High blood pressure affects one in four people living in the UK.
This is a major concern as the condition – also known as hypertension – increases heart attack and stroke risk.
Thankfully, there are ways to lower your bp by making healthy changes to your diet.
So what should you eat to see the best results?
The NHS urges Brits to “eat plenty of fruit and vegetables” in order to cut their hypertension risk.
And if you want to lower your blood pressure, you should try eating kiwis.
The potassium-rich fruit can help to balance out the salt levels in the body, providing more support for the kidneys.
Guidelines from the American Heart Association state: “Foods that are rich in potassium are important in managing HBP because potassium lessens the effects of sodium.
“The more potassium you eat, the more sodium you lose through urine.
“Potassium also helps to ease tension in your blood vessel walls, which helps further lower blood pressure.”
A study published in the NCBI also claims kiwis can work to lower blood pressure.
Scientists tracked the affect of the fruit on 118 subjects with high normal BP or stage 1 hypertension.
The intervention group were tasked with eating three of the tropical fruits a day, while the control group was given apples.
After eight weeks, those in the kiwi group had seen a greater reduction in bp.
The study explains: “Among men and women with moderately elevated BP, intake of three kiwifruits was associated with lower systolic and diastolic 24-h BP compared with one apple a day.”
As research is still in its infancy, making more healthy changes to your diet is advisable.
The NHS advises Brits to reduce the amount of salt they are consuming, as this raises bp.
As well as this, patients are warned to follow a balanced diet and only drink alcohol in moderation.
Maintaining a healthy weight, exercising and giving up smoking can also help to lower your blood pressure.
If you have concerns about your bp, it’s advisable to consult your doctor.
Learning the warning signs of hypertension is also recommended.
- High blood pressure
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