Fluctuating Weight May Affect Your Blood Pressure; Try These Foods to Keep Healthy

Obesity is a cause of quite some health problems that you shouldn't ignore; one of them being blood pressure. According to the research presented at the American Heart Association (AHA) Council on Hypertension, AHA Council on Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease, American Society of Hypertension Joint Scientific Sessions 2017 in San Francisco, your fluctuating weight can influence blood pressure. The study looked at the impact of five health behaviours on blood pressure levels over a 25 year period.

The five behaviours included a healthy body weight, never smoking, zero to seven alcoholic drinks weekly for women and 14 for men, 150 minutes of more moderate to rigorous physical activity per week, and eating a healthy diet based on adhering to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension eating plan.

Approximately 4,630 participants from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study were recruited for the research, with all of them between 18 to 30 years old in the year 1985 and 1986 when the study started. During these years, the researchers measured blood pressure and health behaviours about eight times.

The analysis revealed that maintaining a healthy body weight appeared to be more important for maintaining a normal blood pressure than the other four behaviours. Participants who kept their weight in check were 41 percent less likely to have increasing blood pressure as they grew older. Never smoking and no or moderate alcohol consumption were also associated with a lower increase in blood pressure by middle age, but the team requires to do a larger study to confirm these results.
Here are some foods that promote health-

1. Banana

These easy peel fruits are rich in potassium that helps to keep the blood pressure in check. To incorporate them in your daily diet, add them in cereals, bread, smoothies, cakes and milkshakes.

2. Spinach

The green leafy delight is low in calories, which means it will keep your weight in check and is high in potassium and iron along with magnesium, folate and fiber that help regulate the blood pressure levels.

3. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is high on fiber; hence keeping you full for a longer period. It also helps boost your metabolism, further helping you to lose weight. Not just this, it also helps reduce both systolic and diastolic pressure.

4. Beetroot

Beetroot not only helps in losing weight but also helps to relax blood vessels and improve blood flow.  Drinking a glass of beet juice can yield a five-point drop in blood pressure, according to a 2012 Australian study.