I'm very passionate about the medical side of blood pressure and future blood pressure medication developments
Author: Terry Ware

Tag: protein

3 Tips to Prevent High Blood Pressure

Man running on a treadmillWith one in every seven people, and one in every four US adults, suffering from high blood pressure, it’s important to be aware of the risk factors that increase your risk of developing this health condition.

High blood pressure often doesn’t result in any visible symptoms or signs; those that have high blood pressure often only realise after having a blood pressure test while visiting their local doctor.

Luckily, high blood pressure is easy to prevent using a combination of healthy eating and lifestyle choices. In this blog post, we’ll share three tips that you apply use to lower your chances of developing high blood pressure.

Exercise frequently

From running to weight training, exercise is one of the most effective ways to make sure your blood pressure stays within a healthy range. Make sure you exercise every day, preferably for 30 minutes to one hour, to keep your blood pressure low.

Aerobic exercise – exercise that works your heart and respiratory system – is one of the best ways to keep your blood pressure low. If you already work out with weights and want to improve your health, try adding 30 minutes of cardio to your routine.

Limit your alcohol consumption

Heavy alcohol consumption, even if infrequent, is closely correlated with high blood pressure. Keep your drinking to a minimum when at bars or nightclubs and drink an average of one or fewer standard drinks per day.

While a glass of wine in the evening won’t harm your body, long-term drinking can have a significant negative effect on your health. Avoid serious alcohol consumption and you’re far less likely to develop high blood pressure.

Maintain a healthy diet

Eating healthy food every now and then isn’t enough; to keep high blood pressure at bay, it’s important to follow a consistent healthy diet. Focus on fruits and vegetables and avoid eating fatty meats more than once or twice per week.

Lean sources of protein such as egg whites, chicken breast and lentils offer protein without the fat of other types of meat. High-fat, high-sodium diets are closely linked to high blood pressure and a variety of other heart health issues.

High Protein Diet Could Help Fight High Blood Pressure

Protein superfood dietFor years, the conventional wisdom has dictated that diets rich in red meat, eggs or other high-fat foods worsens high blood pressure and heart disease. Now, the high-protein Paleo diet is thought to reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure.

The diet, one of many high protein diets used for weight loss, focuses on eating lean meats, vegetables, and fruit and largely avoiding the processed grains – from bread to rice – that make up the bulk of the modern diet.

Research from a new Boston University study published in the American Journal of Hypertension shows that high protein diets could have a positive effect on people who are at risk of developing high blood pressure.

In the study, researchers carefully monitored the blood pressure readings of 1,361 people over more than 11 years and discovered that those with diets rich in protein typically had the lowest blood pressure scores.

The protein-focused individuals consumed both animal and plant proteins and ate around 102 grams of protein per day on average. People that consumed a protein-based diet had an overall 40% reduced risk of developing hypertension.

While many protein sources are ideal for optimal health, doctors and nutritionists warn against consuming large amounts of high-fat meats. The cut and type of meat can make a big different when it comes to health, particularly saturated far content.

Justin Buendia, the author of the study, spoke to Yahoo Health to clarify the study’s findings. He noted: “It may be that people who eat protein have healthier diets in general.”

“With higher protein consumption, you may eat less of other high-calorie foods. You may feel full sooner, and that would lead to lower weight, which would lead to beneficial metabolic outcomes, such as lower blood pressure.”