If you could get rid of low blood pressure symptoms with diet alone, would you do it?
Before you get to know the good and the bad foods for low blood pressure, make sure you don’t confuse hypotension with the heart disease. These two are so different, that they require two opposing treatment.
Thus the worst foods for hypertension, may be the best foods for hypotension, and vice versa. The best foods for high blood pressure, may be the worst foods for low blood pressure.
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1 – Coffee, not a bad choice for low blood pressure
Have you ever looked at a cup full of coffee, only to leave it alone because you were afraid if health consequences? Heave you heard that
- coffee causes hypertension
- is bad, because it has acid-promoting properties.
- it is associated with addictions and ill-health,
- and that it lowers the immune system?
Coffee keeps on being attached to different health claims every now and then, both good and bad. That’s normal. As science discovers more and more coffee-health connection, coffee drinkers are destined to get confusing messages. But, regardless of the existing confusion, one thing is sure: coffee is one of the top beverages to lessen low blood pressure symptoms.
Can coffee drinkers have healthy hearts?
Health care practitioners aren’t confusion-proof either. I know of many doctors and nurses that are hesitant to prescribe coffee to low blood pressure symptom sufferers. The belief is that coffee drinking habit can cause hypertension in the long run. That may be true for a very small percentage of people. I personally don’t know of any patient who ended up with heart disease due to a coffee drinking habit.
Having said that, people with heart disease, or heart disease risk should know a bit more about how to drink coffee in order to prevent cardiovascular complications. You will find these details in The Ultimate Guide to Low & Fluctuating Blood Pressure.
In the meantime, if you keep on experiencing low blood pressure symptoms, do not stop drinking your coffee from fear of developing heart disease in the future. Instead, consult a health care provider that can factor in your other conditions and the effects of medication you are on.
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2 – Salt, good or bad food for low blood pressure?
Salt, just like sugar, is on a food black list. According to the prevalent view excess sodium can endanger a weak heart, and cause dangerously spiked blood pressure.
It is true. Due to its ability to retain water, salt is not a welcome addition in any hypertensive household. Yet, exactly that salt property is what reduces low blood pressure symptoms.
Did you know that many tablets for chronic hypotension contain sodium as the main ingredient? But why pop a pill, when you can put a salt shaker on the table instead. Why support pharmacies, while you can support farms. Get foods high in salt like naturally-fermented sauerkraut and pickles, feta cheese, blue cheese, olives, or anchovies. These not only taste good but can remove low blood pressure symptoms in no time.
Why do you need that much salt?
I used to have low blood pressure, but I already knew about salt and how to use it to manage it. One day I calculated how much sodium I actually ingested. It turned out I ate twice the amount that was recommended as healthy!
That was an eye opener and I started to wonder why I needed so much just to feel good? Soon it turned out I had an underlying condition. My adrenals were wasting it. I got tested and found out I had adrenal fatigue.
Now all made sense. I was burned out, and had difficulty coping with stress. To get better I prescribed myself a diet for adrenal fatigue. You will find the details together with the list of foods for low blood pressure in the book Revived!
3 – Potassium, not so good for low blood pressure
You know that potassium is a backbone of health. Lack of potassium isn’t something one should disregard. Lack of potassium can cause weakness, constipation, weaken the immune system, and impact the heart Potassium is prescribed for many patients with heart disease risk, especially those prone to hypertension.
The heart cannot work without potassium. It’s lack may spike blood pressure. Too much, on the other hand, can lead to low blood pressure. It can even be deadly. Highly concentrated potassium injections are given to convicts to end their lives, because excess potassium stops the heart.
Potassium foods won’t kill you
You may think that if too much potassium can stop the heart then eating five bananas a day can be dangerous. Don’t panic.
Potassium is tightly regulated by the body and any excess coming from food is rapidly excreted. There is no risk of death from eating a high-potassium diet. But that does not mean potatoes and bananas are good foods for low blood pressure. Hypotensives are better off sticking to salty pickles than munching on peppers or oranges.
One caveat about potassium. If you are on medication for the heart or have kidney problems, consult your doctor before changing anything in your diet. Some conditions and some meds can cause potassium retention or potassium excretion. Your diet may need to adhere to strict potassium guidelines.
