If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, it is almost a certainty that your doctor has advised you to begin adhering to a high blood pressure diet as a way to control your hypertension. If you are also overweight, your extra pounds could be a factor in increasing your blood pressure; so your high blood pressure diet may be a low-calorie diet as well, at least until you lose the unwanted weight. If weight is not an issue, your high blood pressure diet will not be a calorie-restricted one.

A high blood pressure diet demands that you cut back on or eliminate some foods, while increasing your intake of others. Salt is a prime culprit in creating high blood pressure, so you should be consuming no more than five grams of salt per day. You will have to start paying attention to the sodium in the packaged and canned foods you buy, because many of them are notorious for their high salt content. Go for the low-salt or no-salt versions. You can learn to season your food with herbs and spices; they are the secrets to many a brilliant culinary career.

You doctor is going to tell you that, as a part of your high blood pressure diet, you will have to lower or stop your consumption of alcohol, caffeine, and high fat foods. Fresh fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids--salmon, tuna, mackerel, and sardines--are healthy choices which will give your body the"good fats" it needs. For more info see on High Blood Pressure.

If you absolutely cannot live without meat, choose white meat chicken or turkey, baked or roasted with the skin removed. High fiber whole grain cereals and baked goods; potassium-rich fruits like bananas and prunes; beans; fresh fruits--especially blueberries and citrus fruits; vegetables including spinach, broccoli carrots, avocados, and celery; low-fat dairy products; unsalted nuts and soy products; and flaxseeds are all ingredients n a well-balanced high blood pressure diet.

Your diet, if you want to maximize its hypertension-reducing benefits, should be accompanies by a consistent exercise program. Walking, cycling, swimming, or treadmilling between one-half and three-quarters of an hour every day can cause an additional decrease in blood pressure, but to achieve any results, the exercise must be aerobic, and it must be done regularly. You high blood pressure diet will work on its own, but may need the extra boost provided by regular exercise to get your blood pressure back into normal range.