Am Fam Physician. 2003;68(5):865-866
You can help lower your blood pressure by eating foods that are part of a healthy diet. If you want to keep your blood pressure normal, the best diet is one that is low in salt, sugar, and fat, and high in calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
You should eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, poultry, and low-fat dairy products. You should limit red meat, sugar, fat, foods high in cholesterol, and alcohol. You also should try to stay at a healthy weight.
Here is a sample diet for you to follow. It has 2,000 calories per day. You may need fewer or more servings per day, depending on your height and weight, and how active you are. Talk to your doctor about the number of servings that is right for you.
| Food group | Daily servings for 2,000 calorie diet | Sample serving sizes |
|---|---|---|
| Whole grains | 7 to 8 | 1 slice whole-grain bread |
| 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal | ||
| 1/2 cup cooked brown rice or whole-wheat pasta | ||
| Non-starchy vegetables | 4 to 5 | 1 cup raw leafy vegetables |
| 1/2 cup cooked or raw vegetables | ||
| 6 ounces low-sodium vegetable juice | ||
| Fruits | 4 to 5 | 1 medium fresh fruit (such as apple, banana, or pear) |
| 1/4 cup dried fruit | ||
| 1/2 cup canned fruit, drained | ||
| Low-fat dairy | 2 to 3 | 8 ounces skim milk |
| 1 cup low-fat yogurt | ||
| 1 1/2 ounces cheese (the size of 1 1/2 dominoes) | ||
| Lean meats | 1 or 2 | 3 ounces (the size of the palm of your hand) cooked lean meat, skinless poultry, or fish |
| Nuts, seeds, dry beans | 4 to 5 per week | 1/3 cup nuts |
| 1 tablespoon seeds | ||
| 1/2 cup cooked beans | ||
| Fats/oils | 2 to 3 | 1 teaspoon margarine |
| 1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise | ||
| 1 teaspoon vegetable oil | ||
| Sweets | 5 per week | 1 tablespoon sugar |
| 1 tablespoon jelly or jam |
How can I get to a healthy weight?
Talk to your doctor about whether you need to lose weight. Your doctor may recommend certain kinds of exercises for you. Start exercising slowly and gradually build up until you are exercising for 30 to 40 minutes on four to six days a week. Most people who lose weight and keep it off are successful because they eat a healthy diet every day and exercise almost every day.
Here are some other things you can do to reach a healthy weight:
Limit alcoholic drinks to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
Limit your salt to 2.4 grams per day. If you have high blood pressure, your doctor may suggest that you eat even less salt. Salt is already in many foods, but processed foods and condiments (such as ketchup, barbecue sauce, and soy sauce) have the most salt. Check food labels to see the salt content.
Where can I get more information?
For more information on lowering your blood pressure through diet and exercise, contact the following organizations:
American Academy of Family Physicians
Web site:www.familydoctor.org
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
P.O. Box 30105
Bethesda, MD 20824-0105
Telephone: 1-301-592-8573
Fax: 1-301-592-8563
Web site: (www.nhlbi.nih.gov).