Yoga Articles Diet for diseases

• Tweet
• 

High blood pressure is caused by a variety of factors, but the most prominent ones are lack of exercise, bad food habits, stress and hereditary factors. Because of our lifestyles, our diet includes foods that raise blood pressure. This includes junk foods, fried stuff, fatty foods, and foods high in cholesterol among others.


This article will tell you about foods that lower your blood pressure naturally, helping you to lead a happier, healthier life.

To control hypertension, you need to make definite changes in your lifestyle. One of the first things you could do is to adopt a healthy eating plan. The DASH diet or 'Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension' is acknowledged as very helpful in the fight against hypertension. It contains food that lower cholesterol, are low in fats. It has many servings of vegetables, fruit and fat free dairy products. While low in sodium, it is high in potassium, magnesium, calcium, fiber and protein.

If you're following the DASH diet, it's a good idea to keep a food diary, where you can keep track of all that you've been eating. It's alright to occasionally indulge yourself, as long as you remember not to go overboard too often.

Here are some of the foods on the DASH Diet:

• Grains and Grain products: 7-8 servings a day. This includes foods like wheat, whole wheat bread, rice, pasta, and cereal among others.
• Vegetables: 4- 5 servings a day. Include a cup of green, leafy vegetables in your meal everyday. You can also eat raw veggies and juices. Foods like celery also fight blood pressure.
• Fruits: 4-5 servings a day. Fresh fruits are free of fats, and with the wide variety, you won't get bored. You can also include dry fruits. Whenever you're hungry, snack on fruits instead of chips or junk food.
• Fat free or low-fat dairy products: 2-3 servings a day. Milk, yogurt and fat free cheese are all foods that all help you stay healthy.
• Seed, nuts and dry beans: 4-5 servings a week. These help you get all the necessary oils, fats and proteins.
• Fats and oils: 2-3 servings a day. Contrary to belief, it's important to get some good fat in your body. Remember to eat healthy oils like olive and flax-seed.
• Lean meat and poultry: 2 or less per day. Meat is high in cholesterol, but important for protein. If you like, you can substitute it with alternatives like soya.
• Sweets: Less than 5 servings a week. If you can stay off the sweets, that's great. Remember that you need to eat foods that lower blood sugar, so be moderate with your sweet tooth.
• While not part of the DASH diet, some herbs like Coleus forskohlii, Hawthorne, Mistltoe and Rauwolfia help fight blood pressure. Remember to consult your doctor before consuming them.

Read more articles from the Diet for diseases Category.