The health of a person depends a lot on his life style. The more stressful a lifestyle a person has, the more pressure is exerted on his body. This makes the human body vulnerable to various health problems. One condition caused chiefly by stress is hypertension, or what is called in layman’s term, high blood pressure. It is now believed that one in every four adults is hypertensive. Immediate steps should be taken world wide to counter act this spreading disease. Spreading awareness among people about its prevention is of vital importance. People need to make changes in their living styles to control their blood pressure effectively.

Some of the foods that can be beneficial are:

1.    Chilli: This is an important part of the South Asian diet. However, people are not aware of its therapeutic qualities which include lowering blood pressure. The Chinese Third Military Medical University has studied the effects of capsaicin, which is the substance that makes chilli burn. The study, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, shows that capsaicin activates a channel in the lining of the blood vessels, leading to an increased production of nitric oxide. This protects the vessels from inflammation and dysfunction, thus relaxing them. However, how many peppers a day a person should consume is still a standing question and requires further studies.

2.    Cocoa: Cocoa is a household ingredient. People love to eat chocolates and drink coffee. Now they can also lower their blood pressure. A study conducted by the University of Cologne, Germany and published in the Journal of American Medical Association, found that consuming six grams of dark chocolate every day (equal to 30 calories) not only lowers blood pressure but also gives a boost to cardiovascular system. The study was conducted on a group of 44 people between the ages of 56 and 73 over a period of 18 months. Half the volunteers were asked to eat a small amount of dark chocolate and the other half was given the same amount of white chocolate. It was observed that dark chocolate was more beneficial. Blood pressure is reduced by the antioxidants, known as polyphenols, found in dark chocolate. Polyphenols also keep sugar level unchanged. It was further noticed that the first group’s systolic pressure dropped by 2.9 mm Hg and diastolic by 1.9 mm. this means that a pressure drop of 3 mm Hg subsequently lowers the risk of stroke by 8%; the risk of coronary heart disease by 5 % and  the overall risk of mortality by 4%, which is a significant number. Another good thing is that all this can be achieved by eating only 30 grams of dark chocolate everyday.

3.    Beetroot juice: It has been observed that drinking 250 ml of beetroot juice everyday can reduce hypertension. The research was conducted by Queen Mary University (London, UK) on some volunteers who were divided into two groups. One group was given beetroot juice and the other was given nitrate capsules which are anti-hypertension drugs. Examining the subjects medically after 24 hours showed that the effect of beetroot and the drugs on reducing blood pressure was equal. However, this does not mean that hypertensive patients should discard their medication. Consulting a doctor is very important before taking any step.

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