Five Easy Ways to Reduce Hypertension Through Your Diet Alone!

High blood pressure increases the risk of future heart and circulatory problems and may even result in an eventual heart attack. While your physician may prescribe medications as one of the ways to reduce blood pressure, there are a number of dietary changes you can make which can help reduce your blood pressure to normal.

Here are five foods that, eaten regularly, are time-tested ways to reduce hypertension. Most have several other components that provide additional benefits to your general health, as well as other health conditions that may be associated with high blood pressure. Be sure to consult with your physician and discuss the appropriateness of each of these foods to your specific health picture. Augmenting your medication with these dietary ways to reduce high blood pressure may require more frequent testing of your blood pressure. Your doctor may want to adjust your prescription dosage accordingly.

Garlic is perhaps your most valuable in reducing high pressure. Garlic contains allium, the active property in effecting a reduction in HBP. Onions also contain allium, although not in as high a concentration. Both garlic and onions reduce high blood pressure, 'bad' cholesterol and can prevent blood clots. Garlic is also a natural antibiotic, effective against an array of pathogens. There are so many ways to incorporate garlic and onions into your diet, so load up! Many clinical studies have found that just a couple of large cloves each day can cut your risk of heart attack in half!

Cucumbers - good in a salad seasoned with those garlic and onions - help lower your blood pressure, are good for your digestive tract and can also relieve the symptoms of rheumatism. Cucumbers also have a mild diuretic effect, so mention this to your doctor.

Artichokes are yet another of the effective ways to reduce hypertension naturally. If you're overweight, this is a good addition to that salad plate as well. If you are diabetic, artichokes can help regulate blood sugar levels and provide plenty of that fiber you need.

Celery is an old-time remedy for hypertension, so let's add a few stalks to our growing salad dish. Like cucumbers, celery is mildly diuretic, reducing water retention. Celery is good for diabetics in regulating blood sugar, as well as reducing water retention.

Certain mushrooms have long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine as one of the ways to reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In particular, shiitake and maitake mushrooms are found to be especially effective in this regard. Shiitake mushrooms are usually available fresh in larger supermarkets. Both are also available in dried form and are easily reconstituted in water. A mix of these mushrooms makes a delicious soup, or salad accent. Other notable benefits of eating these mushrooms include boosting the immune system function, fighting off viral conditions and as a preventative and treatment for cancer.

Check with your doctor about the above food choices. Eat salad daily. You will be amazes how a bowl of salad might be one of the best ways to reduce high blood pressure.