Ever wonder how to lower blood pressure naturally? Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol can lower your blood pressure by up to 14 mm Hg. This eating plan is known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.

Sodium has always been the blood pressure main food culprit — get rid of most of it from your diet and you'll be safe. In general, limit sodium to less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) a day or less. To decrease sodium in your diet, consider these tips:
• Eat fewer processed foods. Only a small amount of sodium occurs naturally in foods. Most of the sodium found in foods tends to be added during processing.
• Don't add salt. Just 1 level teaspoon of salt has 2,300 mg of sodium. Use herbs or spices to add flavor to your food.
• Ease into it. If you don't feel you can drastically reduce the sodium in your diet suddenly, cut back gradually. Your palate will adjust over time.

However research also shows that it's just as important to choose foods naturally low in sodium and high in at least two of the three power minerals: calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Potassium especially lessens the effects of sodium on blood pressure. When potassium is low, the body retains extra sodium (and too much sodium raises blood pressure).

On the other hand, when you eat a potassium-rich diet, the body becomes more efficient at getting rid of excess sodium. Like potassium, magnesium is also a key player in promoting healthy blood flow. Therefore, maintaining a healthy balance of both minerals can help keep high blood pressure at bay.

The best source of potassium, magnesium and calcium is food, such as fruits and vegetables, rather than supplements. Here are ten foods that can be found in Nigeria that you get use to help lower your blood pressure:

1. Spinach
Spinach is not only low in calories it is high in fiber and packed with heart-healthy nutrients like potassium, folate, and magnesium — key ingredients for lowering and maintaining blood pressure levels. Add fresh spinach leaves into salads and soups or try adding them to sandwiches.

2. Beans
Nutritious and versatile, beans (including black, white, navy, lima, pinto, and kidney) are full of soluble fiber, magnesium, and potassium, all excellent ingredients for lowering blood pressure and improving overall heart health. One cup of beans provides 13% of the calcium, 30% of the magnesium, and 24% of the potassium you need every day. As a meatless source of protein, it’s a great choice for vegetarians.

3. White potatoes
Potatoes are a bit on the expensive side but are rich in both magnesium and potassium, two vital nutrients for heart health.

4. Bananas
This functional fruit is packed with potassium and magnesium. One medium banana provides 1% of the calcium, 8% of the magnesium, and 12% of the potassium you need every day. It's a great choice for an on-the-go snack. Add a banana to your breakfast or for an evening treat, slice a banana into pieces, place them in a small plastic bag, and freeze.

5. Soybeans
Soybeans are another excellent source of potassium and magnesium. Look for soybeans in the pod in your local market. You can have soybeans as a healthy snack, simply boil one cup and pop them directly out of the shell into your mouth.

6. Tilapia
120 grammes of tilapia will provide you with 8% of the magnesium and 8% of the potassium you need every day. You can roast it, bake it, and sauté it, flavor it with a variety of seasonings, and add to your soups and meals. Tilapia is extremely low in environmental toxins like mercury and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls).

7. Red bell pepper
Red bell peppers are also known as tatashe and Nigeria is one of the world’s leading producers of this item. One cup of raw red bell pepper provides 1% of the calcium, 4% of the magnesium, and 9% of the potassium of your daily requirements.

8. Sweet potato
One medium sweet potato with the skin provides 4% of the calcium, 8% of the magnesium (7% without the skin), and 15% of the potassium (10% without the skin) of your daily requirements. This sweet tasting food can be eaten as a meal or had as a dessert as sweet potatoes are a great addition to smoothies. Bake several sweet potatoes at one time so you’ll have a ready supply for quick smoothies and other recipes.

9. Avocado
One-half of an avocado provides 1% of the calcium, 5% of the magnesium, and 10% of the potassium of your daily requirements. In addition to pressure-soothing minerals and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, avocados contain health-promoting carotenoids.

10. Dark chocolate
For the sweet tooths amongst us, it has been found that eating about 30 calories a day of dark chocolate — just one sweet size — was shown to help lower blood pressure after 18 weeks without weight gain or other adverse effects, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). A study in the British Medical Journal also found that having less than 100g of dark chocolate a day also reduces your risk of having a stroke. Choose dark chocolate consisting of at least 70 percent cocoa powder. Because chocolate is also high in calories, you’ll want to be very careful not to overdo it.


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