Following This Diet Helps Lower Blood Pressure Readings

High blood pressure has been referred to as the silent killer because of its tendency to suddenly appear without warning. If left untreated, it increases your risk of developing more serious conditions.

While high blood pressure may be devoid of visible warning signs, constantly high pressure may cause you to suffer a stroke or heart attack. To keep these threats at bay, you must observe a healthy lifestyle.

Dietary Changes

Your diet plays a very important part when trying to control and manage blood pressure. Instead of focusing on particular foods that are said to be heart-friendly, it would be better to observe a total healthy dietary practice as this accords you the best protection.

Cutting back on certain food groups, like carb-heavy foods, for instance, has been proven to lower blood pressure. Observing a low-carb diet can have a positive impact on high blood pressure.

Proven by Studies

In one such study, the results of which were published in the journal JAMA; it compared the benefits of consuming a low-carb diet to a low-fat diet. Those who were on a low-fat diet also took a diet drug oftentimes used in weight loss programs.

While both of these diets resulted in weight loss, the low-carb diet was proven to be more efficient in reducing blood pressure. At the end of the study, participants enjoyed lower blood pressure by approximately 4.5mmHg diastolic and 5.9mmHg systolic.

In contrast, the low-fat diet, which included the diet drug, was able to lower blood pressure by only 0.4mmHg diastolic and 1.5mmHg systolic. Systolic blood pressure is the figure that measures the greatest pressure when the heart beats and pumps the blood throughout the body. It is commonly regarded as the most significant number since it provides the most accurate indicator of the likelihood of suffering from a heart attack.

These findings are made even more substantial by past researches showing a 2mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure also lowers your risk of dying from stroke by at least 6%. It also lowers your risk of dying from certain types of heart disease by 4% and reduces your risk of dying from any cause by 3%. In the recent study, note that the low-carb diet can reduce systolic blood pressure by 5.9mmHg.

Minimizing carbohydrates consumptions have also been proven to directly help with weight loss, which is another defense measure against high blood pressure. The NHS said that being overweight can force your heart to work double-time in pumping blood around the body, a situation that can raise blood pressure. The NHS also said that if you need to lose weight, it is important to remember that shedding even just a couple of pounds can make a big difference.