High blood pressure is a common condition among older adults that can develop as a side effect of a medication, an illness, or with age. A person dealing with this should be constantly monitoring their pressure levels and trying to bring them down to a normal level. Luckily, there are a few superfoods that can do just that.
- Leaf Vegetables – Consuming greens such as lettuce, kale, spinach, and arugula can help combat high blood pressure. They are high in potassium, which can help your kidneys remove sodium from your body. Try to stay away from canned greens because sodium is used as a preservative.
- Potatoes – Just like leafy greens, potatoes are high in potassium. They’re also high in magnesium and fiber which both play a role in lowering blood pressure and making your diet healthier. The next time you make dinner, throw in a baked potato with some low-fat greek yogurt as a topping.
- Beets – Break out the beets and make yourself a nice beetroot smoothie! Beets are filled with nitrates that can help combat high blood pressure in a mere 24 hours. If your blood pressure is abnormally high, throw these into your next meal to bring your pressure levels down.
- Skim Milk – The reason skim milk is the best milk to drink is because while it is high in calcium, it is also low in fat. Drinking low-fat milk and eating low-fat yogurts can both be great ways to help lower your blood pressure and improve your diet. Just remember to stay away from yogurts that are high in sugar!
- Bananas – Again, potassium is key in trying to lower blood pressure. Luckily, bananas are filled with this mineral and are the best alternatives to taking a supplement. Make one banana a part of your balanced breakfast and you’ll be one happy camper!
Living with high blood pressure is not easy, but there are some simple foods that can help make your condition more manageable. Having a nutritious diet is important which is why we have our chefs at The Arbors communities keep this in mind with each meal they prepare. If you’re interested in learning more, or visiting The Arbors Assisted Living community, schedule a tour by contacting one of our five convenient locations:
Bohemia
Hauppauge
Islandia East
Islandia West
Westbury