FOODS TO EAT for High Blood Pressure

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Are you on a high grain, low fat diet...like most American's? If you are reading my blog...probably not, BUT if you know someone who has high blood pressure, how are they eating?

Most people who are insulin resistant also have high blood pressure, and insulin resistance is directly caused by a high sugar, high grain (even "complex carbs") diet. So high blood pressure and uncontrolled blood sugar go hand in hand.

As your insulin level increases, so does your blood pres­sure. Insulin stores magnesium, but if your insulin receptors are blunted and your cells grow resistant to insulin, you can’t store magnesium so it passes out of your body through urination. Magnesium in your cells relaxes muscles. If your magnesium level is too low, your blood vessels will constrict rather than relax, which will raise your blood pressure and decrease your energy level. Most American's are very deficient in Magnesium. To check for signs check out my book: Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism.

Insulin also affects your blood pressure by causing your body to retain sodium. Sodium retention causes fluid retention. Fluid retention in turn causes high blood pressure, and can lead to congestive heart failure.

To enhance your heart health, the first thing ISN'T to count sodium (WELL, I would get rid of junky table salt and use a quality mineralized salt), it is to remove all grains and sugars, mainly fructose, from your diet until blood pressure and weight is under control. Eating sug­ar and grains (in­cluding ANY type of bread, pasta, corn, potatoes, or ANY type of rice) will cause your insulin levels, and your blood pressure.

Fructose is a sugar that can only be metabolized by the liver, which breaks down into a variety of waste products that are unhealthy for your body, one of which is uric acid. Uric acid drives up your blood pressure by inhibiting the nitric oxide in your blood vessels. Nitric oxide helps your vessels maintain their elasticity, so nitric oxide suppression leads to increases in blood pressure. The average American now consumes 70 grams of fructose EVERY day!

STEPS FOR SUCCESS:
Avoid foods that boost insulin levels. Even whole, organic grains will rapidly break down to sugars, so they too should be avoided. "Complex Carbs" are just glucose molecules hooked together in long chains.

Grain Free Protein Waffles from The Art of Healthy Eating: Sweets

1. Skip the:
Breads, try my "Heathified" BREADS, WAFFLES, BAGELS
Pasta, try my "Healthified" PASTA IDEAS
Rice or Quinoa, try my "Healthified" CAULIFLOWER RICE
Cereal, try my "Healthified" COCOA CRISPIES
Potatoes, try my "Healthified" FAUX-TATOES!
Cookies, try my "Healthified" Oreos or Chocolate Chip Cookies

Greek "Quinoa" Salad from The Art of Healthy Eating: Savory (no quinoa! lol)

2. INCREASE VITAMIN C: While vitamin C may be helpful, you'll also want to avoid eating too many fruits; the types and amounts being adjusted based on your nutritional type.

3. ADD GARLIC: One food that can be helpful for reducing your blood pressure is crushed, raw garlic.

4. Optimize vitamin D levels – Healthy vitamin D levels can have a powerful effect on normalizing your blood pressure. Low Vitamin D levels is associated with an increased risk for heart disease. Vitamin D has a positive impact on diabetes...it’s all linked together.

5. Balance your omega-6 to omega-3 fat ratio – Most Americans eating a standard American diet have a ratio of 25:1, which is super unbalanced. The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats is 1:1. To achieve this, lower the amount of vegetable oils in your diet, and consume high quality, animal-based source of omega-3s.

6. Take a Magnesium Supplement: Taking 400mg of Magnesium Glycinate right away in AM (blood pressure is highest in the morning) AND 400mg just before bed will help your blood vessels relax. Our food supply doesn't have the magnesium that it once did so a supplement is necessary.

Click HERE to find proper vitamins and minerals to help control blood pressure naturally!