Lower Blood Pressure In Two Weeks
Specific changes in diet and exercise can help reduce blood pressure by an average of 19 points in only 14 days without medication, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition in June 2018. That kind of a positive change has been shown to halve the risk of heart disease or stroke, noted M. Alfredo Mejia, an associate professor at Michigan’s Andrews University who presented the study results. The new findings came from data on 117 people with high blood pressure who followed a vegan diet consisting of legumes, vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds, olives, avocados, soymilk, almond milk and whole grain breads. Half the participants lowered their systolic (the top number) blood pressure below the recommended 120. Some of the participants were otherwise healthy while others had diabetes, were obese or had high cholesterol. In addition to the dietary changes, the participants took daily walks, drank “substantial” amounts of water and obtained adequate sleep. Some took part in optional spiritual activities, Dr. Mejia reported. All told, 69 percent of the participants were able to eliminate their blood pressure medications and 24 percent lowered their blood pressure enough to reduce the dosage of drugs they were taking. Be aware that findings presented at professional meetings are considered preliminary until peer-reviewed and accepted for publication in an established journal.
Source:
Alfredo Mejia, “Adapting Lifestyle Habits Can Quickly Lower Blood Pressure.” Presentation at the American Society for Nutrition annual meeting June 11, 2018, Boston, MA
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