In our busy daily lives, health is often an aspect that is easily overlooked. Especially for people with high blood pressure, they are dealing with a blood pressure monitor every day, and the doctor's instructions have become a part of life. But have you ever thought that the secret to reducing the risk of death from high blood pressure may be hidden in your daily diet?
01
The study found that eat more of these 2 fruits
Reduces the risk of death from hypertension
A new 2024 study shows that people with high blood pressure who include just two common fruits in their daily diet — apples and bananas — can reduce their overall risk of death.
In the journal Frontiers of Nutrition, researchers from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University and many partner institutions jointly published an influential research result.
The study, which followed the dietary patterns and health status of 2,480 hypertensive patients in the United States over a 10-year period, showed that individuals who consumed apples or bananas at least three to six times a week significantly reduced mortality: eating apples reduced the risk of death by 40 percent, while bananas reduced the risk by 24 percent, and a combination of the two could further reduce the risk to 43 percent.
02
Foods that are friendly to high blood pressure,
There are several of these
Not only apples and bananas, but also some foods in the daily diet are equally beneficial for people with high blood pressure.
1. Soy products, some studies have shown that consuming more than 125 grams of soy products per day can reduce the risk of high blood pressure by 27%.
2. Regular consumption of weak tea can also help lower blood pressure, studies have shown that people who drink tea regularly have a 14% lower incidence of hypertension than those who do not drink tea.
3. People with high blood pressure are also good to eat guava, it is rich in various amino acids and trace elements, can promote digestion, resist stomach ulcers, soften blood vessels, and help reduce blood lipids and blood sugar, but also has the effect of reducing cholesterol.
In addition, it can prevent coronary heart disease and high blood pressure, and has the effect of invigorating the stomach, increasing appetite, and increasing longevity.
4. In addition, tomatoes are also a good choice, one tomato a day, can reduce the risk of high blood pressure by 36%.
5. Contemporary pharmacological studies have shown that hawthorn is rich in flavonoids, triterpenoids, oligomeric anthocyanins, organic acids and trace elements. These health-positive substances can effectively lower blood lipids and blood pressure, and help promote digestion as well as fight platelet aggregation.
In addition, the rare triterpenic acid in hawthorn also helps to increase the strength of the heart beat and increase coronary blood flow, so hawthorn has certain benefits in the adjuvant treatment of hypertension.
Reminder: Even though eating these foods can help manage blood pressure levels, people with high blood pressure should still follow their doctor's instructions and take their medications regularly to lower their blood pressure.
04
In addition to diet,
What other methods are there to help lower blood pressure?
In daily life, in addition to paying attention to diet, it is also very important to exercise appropriately and adjust lifestyle habits.
1. Static strength training
A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in July 2023 revealed a finding that "static strength training" is extremely useful for lowering blood pressure levels.
The so-called static muscle strength training refers to the fact that during the exercise, although the muscles are in a state of contraction, the length will not change, and the joints are not moving, such as wall-leaning squats, standing horse steps, fixed sit-ups, supine bras, etc.
2. Use low-sodium salt instead of traditional table salt
Switching to low-sodium salt is the most straightforward and easy way to reduce salt intake.
According to the data provided by the Chinese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Hypertension, people who replaced regular salt with low-sodium table salt were 13% less likely to have major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events and 12% less overall mortality compared with conventional salt users.
3. Make sure you get 7-8 hours of sleep
Feng Shuang and Zhang Yangping, medical staff from the Health Medical Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of the Intensive Medical Center, mentioned in an article on the official public account that compared with people who sleep 7-8 hours a night, people who sleep less than 5 hours have a higher risk of hypertension, especially women.
To get enough sleep, try to fall asleep before 10 a.m. every night, wake up at 6 to 7 a.m., and make sure you have 7 to 8 hours of rest each day, with about 30 minutes of napping at noon.
In this seemingly complex process of managing hypertension, simple yet effective approaches are often more easily overlooked. However, fruits such as apples, bananas, tomatoes, etc., which can be seen every day, imply the secret of lowering blood pressure, which is the little hint that life gives us. Combined with scientific research and the wisdom of daily life, we believe that we can be more proactive in facing high blood pressure and have a healthier lifestyle.