If you’re caring for a senior, you are likely looking for effective ways to keep your loved one’s blood pressure in check. Sadly, the majority of seniors live with high blood pressure. In Australia, an estimated 38% of women aged 65 to 74 have high blood pressure; it’s a little more for men, and the risk of developing elevated blood pressure increases with age.
But the good news is that you can lower your blood pressure through changes in diet. Dietary modifications can go a long way in helping to lower blood pressure, and also contribute to overall positive cardiovascular health. Not only that, but it’s one of the areas you have some control over as a caregiver. After all, you may be doing the cooking, grocery shopping or meal planning for the senior in your care.
Here, we’ll take a look at foods that lower blood pressure, foods to stay away from and what experts say you can do to help your loved one keep their blood pressure within a healthy range.
What triggers high blood pressure?
Seniors are more prone to developing high blood pressure for several reasons. These can relate to existing conditions, specific kinds of medication, lifestyle habits such as smoking and/or alcoholism or a genetic predisposition for the disease.
But the most common reasons blood pressure risk increases as we age is because our blood vessels can lose elasticity. Blood vessels become stiffer as we get older and cause more resistance in blood flow and the increased resistance is what we read as blood pressure.
What is an ideal blood pressure for seniors?
Ideal blood pressure ranges used to be different for seniors than for younger adults. These days, blood pressure guidelines don’t differentiate by age or even by sex. Clinical research indicates that achieving a blood pressure of 120/80 or less will help to prevent cardiovascular events. For the Australian Government’s healthdirect service, high blood pressure is defined as a reading of 140/90 on two separate days.
Is it possible to lower blood pressure with diet?
The good news is: yes, you can change your diet to decrease blood pressure. And the most effective and evidence-based way to do this is by adopting a DASH diet. DASH stands for: dietary approaches to stop hypertension.
According to Heart Smart Australia, the DASH diet “is one of the best strategies to lower blood pressure through nutrition,” and can also assist with weight loss, lowering cholesterol, diabetes and metabolic disease risk, among other benefits.
Best foods to lower blood pressure
There are many delicious foods seniors can eat on a low blood pressure diet. Foods to decrease blood pressure include fruits and veggies, seeds, unsalted nuts, whole grains, fish and low-fat dairy products. Here are some of the foods that experts recommend:
Potassium-rich fruits and vegetables
Potassium helps to reduce the amount of sodium that the body holds onto and get rid of it in urine — a good way to lower your blood pressure naturally. Some foods with high potassium content include:
- Spinach.
- Bananas.
- Sweet potatoes.
- Leafy greens.
- Cooked broccoli.
- Grapefruit.
- Rockmelon and honeydew melon.
- Apricots.
Whipping up a healthy salad with a spinach base, or a smoothie with bananas and spinach, are excellent choices. Bananas in particular are a great option for seniors because they’re a rich source of potassium — about 350 mg in one medium banana. They’re also very soft, inexpensive and easy to eat.
Berries
Bananas aren’t the only fruit to increase in your loved one’s diet. Any type of berry — blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, etc. — can help lower blood pressure. Berries have plenty of fibre as well as flavonoids, specifically anthocyanins; these help to produce nitrous oxide, which, in turn, relaxes blood vessels to lower your blood pressure naturally.
Nuts and seeds
Nuts are another excellent food type to add to your blood pressure-lowering meal plan. They are rich in potassium and magnesium, which both have vascular benefits for the body. Nuts and seeds are also fantastic sources of fibre, zinc and heart-healthy fats.
When considering nuts, it’s best to go for unsalted ones, as salt can increase blood pressure. Some different types of nuts and seeds to try include:
- Almonds.
- Cashews.
- Hazelnuts.
- Macadamias.
- Pecans.
- Pistachios.
- Walnuts.
- Pine nuts.
- Peanuts.
- Chia seeds.
- Pumpkin seeds.
- Flax seeds.
- Sunflower seeds.
Whole grains
Foods that are high in fibre have vasodilatory effects, meaning that these foods improve blood flow in our blood vessels, which decreases blood pressure. Oats are a great way to add whole grains to your diet, so making a morning bowl of porridge part of your routine is a wonderful idea. Other beneficial whole grains include:
- Barley.
- Millet.
- Quinoa.
- Popcorn.
- Wild rice.
- Whole grain breads, cereals and crackers.
Low-fat dairy products
The Heart Foundation points to a link between the consumption of reduced-fat dairy products and lower blood pressure. This may be because calcium, like potassium and magnesium, has blood-pressure lowering effects.
Still, experts say it’s important to eat low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Full-fat dairy is a source of saturated fat, which can have negative impacts on blood pressure and cardiovascular health. Try adding foods like low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt or cottage cheese to your daily diet.
Fish and lean meats
Fish and lean meats are good sources of low-fat protein that are recommended as part of any DASH diet, though they shouldn’t play as prominent a role as fruits, veggies and whole grains. The DASH diet recommendations of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners suggests aiming for no more than two 90-gram servings per day of cooked lean meat, skinless poultry or fish.
It’s also best to bake, grill or roast the fish or meat, rather than frying it. Those hoping to lower blood pressure should also avoid red meat.
What does a blood pressure-friendly meal look like?
Experts recommend basing a diet to decrease blood pressure on healthy, delicious foods that are naturally low in sodium and high in potassium. Here are some simple meal ideas based on these nutritional goals:
- Baked salmon with roasted sweet potatoes, broccoli and a side of wild rice.
- Canned tuna on a bed of mixed greens with a simple olive oil vinaigrette.
- Vegetarian chili with kidney beans, chickpeas, low-sodium canned tomatoes, carrots, celery, corn and garnished with avocado.
Additionally, instead of using salt to add flavour to foods, try adding:
- Garlic.
- Lemon.
- Herbs.
- Spices.
Foods to avoid when trying to lower blood pressure
When it comes to diets for lowering blood pressure, it’s not just about what you eat, but what you don’t eat. If you are looking to lower blood pressure, experts say to avoid foods high in saturated fat, processed foods and sugary foods.
But the most important ingredient to say away from? Salt. Heart Smart Australia recommends salt intake of no more than 2,300 milligrams a day, or as little as 1,500 mg per day for its lower salt diet. One easy way to stay within that range is to make more home cooked meals.
Most restaurant food, fast food and pre-made meals are loaded with salt and fat, both of which are bad for people needing to lower their blood pressure. Cooking at home and making the majority of meals from scratch can make a difference relatively quickly.
What else helps lower blood pressure?
Diet isn’t the only lifestyle modification that can help lower blood pressure. In addition to diet, exercise is one of the key elements in managing blood pressure naturally.
The Heart Foundation says, “Regular physical activity is great for your heart health. It’s never too late to start and get the benefits. You should get 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. It’s also important to sit less during your day and break up your sitting time.”
Other important elements of managing blood pressure include:
- Managing stress.
- Limiting alcohol.
- Maintaining a healthy weight.
- Getting plenty of exercise.
- Monitoring blood pressure regularly, at home and at doctor visits.
- Taking prescription blood pressure medication when needed.
The bottom line
Changing your diet to decrease blood pressure is possible, and caregivers play an important role in ensuring that seniors eat a diet rich in blood pressure-friendly foods. Still, it’s important to keep your eye on the bigger picture when it comes to medical conditions like high blood pressure, and always stay in touch with your loved one’s healthcare providers.
For some people, dietary changes alone may be enough to see improvements in their blood pressure, but others might require dietary changes along with medication. Either way, there are numerous ways to lower your blood pressure naturally and maintain your health as you age.