This ‘silent killer’ increases the risk of organ problems (Image: Getty)
People might be living with a serious health issue that has very few symptoms – but could cause major problems to their organs. An expert has suggested that there are « natural » ways to help settle high blood pressure.
Prof Tim Spector, co-founder of the Zoe Health Study, claimed that this ‘silent killer’ condition is already affecting millions of people around the world, and the numbers are rising fast. He recently spoke about how diet and lifestyle can lower blood pressure naturally, without relying solely on medication.
He said: « If I want to reverse high blood pressure, I want to increase your potassium intake. As always in nutrition, we’ve tended to overfocus on one element – salt.
« Studies have shown that, as well as salt being important, things like potassium are actually even more important. You do that classically by giving some bananas, but also most green leaf vegetables also have high potassium intake.
« People on high plant diets are naturally getting a lot of potassium. The more you do that, you’ll be able to improve your blood pressure naturally, even before going onto blood pressure medications. »
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What leafy green vegetables have the highest potassium?
Beet greens and Swiss chard are among the green leafy vegetables with the highest potassium content, providing 900-1,300mg per cooked cup. Beet greens are the edible leafy tops of the beetroot plant.
Other great options are cooked spinach, which has 839mg per cup, and bok choy. To get the most potassium, it’s best to cook leafy greens, as cooking increases potassium levels.
What issues can high blood pressure cause?
According to the NHS website, high blood pressure (also called hypertension) can lead to serious problems like heart attacks or strokes. If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs, such as your brain, kidneys and eyes.
People may not realise that they are living with high blood pressure, as there are rarely any symptoms beyond things that are easy to dismiss, like headaches and blurred vision. But, failing to keep this at a safe level can increase the risk of problems like heart failure, kidney disease and vascular dementia.
The condition is very common, especially in older adults. The only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to get your blood pressure checked.
Many pharmacies offer free blood pressure checks for people aged 40 or over. People can find a pharmacy near them that offers free blood pressure checks. Some workplaces also offer blood pressure checks.
How to help lower blood pressure?
Aside from taking any prescribed medication for managing blood pressure, a series of healthy lifestyle changes can help lower your blood pressure in a more natural way. Quite simply, maintaining a « healthy, balanced diet » and aiming for « at least 150 minutes of exercise a week » could lower the risks.
Fruits highest in potassium include dried fruits (apricots, raisins, prunes), avocados, bananas, coconut water, guava, kiwifruit, and melons (cantaloupe, honeydew). All fruits have some form of potassium in them, meaning that people can opt for a variety of their favourites to get added benefits.
The NHS website adds that people should avoid « too much salt », including salty foods or adding extra salt to meals. Drinks high in caffeine – like coffee, tea and cola – should also be limited.
There are lots of different medicines for high blood pressure. The medicine recommended for you depends on things like how high your blood pressure is, your age and ethnicity.
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