High blood pressure: Lifestyle changes to reduce reading

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects around a third of adults in the UK, while heart disease, which may be caused by this condition, claims more than 160,000 lives each year, according to the British Heart Foundation. Here’s one breakfast food that may help lower your high blood pressure and the consequent risk of heart diseases, according to new research.

The new study from the University of South Australia has identified yoghurt as the new “go-to” for people who have high blood pressure.

The Australian university has partnered up with the University of Maine to look at the link between eating yoghurt and blood pressure.

Their findings suggest that those with hypertension can benefit from the breakfast food as it can lower high levels.

Science Daily reports that as little as “dollop” may help.

The study notes that hypertension is a common condition, with more than a billion people living with high levels of blood pressure globally.

The tricky thing about this condition is that it rarely shows symptoms, so the only way to know your levels for sure is to have it checked.

Blood pressure is measured with two numbers, the systolic pressure and the diastolic pressure.

According to the NHS, “ideal” blood pressure is somewhere between 90/60 millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and 120/80mmHg.

Anything above 140/90mmHg is considered to be high blood pressure, the health service notes.

The study researcher Dr Alexandra Wade shares that dairy may help tackle this. The doctor said: “Dairy foods, especially yoghurt, may be capable of reducing blood pressure.

“This is because dairy foods contain a range of micronutrients, including calcium, magnesium and potassium, all of which are involved in the regulation of blood pressure.

“Yoghurt is especially interesting because it also contains bacteria that promote the release of proteins which lowers blood pressure.”

 

The new study discovered that even a small amount of this breakfast food is linked to lower levels.

Dr Wade added: “And for those who consumed yoghurt regularly, the results were even stronger, with blood pressure readings nearly seven points lower than those who did not consume yoghurt.”

This research looked at 915 adults from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study.

The participants had to fill out a food frequency questionnaire.

The study, similarly to the NHS, defined high blood pressure as 140/90 mmHg or anything above.

The research team says these findings should inform other studies to investigate the health benefits of yoghurt further.

If you’re not sure what your blood pressure levels are, you can get your reading at your GP, some pharmacies and even workplaces.

There are also blood pressure monitors available for at-home use.

Source: Read Full Article