Dr Chris Steele shares diet tips on reducing blood pressure
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A study published in the National Library of Medicine found that unsalted tomato juice intake improves blood pressure and serum low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol level in local Japanese residents at risk of cardiovascular disease. A total of 481 local residents in Kuriyama, Japan, were enrolled in this study. Throughout the year of the study, they were provided with as much unsalted tomato juice as they wanted.
Participants were screened for cardiovascular risk markers, such as blood pressure, serum lipid profile, and glucose tolerance, before and after the study period.
Of the study participants, 260 participated in a detailed study of their lifestyle factors.
It says: “These beneficial effects were not different between sexes and among the different age groups.
“No significant difference in lifestyle was found before and after the study.”
It states: “As tomato juice is an affordable and readily available product, it could be practical as a nutritional intervention to prevent CVDs in people at risk.”
The NHS says: “Making healthy lifestyle changes can sometimes help reduce your chances of getting high blood pressure and help lower your blood pressure if it’s already high.”
Diet is one of the most effective treatments for high blood pressure.
The NHS has outlined some other lifestyle changes which can help prevent and lower high blood pressure.
It says you should reduce the amount of salt you eat and have a generally healthy diet, cut back on alcohol, lose weight if you’re overweight, cut down on caffeine, and if you are a smoker you should stop smoking.
If you are over the age of 40, the health body says you should be getting it checked every five years.
As many as five million adults in the UK have undiagnosed high blood pressure, so will not know that they are at risk, according to the British Heart Foundation.
Blood pressure is defined as the force put on your blood vessels and organs as blood is pumped around your body by your heart.
Blood pressure is recorded with two numbers. The systolic pressure, higher number, is the force at which your heart pumps blood around your body.
The diastolic pressure, lower number, is the resistance to the blood flow in the blood vessels.
The health body says: “Blood pressure readings between 120/80mmHg and 140/90mmHg could mean you’re at risk of developing high blood pressure if you do not take steps to keep your blood pressure under control.”
Nonetheless, having a raised blood pressure reading in one test does not necessarily mean you have high blood pressure, as blood pressure can fluctuate throughout the day.
Some people with high blood pressure may also need to take one or more medicines to stop their blood pressure getting too high.
The NHS says: “Several types of medicine can be used to help control high blood pressure. Many people need to take a combination of different medicines.”
The health body continues: “The medicine will not necessarily make you feel any different, but this does not mean it’s not working.
“Medicines used to treat high blood pressure can have side effects, but most people do not get any.”
The NHS says: “Blood pressure readings between 120/80mmHg and 140/90mmHg could mean you’re at risk of developing high blood pressure if you do not take steps to keep your blood pressure under control.”
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