How to Cook Meals That Lower Blood Pressure

Hypertension--or high blood pressure--is a condition that affects millions of Americans and can lead to life-threatening problems such as congestive heart failure, kidney failure and stroke. If your blood pressure reading is above 120/80, take steps to lower it. Your doctor can advise you on several means of doing this, such as taking medication and getting regular exercise. One other very effective way of treating high blood pressure is through diet modifications. You can cook meals in such a way as to contribute toward lowering your blood pressure and boosting your health in general

Things You'll Need

• Fruits Vegetables Nuts Grains Lean meats Olive oil/ vegetable oil Sodium-free seasonings

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Instructions

• 1

  Reduce saturated fat and cholesterol in the meals you cook. There are quite a few ways to do this. Begin by reading labels on the food you eat to see how much fat and cholesterol are in them. According the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) guidelines, the average adult should consume 60 grams of fat (or less) per day, 20 grams of saturated fat (or less) and 300 milligrams of cholesterol (or less). Also, when you are cooking, use vegetable oil or olive oil instead of shortening,coconut oil, margarine or butter. For milk drinkers, switch to skim milk or 1 percent rather than whole milk. Cook lean meats such as chicken and fish.

• 2

  Reduce sodium. Again, read labels on the foods you purchase. The average person should take in 2400 milligrams of sodium (or less) per day. Don't add extra salt to your food. When you are cooking, try using herbs and salt-free seasoning blends. Garlic, oregano, pepper, basil and thyme are a few common herbs that add a huge boost of flavor without any of the sodium.

• 3

  Increase your intake of fruits, nuts, vegetables and grains. These foods contain valuable vitamins and fiber. When planning your meals, try preparing a couple of vegetarian dinners each week. Snack on fruit or nuts instead of sweets. Eat some type of whole grain cereal or maybe some oatmeal for breakfast. Look for whole grain breads and flour. Switch to long grain rice rather than white rice.

• 4

  Consume a healthy portion once you've prepared a healthy meal. Many dietitians and doctors recommend about five small meals a day rather than three large ones. Eat a small meal, and save the rest in the refrigerator for leftovers the next day. Intersperse nutritious snacks during the day so you won't feel so hungry at meal time.