5 Foods That Could Raise Your Blood Pressure Levels

Over 65 million Americans are currently living with hypertension; a serious condition that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Unfortunately, only half of that number are working towards maintaining healthy blood pressure levels. And while those numbers are simply staggering, maintaining healthy blood pressure levels is actually not that complicated; all you need is an active lifestyle, a natural blood pressure supplement like PD120 and to watch what you eat.

When it comes to the foods we eat, there is one ingredient that we need to watch out for, and that is Sodium. Sodium is a common mineral that can be found in a large number of food condiments and ingredients. The most common form of sodium found in American kitchens is of course regular table salt, though it can also be found in cured foods, canned goods and pretty much every single pre-packaged product in large quantities. Unfortunately, a large consumption of sodium can lead to increased blood pressure levels due to the fact that large amounts of sodium lead to fluid retention. Fluid retention puts a huge stress on the body as a whole and forces the circulatory system and the heart to work at an elevated rate in order to deal with these fluids. If you are trying to maintain healthy blood pressure levels, it might be a good idea to get rid of these 5 food items that are packed with sodium and other dangerous ingredients.

Pizza and its effect on blood pressure levels

Pizza is perhaps one of the most typical foods consumed by Americans due to the fact that it is delicious, cheap and easy to cook or order. In fact, the average American will consume about 46 slices of pizza per year and about 1 in 8 Americans eats pizza any given day while teenagers eat about twice the national average. And while this is good news for pizzerias everywhere, it is bad news for those keeping a close eye on their blood pressure levels as the average pizza is packed with salt and cured meats like pepperoni, bacon, salami and sausage. In fact, the average slice of pizza will have about 600 mg of sodium or 25% of the recommended daily dose for the average adult.

Milk and its effect on blood pressure levels

The milk myth has gone on for far too long and while it is true that milk is packed with calcium and vitamins, there is really no reason why an adult should be drinking milk; there are simply better sources of calcium and vitamin D that are not packed with sodium. A glass of regular milk can have up to 150 mg of sodium and if you’re having cereal with your milk the amount of sodium can quickly add up. Leave the milk to the children of the house or those lanky teenagers looking to gain weight in any way possible. If you must have milk, make sure to keep to just a glass or two per week and look for brands of milk that are low in sodium.

Sandwiches and its effect on blood pressure levels

A good deli sandwich has all of the ingredients that we love individually; cured meats, cheese, bread, pickles and perhaps some mustard and mayo. But, what do all these ingredients have in common? Ridiculous amounts of sodium; a medium slice of bread can have anywhere between 100 and 125 mg of sodium, while cured meats are simply packed with sodium. Let’s not even talk about pre-packaged sodium and mayonnaise. If you must have a sandwich opt for things like fresh meats (chicken breast or turkey breast are generally good ideas) while looking for brands of bread and cheese low in sodium.

Alcohol

Here’s a tricky one; while spirits and wine are not generally high in sodium, (whiskey for example has 0 mg of sodium per shot) there have been several studies done that have confirmed that consuming large quantities of alcohol will increase blood pressure levels. We need to remember that when we consume alcoholic drinks, our liver has to work overtime in order to process the alcohol that we consumed and this can directly lead to increased blood pressure levels. Nothing wrong with enjoying a nice shot of whiskey or a glass of red wine, but try to keep it under 2 drinks per day and a maximum of 6 drinks per week.

Energy Drinks

While energy drinks may be packaged to give off a healthy appearance, the reality is that they are packed with sodium and other electrolytes that can quickly increase your blood pressure levels. If you are exercising and you feel the need to rehydrate, there really is nothing better than water. Keep in mind that most of these drinks have large doses of caffeine which can be extremely dangerous for patients suffering from high blood pressure levels.