Healthy Eating Guidelines for Lower Sodium Eating: are 20 foods to consider adding to your diet if you’re trying to reduce blood pressure: Pomegranate.They can discuss treatment options and together you can decide the best approach to improve your overall health. Visit your health care provider to learn more. Many factors including genetics, medications, stress and sleep quality also influence your weight. Your weight is not just a result of what you eat or how active you are. Call 8-1-1 to speak with a registered dietitian about your healthy eating goals. For some people, changing the way they eat can result in small amounts of weight loss, or help to prevent or slow weight gain. If you have extra weight, losing even small amounts may help to lower your blood pressure. What else can I do to lower my blood pressure? Speak with your health care provider to learn more. If you drink alcohol, consider limiting to 1 to 2 drinks per week as a lower risk option. According to Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health, no amount or kind of alcohol is good for your health.Alcohol increases the risk of many chronic diseases including heart disease, stroke and several cancers. It is high in potassium, calcium, magnesium and fibre.įor more information, including detailed eating plans, see Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH Limit or avoid alcoholĭrinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. The DASH diet is low in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Includes lower fat dairy products, fish, poultry, nuts, seeds, beans, peas and lentils.Is rich in vegetables, fruits and whole grains.Speak to your health care provider before you make changes to the way you eat.ĭASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. If you have kidney disease, or take medication to lower blood pressure, you may need to limit the amount of potassium you eat.

Sprinkle pumpkin seeds or hemp hearts on yogurt or oatmeal.

Add beans, peas or lentils to soups, salads, stews and casseroles.

Higher potassium choices include sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, spinach, avocados, bananas, peaches, oranges and kiwi

Fill half your plate with a variety vegetables and fruits.

To increase the amount of potassium you eat: Foods rich in potassium include vegetables and fruits, milk, yogurt, beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds. While most Canadians eat too much sodium, many do not eat enough potassium. All types of salt including kosher salt, sea salt, fleur de sel, smoked salt, and Himalayan salt are high in sodium If available, check the nutrition information and choose foods with less sodium

Make healthier choices when eating out.

Flavour your food with fresh or dried herbs and spices, vinegar, lemon, lime, ginger, garlic and onion.

5% DV or less is a little and 15% DV or more is a lot The percent daily value (%DV) shows you if the food has a little or a lot of sodium.

Use the Nutrition Facts table to help you choose foods lower in sodium.

Prepare your own meals often, using ingredients that have little to no added sodium.Deli meats, sausages, canned meats, chicken wings, burgers, meatballs.Pizza, lasagna, prepared salads, frozen appetizers and entrees.Breads, crackers, muffins, cookies, desserts, granola bars.The main sources of sodium in the average Canadian diet include: Aim to reduce your sodium intake to 2000 mg or less per day.Īlthough many foods contain sodium, most of the sodium we eat comes from processed foods. Most adults only need 1500 mg of sodium each day, but many eat much more than this. Here are the most important dietary changes you can make. Healthy eating can help lower your blood pressure and improve your overall health. What dietary changes can help lower blood pressure? Another term for high blood pressure is hypertension. This can damage your arteries over time and increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Having high blood pressure means that blood is pushing too hard against artery walls.

Diet to lower blood pressure quickly