Salt is a very valuable part of our diet and has been used for thousands of years to add taste to our food and as a preservative. Further, despite the fact that a lot of people in the West simply take it for granted, in many countries it is a vital economic commodity and many older readers will no doubt remember the part played by salt in bringing British rule in India to and end in the middle of the last century.

Regrettably salt is also a key contributory factor to the problem of high blood pressure, or hypertension.

Salt is in fact a compound of chloride and sodium and when it comes to high blood pressure it is the quantity of sodium that we consume that needs to be watched.

It might seem that controlling your salt intake is simply a question of restricting the amount of salt which you put into food while you are cooking or at the table. However, the true problem is the fact that the majority of the salt which we eat is found in the processed foods which nearly all of us buy and consume every day.

To make sure that you minimize the risk of hypertension you have to keep your intake of salt below the recommended daily sodium intake figure of 2,400 milligrams and so here are a few tips to help you do just that:

Take the salt off the dining table. If you diet is correctly balanced your food will already contain sufficient salt without any need to add more while eating, so simply remove the salt from your table.

Learn to read food labeling. Food labeling laws are much improved these days and the majority of foods carry nutritional information that includes the amount of sodium that the food in question contains. You must read the labels with care though as often the sodium figure given will apply to the entire pack or tin and sometimes it will apply to an individual serving.

Buy low sodium or sodium free foods. Many foods nowadays come in sodium free or low sodium options and, whenever you can, you should pick these rather than the regular product.

Eat low salt snacks. The majority of us like to snack but try to choose such things as fruit and vegetables and, if you cannot live without those crisps then buy varieties which are salt free or low in sodium.

Of course watching your salt intake is only one part of creating a diet which is good for your blood pressure and you should also look at selecting items from the wide range of blood pressure lowering foods.

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High blood pressure has reached epidemic proportions in the United States today with over 65 million people having high blood pressure and another 45 million suffering from a condition referred to as pre-hypertension. A symptomless condition, high blood pressure heightens your risk of heart attack and stroke and you could quite easily be suffering from it without even knowing it until it is too late.

Of course there are medicines available which can help to lower blood pressure, but some of these have side effects and, although some people might need to take medication in the short term to control high blood pressure, a better answer is to seek out some natural remedies for high blood pressure if you are able to.

For most of us high blood pressure is linked to diet and weight and this is a big problem today when two out of every three Americans are either overweight or obese. Additionally, the majority of Americans get far too much salt in their diet and not enough of the large number of other beneficial things that can actually reduce blood pressure. In short, it is possible to eat your way to a lower blood pressure, as long as you know how to do it.

Indeed, it may be possible to reduce your blood pressure quite quickly if you alter your diet and start to take some exercise. Having said this, if you’ve been sedentary for a long time you ought not to suddenly begin a vigorous exercise program and it is always a good idea to check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.

First of all though let us look at some things which you should avoid and top of the list is salt. Salt (or sodium) is one of the chief offenders in today’s high blood pressure epidemic. An excess of dietary fat is also a culprit as it promotes weight gain, arteriosclerosis, and other difficulties that lead to high blood pressure. Hence, two things which you ought to avoid (or at least reduce) in your diet are salt and excess fat, principally trans or saturated fats.

So, what types of food should you have in your diet to help reduce your blood pressure? Well, potassium is one of the major substances which is lacking in today’s American diet and which is very beneficial for your blood pressure. It help to reduce blood pressure just as sodium assists in raising your blood pressure and so including sufficient potassium in your diet can help even out blood pressure.

It is easy to get enough potassium in your diet by simply adding plenty of frozen or fresh fruits and vegetables, providing of course that they have no added salt or sugar. Although this may seem tasteless to many people, it is an excellent way to ensure that you regularize your blood pressure. And of course, at the same time you also have to cut down on the salt to the daily sodium intake recommended of about 2400 mg a day. One of the best ways to achieve this is not to add salt to your diet at all because natural unprocessed foods contain sufficient salt and, if you want to add flavor to your food then simply try using herbs and spices.

Calcium and magnesium are two other minerals that can help lower blood pressure. Both magnesium and calcium are considered to be calming minerals and the majority of Americans don’t get enough of them in their diets. Dairy products that are low in fat are a good source of calcium as are legumes, nuts, and dark leafy green vegetables. You need to endeavor to get a balance of roughly two parts of magnesium to three parts of calcium. Foods like soybeans, sesame seeds and white beans not only have a lot of calcium and magnesium but they are also good sources of potassium.

Lastly, make sure that you drink sufficient water and also get enough fiber in your diet. Fiber helps to speed toxins and unhealthy substances from your body and it can help you feel full so that you do not overeat.

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More people in these changing times have higher cholesterol levels than ever before. We are talking about bad cholesterol here. A great many people are being afflicted with the tremendous health situation that this is creating. Why this is is not rocket science. A major part of the cause is that folks today are eating way too much food that is already high in bad cholesterol. Since this is the case there should be very simple natural ways to lower cholesterol. Before taking the drug based options why not give them a try.

 Three Natural Things to Lower Cholesterol

First, change your diet. Wow, that hurts. Even though you’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again remember that it is certainly easier than dealing with heart disease. So here it is again:

a) Beans, vegetables, whole grains and fruits. To help reduce bad (LDL) cholesterol soluble fiber is the key.

b) Because cholesterol is common in animal tissue try to avoid eating foods made from animals. The liver produces cholesterol and animals have livers.

c) At least 3 times a week eat fish high in Omega 3 fatty acids or at least a proportionate supplement.

d) Every day take red rice yeast supplements.

Second, get some exercise and stop trying to avoid it. The odds of benefiting from the natural ways to lower cholesterol aren’t that good without some exercise. Both the way we eat and our metabolism is profoundly affected by both our body weight and lifestyle.

Third, although part of step one, it is easy and worth a second mention. As part of your daily routine there are some dietary supplements that are excellent for lowering cholesterol naurally that should be taken. Understanding it may require several months to see the results patience is usually well worth it. As mentioned above, two excellent supplements are fish oil and red rice yeast.

It’s just that simple. Really it’s up to you. Bad cholesterol can be controlled without medication but don’t look for any magic formulas. Some time, a little effort and determination should do the trick though.

Precautions

If you are taking other medications make sure that you consult with your doctor before changing what you are doing. A different plan of action may be suggested by he or she than what is proposed here. Again these are three natural ways to lower cholesterol when done together and they have the additional benefits of improving your general health and happiness.

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