The diet involves reducing the salt consume and also eating more fruits, vegetables and non fat or low-fat dairy products, according to a declaration from the American Heart Association (AHA),which affirms that all these elements are important for the persons who need to lower blood pressure.
According to statistics, one in four American adults has hypertension, which means that these people need to quickly lower blood pressure in order to decrease the risk of stroke, heart attack and kidney failure.
This would be the first time when the AHA’s Nutrition Committee advises individuals who need to lower blood pressure to add fruits, vegetables and low-fat or nonfat dairy products to a reduced-salt diet.
The Nutrition Committee also counsels the patients who need to lower blood pressure to consume food rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium and low in saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol and sodium.
The committee affirms that a salt restricted diet rich in fruits, vegetables and nonfat or low-fat dairy products is the most appropriate to lower blood pressure.
The AHA’s Committee approximates that even a small reduction of two points in diastolic blood pressure could lower a person’s stroke risk by 15% and lower heart disease risk by 6%, so it’s essential to lower blood pressure.
Dr. Kotchen, author of the report, recommends to the persons who need to lower blood pressure to eat more fruits, vegetables and diary products, which are high in electrolytes and naturally occurring minerals. Studies have evidenced that persons eating foods rich in potassium, such as bananas, dates, potatoes, and raisins tend to have lower blood pressure.
For those who need to lower blood pressure, the committee recommends to limit their salt consumption even more as recommended by their doctor.
One of the important recommendations of the committee for the persons who need to lower blood pressure is to manage their weight. Also, those who need to lower blood pressure must avoid having more than two alcoholic drinks per day.
