High blood pressure: Lifestyle changes to reduce reading
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Blood pressure rises when the blood vessels become increasingly narrow. When blood vessels narrow, less blood can be transported through them at any given time. This places undue strain on the heart, raising your risk of heart disease. It is therefore critical to reverse a high blood pressure reading.
Improving your diet is one of the important interventions you can make and certain combinations are optimal.
According to research published in the Pakistan Journal of Food Sciences, garlic and honey tea is a winning combo.
A study was designed to assess the antihypertensive effect of garlic honey tea in human subjects.
Twenty four hypertensive subjects were included in the study.
In order to identify the effect of garlic and honey on high blood pressure 3 g, 5 g, 7 g of garlic and honey in the form of tea were given to hypertensive subjects for 42 days that were further analysed in relation to systolic and diastolic blood pressure, to assess the effect of garlic honey tea.
What do these numbers mean?
Blood pressure is recorded with two numbers. The systolic pressure (higher number) is the force at which your heart pumps blood around your body.
The diastolic pressure (lower number) is the resistance to the blood flow in the blood vessels.
They’re both measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg).
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The data obtained during the study were subjected to statistical analysis.
Results showed that regular consumption of garlic honey tea demonstrated a “significant dose dependent reduction” in elevated blood pressure, the researchers observed.
“The resulting data evidenced that garlic and honey exhibits promising antihypertensive potential against high blood pressure,” the researchers concluded.
“Garlic and honey are highly tolerated and may be considered as a complementary treatment option for hypertension.”
General tips
Cut down on the amount of salt in your food and eat plenty of fruit and vegetables to lower high blood pressure.
Salt raises your blood pressure. The more salt you eat, the higher your blood pressure.
According to the NHS, you should aim to eat less than 6g (0.2oz) of salt a day, which is about a teaspoonful.
“Eating a low-fat diet that includes lots of fibre, such as wholegrain rice, bread and pasta, and plenty of fruit and vegetables also helps lower blood pressure,” notes the health body.
It adds: “Regularly drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure over time.”
Staying within the recommended levels is the best way to reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure:
Men and women are advised not to regularly drink more than 14 units a week
Spread your drinking over three days or more if you drink as much as 14 units a week.
What’s more, “alcohol is also high in calories, which will make you gain weight and can further increase your blood pressure”, warns the NHS.
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