pressure (30).

According to one clinical study, a time-release garlic extract preparation may have a greater effect than regular garlic powder tablets (31).

One 2012 review noted a study of 89 people with high blood pressure that found a reduction of 6-12 mmHg, compared with a control group (32).

13. Eat healthy high-protein foods

A long-term study concluded in 2014 found that people who ate more protein had a lower risk of having high blood pressure. For those who ate an average of 100 grams per day of protein, there was a 40 percent lower risk of having high blood pressure (33).

It’s not hard to consume 100 grams of protein daily on most types of diet.

High protein foods include:

• fish (3 ounces of salmon = 22 grams; canned tuna in water, 1 cup = 39 grams)
• eggs (1 egg = 6 grams)
• poultry (3 ounces of chicken breast = 27 grams)
• beef (3 ounces of lean beef = 22 grams)
• beans (kidney beans, 1/2 cup cooked = 7.6 grams; lentils, 1/2 cup cooked = 9 grams)
• nuts (peanut butter, 2 tablespoons = 8 grams)
• chickpeas (1/2 cup cooked = 7.3 grams)
• cheese (1 ounce of cheddar = 6.5 grams)

14. Take these blood pressure lowering supplements

These supplements are readily available and have had a track record for lowering blood pressure:

• Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (fish oil): A meta-analysis of fish oil and blood pressure found a mean blood pressure reduction of 0.99-1.52 mmHg (34).
• Whey protein: This protein complex derived from milk has been found to have many health benefits, in addition to lowering blood pressure (35).
• Magnesium: Magnesium deficiency is related to higher blood pressure. A meta-analysis found a small reduction in blood pressure with magnesium supplementation (36).
• Coenzyme Q10: This antioxidant lowered blood pressure by up to 10-17 mmHg in several clinical studies (37).
• Citrulline: Oral L-citrulline is a precursor of L-arginine in the body. It’s shown to lower blood pressure (38).

15. Drink less alcohol

Alcohol can raise your blood pressure, even if you’re healthy.

Drink in moderation. Alcohol raises your blood pressure by 1 mmHg for each .35 ounces of alcoholconsumed (39). Yes, that’s only a little more than a third of an ounce.

Moderate drinking is up to one drink a day for women and two drinks per day for men (40).

What constitutes a drink? One 12-ounce beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits (41).

16. Consider cutting back on caffeine

Caffeine raises your blood pressure, but the effect is temporary and the reaction varies from individual to individual (42).

Some people may be more sensitive to caffeine. If you’re caffeine-sensitive, you may want to cut back on your coffee consumption, or try decaffeinated coffee.

Research on caffeine, including its health benefits, is in the news a lot. The choice of whether to cut back depends on many individual factors.

Indications from one study are that caffeine’s effect on raising blood pressure is greater if your blood pressure is already high. This same study, however, called for more research on the subject (42).

17. Take prescription medication

If your blood pressure is very high or doesn’t decrease when you make lifestyle changes, consider taking prescription drugs. They work and will improve your long-term outcome, especially if you have other risk factors (43).

Talk with your doctor about the medication possibilities and what might work best for you.

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