Diet For Hypertension

Have you checked your blood pressure recently? Has any one in your family  or friends have elevated blood pressure?  If a hyper tension person follows dietary and lifestyle changes are recommended in Ayurveda, high blood pressure can be managed effectively.

High blood pressure has no symptoms which is why it is often left undiagnosed or diagnosed in later stages when it is difficult to reverse the condition. However it can be managed and kept under control by following a strict diet (eating healthy and less salty or spicy food), exercising regularly and taking medication. A couple of Ayurvedic home remedies can also prove to be very effective in bringing down high blood pressure.

Garlic

Introduction

Hypertension or high blood pressure is one of the most common health conditions in which the force of blood against your artery wall is high enough to cause heart disease. Your blood pressure is determined both by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries. The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher will be yours blood pressure.

Water Melon

While blood pressure may not have particular symptoms, but a few of them may include headaches, shortness of breath, nosebleeds. In some cases, hypertension may not have signs and symptoms, even if blood pressure is reached life threatening levels. Ayurveda, the ancient science, has provided us some natural remedies that may help stabilize blood pressure and keep your heart healthy.  While medications prescribed by the doctor may help, some simple Ayurvedic remedies can be brought to use.

onion

Modern versus Ayurvedic diet for Hypertension

As per modern medicine Salt restriction (no more than 5 grams of sodium chloride or common salt per day) and taking adequate amount of potassium , calcium,  and magnesium are important dietary measures in the case of high blood pressure. Weight reduction is advised to those who are obese. Smoking cessation and alcohol moderation are additional potentially beneficial measures.

Methi

As per Ayurvedic science, each person has unique constitution (prakruti) which can be analysed by his / her governing doshas (vata, pitta and kapha) Bodily characteristic and mental attitude. Health is characterized by a balance between the three doshas and an illness is caused by a  lack of balance among them. When a balance among them is restored, the person regains the lost health.

Mausmi

Hence it is essential to know the constitution of a person, before suggesting diet as per Ayurveda.. However in general imbalance of vata dosha is considered most important for increasing blood pressure.

Regularity in diet is very important. Patient should maintain regular schedule of taking meals and snacks. Both overeating and fasting should be avoided. While eating, food should be chewed slowly and adequately. Worries and anger should be avoided at the time of eating. In general , warm and well cooked food is better to balance vata dosha then cold and raw foods. In addition to diet changes, lifestyle changes such as regularity in work schedule and sleep, regular meditation and relaxation activities etc. are also important to pacify vata dosha.

Certain foods such as garlic, coriander, ginger, cardamom, spinach,celery, watermelon, tomato etc. are believed to be helpful in controlling blood pressure. Legumes (e.g.lentils and beans) nuts and whole grains (e.g. unprocessed maize, millet, oats, wheat and brown rice.) can be used. More use of barley (yava), sorghum (jowar),wheat, green gram (mudga/moong dal), horse gram, moringa (shingru or drumsticks), bitter gourd (karela), bottle gourd (ghia/ lauki), turnip (shalgam, carrot (gajar), raddish (muli), Indian goose berry (amla), cucumber (Kheera), black grapes (draksha), pomegranate (anar), apple pineapple, buttermilk etc. also recommend their exact qualities (like dose of medicine). Moderation and one's own insight should be followed.

Excessive intake of salt (sprinkling over salad, curd etc, excessive use of butter, ghee chilies (red-green), pickles, fried food, sour fruits, tea, coffee and alcohol consumption should be avoided. Avoid excessively spicy, sour and salty foods like chilies and papad, garam masala as it elevates body temperature, food with preservatives, like ready-to eat preparations and pickles, bread and flour (maida) products, untimely food habits, excess eating after sunset and refrigerated food items.

Certain Ayurvedic herbs are useful to control blood pressure such as Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna), Sarpagandha (Rauwolfia serpentina), Punarnava (Boerhaavia diffusa), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), saffron (Crocus sativus), crysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium), amlaki (Emblica officinalis), basil (Ocimum basilicam)etc. Triphala (harad, amla and beheda) and trikatu made with three pungent spices, black pepper, long pepper and ginger can also prove very effective. However they should be ideally consumed only if  suggested by an Ayurvedic expert.

Diet For Healthy Blood Pressure

Special Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension 

Special diet encourages one to reduce the sodium in the diet and eat a variety of foods rich in nutrients that help lower blood pressure, such as potassium,calcium and magnesium. Because the special diet is healthy way of eating, it offers health benefits besides just lowering blood pressure. The special diet is also in line with dietary recommendations to prevent osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. 

The special diet emphasizes vegetables, fruits and low fat dairy foods and moderate amount of whole grains, fish poultry and nuts. Here is a look at the recommended servings from each food group for the 2,000 calorie-a-day special diet.

• Grains : 6-8 servings a day.
• Vegetables : 4-5 servings a day.
• Fruits : 4-5 servings a day.
• Dairy 2-3 servings a day.
• Lean meat, poultry and fish : 6 servings or fewer a day.
• Nuts, seeds  and legumes : 4-5 servings a week.
• Fats & Oil : 2-3 servings a day.
• Sweets : 5 servings or fewer a week.

