How to Lower High Blood Pressure Naturally with Vegetables

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a medical condition in which the pressure caused by the force of blood inside your arteries is elevated. Blood pressure rises and falls during the course of your daily activities. When blood pressure remains elevated over time, however, it is called high blood pressure. Many prescription drugs treat this condition. Along with medication, a healthy lifestyle and good eating habits can help to lower blood pressure. Eating foods low in sodium and saturated fat can reduce blood pressure. Changing your diet to include plenty of vegetables may lower high blood pressure naturally.

Instructions

• 1

  Change your diet gradually with small steps. If you're a heavy meat eater, you probably won't become a vegetarian overnight. Add steamed vegetables or a fresh green salad with your lunch or dinner. Try incorporating a vegetable with dishes that typically wouldn't include one -- for example, add chopped spinach to pasta sauce or shredded carrots to tuna salad.

• 2

  Choose only vegetables that you like. You don't need to eat all types of produce to be healthy. It is good to experiment and consume a variety of foods, but you'll have better success if you enjoy what you're eating.

• 3

  Select vegetables that are high in potassium. Sweet potatoes, beets, beet greens, zucchini and spinach are good choices. Potassium is an essential mineral for balancing electrolytes and stabilizing blood pressure.

• 4

  Ask for steamed vegetables in place of French fries or other unhealthy side dishes when dining out. If you're ordering a salad, request a salad dressing on the side. Restaurants are becoming more health-conscious. Ask your server about substitutions.

• 5

  Consider a transition to the DASH eating plan. DASH, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is a diet endorsed by a number of federal health agencies and nonprofit organizations, including the American Heart Association. The DASH diet includes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, poultry, fish and nuts. It is also high in vital nutrients such as magnesium and calcium.