Dr. Sinatra

Yesterday I kicked off my four-week challenge to begin lowering your blood pressure, and today I’m going to give you your marching orders for the first week. In short, I want you to make a firm commitment to good cardiovascular nutrition.

Now, I know that a lot of you may have struggled with diets in the past and not realized the results you hoped for. You’re certainly not alone. But I can assure you that making better food choices is one of the most effective ways to control high blood pressure without medication. And I promise you it will work—as long as you’re willing to stick with the plan.

As you review the following recommendations, keep in mind that you don’t have eat all of the foods every day. It’s okay to concentrate on the ones that suit your taste (though I do encourage you to branch out a bit). What’s more important is that you eat these foods consistently, and that they become progressively more prominent in your meal planning. As you get started, try adding one new item each day until you’ve incorporated them all. (Note: Followers of my Pan-Asian Modified Mediterranean eating plan will find that they’re already consuming a lot of these foods as part of their daily meals.)

Fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods. These foods are rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium, all minerals crucial for healthy blood pressure.
Wild Alaska salmon, organic nuts and seeds, free-range meats, sardines, DHA-fortified eggs, and fermented soy. There is a consistent connection between a high intake of healthy protein, particularly non-animal protein, and lower blood pressure.
Oatmeal and whole grains rich in soluble fiber. After eight weeks of eating these foods for breakfast every morning, one study of hypertensive patients found that 70 percent of them were able to reduce their medication dosage by at least half, and 30 percent were able to quit their meds entirely.
Omega-3s and other healthy fats (monounsaturated), such as those in avocados, olive oil, cold-water fish, and organic nuts and seeds. Omega-3s, especially, stimulate the production of nitric oxide, which is produced by the endothelium to keep arteries dilated.
Garlic. Four cloves of garlic every day (about four grams) can lower blood pressure as much as some drugs.
Seaweed. Eating just three grams of dried wakame daily for four weeks can reduce systolic pressure by up to 14 points and diastolic pressure by up to 5 points.
Celery, celery extract, and celery oil. These contain apigenin, which relaxes blood vessels and helps control high blood pressure. Eat four stalks of celery per day, 1,000 mg of celery extract per day, or one-half to one teaspoon of celery oil three times per day.
Lentils, chickpeas, broccoli, natto (the fermented Japanese soy dish), and other low-glycemic carbohydrates. Eat these foods in place of high-glycemic choices—such as soda, candy, and sweets—that stoke inflammation (one of the most dangerous heart risk factors) and damage arteries and cells.