Remember, healthy eating is not an all or nothing proposition. What is most important is that , on average, you eat healthier foods with plenty of variety , both to keep your diet  nutritious and to avoid boredom or extremes.

Simple Diet chart for High BP Patients

Sunday

Breakfast : (8 - 8.30 AM) 2 Parathas (aloo /mooli/ onion) with 2 tsf groundnut chutney.

Mid-Meal : (11.00-11.30 AM) 1 banana.

Lunch : (2.00-2.30 PM) 1 cup rice + 2 chapati + dal + cabbage and green peas or mixed vegetables.

Evening : (4.00-4.30 PM) 1 cup boiled green gram sprouts with lemon  + 1 cup green tea.

Dinner : (8.00-8.30 PM) 3 chapati + 1/2 cup bitter guard (karela sabji)  + 1/2 cup vegetable salad.

Karela Sabji

Monday 

Breakfast : (8 - 8.30 AM) 1/2 cup wheat porridge.

Mid-Meal : (11.00 - 11.30 AM) 3 wedge (100 gm) watermelon.

Lunch : (2.00-2.30 PM) 4 chapati + 1/2 cup cluster beans curry + 1/2 cup capcicum  paneer sabji + 1 glass buttermilk.

Evening : (4.00-4.30 PM) Cucumber/ carrots +1 cup green tea.

Dinner : (8.00-8.30 PM) 1 chapati + 1/2 cup snake guard sabji + 1/2 cup vegetable salad.

Snake Guard

Snake Guard Sabji with 
Chana dal

Tuesday

Breakfast : (8-8.30 AM) 3 rice dosa + 1/2 cup sambhar + 1 tsp pudina chutney.

Mid-Meal : (11.00-11.30 AM) 100 gm pomegranate.

Lunch : (2.00-2.30 PM) 1 cup rice + 2 chapati + 1/2 cup yam(Jimikand) curry + 1/2 cup ivy guard (parval) sabji + 1 glass buttermilk.

Evening : (4.00-4.30 PM) Puffed rice Bhel + with boiled potatoes.

Dinner : (8.00-8.30 PM) 3 Chapatis (multigrain -wheat, jowar. bajra) + Lauki sabji  + 1/2 cup vegetable salad.

Lauki

Jimikanda

Wednesday

Breakfast : (8-8.30 AM) Vegetable sandwich with 4 whole wheat bread slices + cucumber, tomato, onion, lettuce..

Mid-Meal : (11.00-11.30 AM) 1 medium size apple.

Lunch : (2.00-2.30 PM) 1 cup rice + 2 chapatis + 1 cup mix vegetables (spinach + methi + peas) + 1/2 cup rajma curry.

Evening : (4.00-4.30 PM) Boiled chana 1 cup.

Dinner : (8.00-8.30 PM) 3 chapatis + 1/2 cup raw banana sabji + 1/2 cup vegetable salad.

Raw Banana Sabji

Thursday

Breakfast : (8-8.30 AM) 1 cup broken wheat upma with vegetables, 1 glass tonned milk+ 1 cup tea.

Mid-Meal : (11.00-11.30 AM) 100 grams musk melon.

Lunch : (2.00-2.30 PM) 4 chapatis + 1/2 cup french bean curry + 1/2 cup calocasia (arbi) sabji + 1 glass buttermilk.

Evening : (4.00-4.30 PM) 1/2 cup sweet potato salad + 1 cup green tea.

Dinner : (8.00-8.30 PM)  3 Chapati + 1/2 cup ridge guard (thor) sabji + 1/2 cup vegetable salad.

Ridge Guard/ तोरई

French Beans Sabji

Friday

Breakfast : (8-8.30 AM) 4 rice Idli + 1/2 cup Sambhar + 1 tsf coconut chutney + 1 glass milk / 1 cup tea.

Mid-Meal : (11.00-11.30 AM) 1 medium size pear

Lunch : (2.00-2.30 PM) 4 chapatis + 1/2 cup lauki dal + 1/2 cup green peas and paneer sabji + 1 glass buttermilk.

Evening : (4.00-4.30 PM)  1 small fistful(40 gm) of peanuts, almonds, walnuts+ 1 cup green tea.

Dinner : (8.00-8.30 PM) 3 chapatis + 1/2 cup Bhindi sabji + 1 cup vegetable salad.

Bhindi Sabji

Green Peas and Paneer Sabji

Saturday

Breakfast : (8-8.30 AM) 1 cup roasted oat Upma with vegetables + 1 glass toned milk +1 cup tea.

Mid-Meal : (11.00-11.30 AM) 1 medium size Guava.

Lunch : (2.00-2.30 PM) 1 cup rice + 2 chapati + aloo brinjal sabji +1/2 cup tomato dal + 1 glass buttermilk.

Evening : (4.00-4.30 PM) 1 cup boiled bengal gram with lemon + 1 cup green tea.

Dinner : (8.00-8.30 PM) 1 chapat (multi grain wheat, jowar, bajra) + 1/2 cup tinda sabji + 1/2 cup vegetable salad.

Tinda Sa
bji

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