Are you aware that what you eat can affect your blood pressure? Watching your diet can be very beneficial to keeping your blood pressure normal. Even if you have never had a problem with high blood pressure, taking necessary precautions can be beneficial.

You could try a Vegetarian diet. In this diet you will get many of the following: Calcium Magnesium Vitamin A & C Potassium Complex Carbohydrates Polyunsaturated Fat Fiber

All of these can have a great influence on your blood pressure. Sugar can increase your blood pressure, especially the common table sugar sucrose. Try to limit your intake of this. A diet high in fiber has been proven effective in lowering blood pressure. Along with lowering your blood pressure this diet will also help you reduce your cholesterol levels and even promote weight loss.

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is very important as well. Any diet that includes consuming fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy foods and is low in total fat, cholesterol and saturated fat has proven to be effective in lowering blood pressure.

Many people use more salt than they are aware of. Maybe because some of us are just used to automatically salting our food unaware if it was salted when being cooked. (If eating out) Reducing your salt intake will also help lower your blood pressure.

A diet high in potassium and low in sodium reduces your blood pressure rise by reducing the effect of adrenaline. If you reduce your sodium intake you must also increase your potassium intake.

There are some vegetables and spices that help control your blood pressure. Many of these are very common vegetables and spices so you may be helping your blood pressure and not even know it.

Onions’ essential oil is very beneficial. If you have two to three tablespoons of this essential onion oil a day, it could help reduce your systolic levels. Tomatoes are also a beneficiary to controlling blood pressure. They are high in GABA, a compound that helps lower your blood pressure.

Broccoli contains several blood pressure reducing ingredients. Carrots also have many compounds that do the same. Introducing these vegetables to your diet will do wonders for your blood pressure. Even if you don’t suffer from high blood pressure, it’s best to keep it at a safe level and take the extra precautions to get there.

Garlic and celery are also great to add to your diet. Garlic is good for the heart which you’ve probably been told before. Eating just one clove of garlic a day has been proven to be beneficial.

Whatever diet you choose or whatever foods you try to limit, remember you are doing it for your health. Many people learn to enjoy healthier foods as they get older. If you have any questions or concerns about your blood pressure get with your doctor. They will be happy to assist you and answer any questions you might have. Taking care of your health is very important and will make you feel much better.

Jeremiah Slivka
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/why-does-diet-and-food-affect-your-blood-pressures-734325.html

Recent studies show that high blood pressure can be lowered by the DASH Diet plan and by reduced salt intake (sodium). The DASH eating plan also has other benefits, such as lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol, which, along with lowering blood pressure, can reduce your risk for getting heart disease. Each method alone lowers blood pressure, however, the combination of the eating plan and a decreased sodium intake gives the highest benefit and prevents the development of high blood pressure.
The DASH Diet Plan is:
1- Low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and total fat.
2- Rich in fruits, vegetables, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.
3- Includes whole grain products, fish, poultry, and nuts.
4- Low in lean red meat, sweets, added sugars, and sugar-containing beverages compared to the typical American diet.
5- Rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, protein and fiber (nutrients that are expected to lower blood pressure).

Daily Nutrient Goals of the DASH Plan (for a 2,100 Calorie Plan):
- Total fat: 27% of calories
- Saturated fat: 6% of calories
- Protein: 18% of calories
- Carbohydrate: 55% of calories
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
- Sodium: 2,300 mg. the diet offers 2 levels of daily sodium consumption 2,300 and 1,500 milligrams per day. 2,300 milligrams is the highest level acceptable by the National High Blood Pressure Education Program. 1,500 milligram can lower blood pressure further and more recently is more recommended as adequate intake and one that most people should try to achieve. The lower your salt intake is, the lower your blood pressure. Studies have found that the DASH menus containing 2,300 milligrams of sodium can lower blood pressure and that an even lower level of sodium, 1,500 milligrams, can further reduce blood pressure. Current salt consumption in the United States is 4,200 milligrams per day in adult men and 3,300 milligrams per day in adult women.
- Potassium: 4,700 mg
- Calcium: 1,250 mg
- Magnesium: 500 mg
- Fiber: 30 g

DASH Diet and Weight Loss
You can lose weight while following the DASH diet plan at lower calorie levels with increasing your physical activity. The best way to lose weight is by doing so gradually, getting more physical activity, and eating a balanced diet that is lower in calories and fat.
Physical activity can be done at one time for 30 minutes , or at 3 times 10 minutes each for a total of 30 minutes. To avoid weight gain, try to total about 60 minutes per day.
How to Lower Calories on the DASH Eating Plan?
The DASH eating plan can be adopted to promote weight loss. It is rich in lower-calorie foods, such as fruits and vegetables. You can make it lower in calories by replacing higher calorie foods such as sweets with more fruits and vegetables and that also will make it easier for you to reach your DASH goals. Here are some examples:
1- To increase fruits: Eat a medium apple instead of four shortbread cookies. You’ll save 80 calories. Eat 1/4 cup of dried apricots instead of a 2-ounce bag of pork rinds. You’ll save 230 calories.
2- To increase vegetables: Have a hamburger that’s 3 ounces of meat instead of 6 ounces. Add a 1/2-cup serving of carrots and a 1/2-cup serving of spinach. You’ll save more than 200 calories. Instead of 5 ounces of chicken, have a stir fry with 2 ounces of chicken and 11/2 cups of raw vegetables. Use a small amount of vegetable oil. You’ll save 50 calories.
3- To increase fat-free or low-fat milk products: Have a 1/2-cup serving of low-fat frozen yogurt instead of a 1/2-cup serving of full-fat ice cream. You’ll save about 70 calories.
4- Other calorie-saving tips:
- Use fat-free or low-fat condiments. Use half as much vegetable oil, soft or liquid margarine, mayonnaise, or salad dressing, or choose available low-fat or fat-free versions. Eat smaller portions and cut back gradually. Choose fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. Check the food labels to compare fat content in packaged foods and items marked fat-free or low-fat are not always lower in calories than their regular versions. Limit foods with lots of added sugar,such as pies, flavored yogurts, candy bars, ice cream, sherbet, regular soft drinks, and fruit drinks.
- Eat fruits canned in their own juice or in water. Add fruit to plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt. Snack on fruit, vegetable sticks, unbuttered and unsalted popcorn, or rice cakes. Drink water or club soda and zest it up with a wedge of lemon or lime.

