24 August 2023 , 12:09
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Making a simple choice with what you drink can drastically lower your blood pressure, experts have found.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, reads as 140/90mmHg, or 150/90mmHg for those over the age of 80. It is estimated that just over a quarter of adults in the UK, around 14.4 million people, have high blood pressure. Of these, around nine million people have been diagnosed with high blood pressure by their GP.
But research printed in the National Library of Medicine shows an intake of nitrates can improve your reading. Overviewing 11 clinical trials from 2008 to 2018, the participants were tasked with consuming beet juice or drinking a placebo. The review concluded that beet juice, otherwise known as beetroot juice, is a "cost-effective strategy that might reduce blood pressure".
Authors of the study also noted that the drink "significantly decreases the risk of cardiovascular events". So, it's not just blood pressure it can improve, but overall health.
The only caveat to the study, however, is that it was only carried out for a short amount of time. Therefore, we don't really know what the long term effects drinking beet juice can have on your health.
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Who is at risk of high blood pressure?
It's not always clear what causes high blood pressure, but there are things that can increase your risk. You might be more at risk if you:
- are overweight
- eat too much salt and do not eat enough fruit and vegetables
- do not do enough exercise
- drink too much alcohol or coffee (or other caffeine-based drinks)
- smoke
- have a lot of stress
- are over 65 years old
- have a relative with high blood pressure
- are of black African or Black Caribbean descent
- live in a deprived area.
Lifestyle changes to reduce blood pressure
These lifestyle changes can help prevent and lower high blood pressure:
- reduce the amount of salt you eat and have a generally healthy diet
- cut back on alcohol
- lose weight if you're overweight
- exercise regularly
- cut down on caffeine
- stop smoking
Some people with high blood pressure may also need to take one or more medicines to stop their blood pressure getting too high. The medicine recommended for you will depend on things like how high your blood pressure is, your age and your ethnicity.