High Blood Pressure May Impact Brain Health: 5 Foods To Manage Hypertension

High blood pressure is a condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls is too high. If left untreated, high blood pressure or hypertension could even lead to a stroke and a host of other cardiovascular disorders. If the findings of a latest study are to be believed, high blood pressure could even take a toll on your brain power. The study revealed that older people who have higher blood pressure may have more signs of brain disease, specifically brain lesions. Researchers of the study also went on to suggest a link between higher blood pressure and Alzheimer's.

Study author Zoe Arvanitakis said, "Blood pressure changes with aging and disease, so we wanted to see what kind of impact it may have on the brain."

He added, "We researched whether blood pressure in later life was associated with signs of brain aging that include plaques and tangles linked to Alzheimer's disease, and brain lesions called infarcts, areas of dead tissue caused by a blockage of the blood supply, which can increase with age, often go undetected and can lead to stroke."

Healthy blood pressure is less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg). High blood pressure is above 140/90 mmHg. 
The study published in the journal Neurology, said that the risk of brain lesions was higher in people with higher average systolic blood pressure across the years.

The results remained the same even when the team tried to control for other factors that could affect the risk of brain lesions, such as whether they used high blood pressure drugs.

When looking for signs of Alzheimer's disease in the brain at autopsy, researchers found a link between higher average late-life systolic blood pressure across the years before death and a higher number of tangles, but not plaques.

One of the limitations of the study is said to be the lack of blood pressure count of participants in the middle age. The count was taken only in later life, and that blood pressure information was recorded only once a year and not more frequently.

People with high blood pressure need to be very careful of what they eat. Foods high saturated fats and hydrogenated oil may spike up your blood pressure levels. A hypertension diet should have foods with high magnesium, potassium and fibre content in it. It should be low in sodium.

Here are some foods for managing blood pressure

1. Berries

All berries are loaded with heart-healthy compounds called flavonoids. The antioxidant rich fruit may help lower blood pressure, as per a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. You can add them  to your salads, oatmeal, smoothies. 

2. Yogurt

According to a study presented at the American Heart Association (AHA), women who consumed five or more servings of yogurt a week had a lower risk of developing high blood pressure than similar women who hardly ever ate yogurt

3. Bananas

This tropical fruit is super rich in potassium and even more easy to include in your daily diet. One banana provides one percent of calcium, eight percent of magnesium and 12 percent of potassium that you need every day.

4. Kiwi

According to a report presented in the American Heart Association (AHA), kiwis may naturally lower blood pressure. Three kiwis a day could keep high blood pressure at bay. So toss kiwis in your salads and stave off any risk of high blood pressure.

5. Spinach

This green leafy delight is low in calories, high in fiber, and packed with nutrients like potassium, folate, magnesium - key ingredients for lowering and maintaining blood pressure levels. Did you know that half a cup of cooked spinach provides around 12% of an adult's recommended daily calcium intake?

(With Inputs ANI)