Wael Serag
http://www.articlesbase.com/weight-loss-articles/how-to-lower-your-high-blood-pressure-and-lose-your-weight-using-dash-diet-704910.html

My mom, who is also a diabetic, spent thousands of dollars on herbal supplements and special vitamins designed for diabetics over the last few years. Instead of having an improvement in her diabetes, it got worse, and she ended up in the hospital several times with uncontrolled high blood sugar. She now has dementia brought on by her uncontrolled blood sugar and uncontrolled high blood pressure. She ignored her doctors and took herbs and vitamins instead of her prescriptions. She kept taking her insulin, but tried to reduce it, and instead of getting better, she damaged her brain and her body. She wasted her money and ruined her health.

Herbs just don’t work!

Its a waste of time and money.

You are better off eating less carbs, and getting more exercise. If your doctor prescribes metformin or insulin, you are better off taking it.

These things WILL help reduce your blood sugar.

1. Exercise

2. Reducing carb intake

3. Taking metformin (only works for type 2).

4. Taking insulin (works for both type 1 AND type 2).

Good luck!

Kapalbhati -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for 15 to 30 minutes twice a day.(Max 60 min/day)
Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it gently.

Anulom Vilom –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril
then -keeping the left nostril closed deep breath-in through right nostril
then – close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 15 to 30 minutes twice a day(maximum 60 minutes in one day).
Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.

Also everyday, press the centre point of the palm of both your hands 40 times with the thumb and press the tips of all fingers 40 times each.
Also do this: kneel down, breathe out,pull in stomach, keep your both hands on stomach, bend forward and try to touch the floor with your forehead.Do this 3 times to stimulate the kidney and pancreas.
Continue the exercises once a day, after the diabetes is in full control.

Duration : 1 min 3 sec

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The elevated glucose level is caused by the inability of the cells to "take in " the glucose and use it for energy. The glucose continues to circulate in the blood. It is more a problem with the receptivity of the cells that with hormone imbalances.

If you suffer from Diabetes then you know that keeping track of the sugar in foods you consume is critical to your health. It is a daily process of controlling blood sugar levels. There are many processed snacks such as cookies, soda, and chewing gum that you want to eat, but are unable to due to your diabetes. Many food companies have created sugar free foods as a substitute for people with diabetes. If you think that these sugar free foods will have no effect on your blood sugar level then think again!

The alarming news is that sugar free foods may have the same effect as sugar foods. How can this be true? Food manufacturers use sugar alcohol instead of sugar in an attempt to minimize the effect of the food on your blood sugar level. Sugar alcohol is a sugar substitute that has roughly 50% fewer calories than regular sugar. Sugar alcohols are derived from natural foods including fruits.

Sugar alcohols help lower blood sugar levels because they are converted to glucose at a much slower rate. Therefore, they don’t cause a spike in your blood sugar level like sugar. Plus, sugar alcohols can be metabolized with very little insulin, if any at all.

Many people with diabetes are often confused by the sugar free labeling on processed foods. They automatically assume that they can eat this food because it won’t affect their blood sugar level. They do not understand that sugar free means that the product has sugar alcohols and is still a significant source of carbohydrates. Therefore, if they consume this product they will have trouble lowering their blood sugar levels.

Another negative side effect of sugar free foods is that you can experience bloating and diarrhea as sugar alcohols can mimic the effects of laxatives. These negative effects are amplified when you over indulge in these sugar free foods.

The key is to be able to read the food labels on the sugar free food products. The food label contains valuable information that diabetes sufferers need to examine to help control their blood sugar levels. The food label will list Nutrition Facts. First, it is critical to note the serving size. Serving sizes can differ and if you only focus on the calories, fat, etc. you may have a false perception of the food.

The key areas to examine are the Total Carbohydrate and sugar alcohols as these have the most profound effect on your blood sugar levels. Sugar free foods will list the sugar alcohols used. Examples of sugar alcohols include: sorbitol, mannitol, isomalt, xylitol, lactitol, and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates. A free food is one that has fewer than 20 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrate. Check to see if the food fits these guidelines to help you determine how it will affect your blood sugar level and how much you should consume.

Essentially every person with diabetes should realize that sugar free foods may have a similar effect on their blood sugar levels as that of sugar foods. Be informed and read the food labels to ensure that you are controlling your blood sugar levels.

Julia Hanf
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/the-myth-about-sugar-free-foods-120779.html

Is it true that cinnamon can lower blood sugar in people with diabetes?

Mayo Clinic endocrinologist Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.
Answer
This is a topic of debate. While some research suggests that cinnamon enhances the effectiveness of insulin, resulting in lower blood sugar levels, other research contradicts this conclusion.

A 2006 study found that cinnamon extract has a moderate effect in reducing blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. However, another study published in 2006 concluded that cinnamon supplements don’t improve blood sugar control in postmenopausal women.

More research would be needed to determine what role cinnamon may play in the treatment of diabetes.