Foods To Lower Blood Pressure If you suffer from high blood pressure (hypertension), or consume a diet which p laces

you at risk for developing high blood pressure, you are at risk for experi encing heart attacks and strokes as well as kidney failure. Most people have hig h blood pressure and don t even know it until they get a heart attack or stroke! Consuming highly processed foods like fast food with incredibly high sodium leve ls are extremely damaging and is often the main culprit in raising your blood pr essure. Another factor that puts you at risk for high blood pressure is fat that is, the highly saturated and trans fatty acids which clog your arteries and mak e it hard for blood to flow freely through your veins, causing build-up and thus , high blood pressure. Foods that help reduce high blood pressure (1) Garlic You can change your cholesterol levels and naturally lower your blood pressure l evels with garlic! In fact, most members of the allium family (onions, garlic, l eeks, etc.) have been shown to reduce cholesterol, high blood pressure and the f lu. Countries who consume large amounts of garlic have also been correlated with the lowest levels of cardiovascular disease. (2) Kiwi A recent study in 2011 found that just 3 kiwis a day may naturally lower blood p ressure (opposed to eating just one apple a day). The study took place over 8 we eks, and at the end of the study, individuals who consumed the kiwis had signifi cantly lower systolic blood pressure than those who ate only 1 apple a day. Kiwi s are lutein-rich (an antioxidant), which helps beat free radicals which are oft en linked to high blood pressure. Kiwis are also one of the most antioxidant-ric h fruits, as reported by the Journal of the American College of Nutrition (along with grapes, and wild blueberries). (3) Grapes A study at the University of Michigan showed that grapes may help fight high blo od pressure and heart disease (especially if you consume a salty diet). Grapes a re incredibly high in antioxidants which fight off free radicals that normally l ead to heart failure and hypertension. Grapes also lower inflammation in the bod y and allow the blood vessels to breathe and relax to prevent higher blood press ure. (4) Leafy Lettuces Eating green leafy vegetables on a consistent basis can help lower your risk for developing high blood pressure. Leafy greens are incredibly vitamin and mineral rich (with things like calcium, potassium, and manganese) which protects agains t heart disease and stroke. Lettuces are also nitrate-rich which has been linked to a reduction in blood pressure. (5) Bananas Bananas are very high in potassium which helps regulate blood pressure. Foods wi th potassium nitrate (like bananas and dates) have been reported to be even bett er than supplements using potassium chloride for lowering blood pressure, accord ing to a UK study. Eating just two bananas a day can lower blood pressure by up to 10%! (6) Watermelon Citrulline in watermelon helps to normalize blood pressure. Eating up to 1/2 of a large watermelon per day can help lower high blood pressure, especially when t he fruit is ripe, and when this antioxidant is at it s highest levels. Citrulline is a type of amino acid that is converted into another amino acid, called Argini

ne (which people normally take to help lower their blood pressure). However, eat ing the more natural form of this compound is best, so make sure you eat the who le watermelon in it s true, natural form!