High blood pressure – also called hypertension – is an increasingly common condition as you get older.
However, there are seven million people in the UK who don’t realise they have it – only having your blood pressure taken can reveal if you do.
It’s defined as having a blood pressure reading of 140/90mmHg or higher.
The first number is the systolic pressure – the force at which your heart pumps blood around your body – and the second figure is the diastolic pressure, or the resistance to the blood flow in the blood vessels.
If you have high blood pressure, it puts an extra strain on your heart and blood vessels.
Over time, this can become dangerous, potentially leading to heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and dementia.
However a study by Florida State University found eating blueberries could lower it.
Consuming a handful a day reduced blood pressure by six per cent, which can bring you back into a healthy range.
The researchers put it down to the fruit’s ability to up nitric oxide levels in the body.
They found the molecule widened and relaxed the blood vessels by improving cell activity, helping to maintain a healthy heart.
In the UK, blueberries are in season from April to September, but tend to be available in supermarkets all year round.
They’re also one of the most naturally low sugar fruits.
Other dietary ways to reduce blood pressure include reducing the amount of salt you eat, cutting down on caffeine and drinking less alcohol.
However, exercising regularly, losing weight if you’re overweight, stopping smoking and getting at least six hours sleep per night have also been found to help.
Sometimes sufferers need the assistance of prescribed medicines to keep it under control and stop levels from getting dangerously high, however a new pill could soon be available.
According to the American Heart Association, it’s a mostly symptom-less condition or a “silent killer”.
However, some related signs include blood spots in the eyes, facial flushing and dizziness.
Daily Express :: Life and Style Feed
