Going Bananas About High Blood Pressure

Eating two bananas a day can significantly reduce high blood pressure. According to a recent study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, including bananas in your everyday diet can cut the risk of death from strokes by up to 40%. The key ingredients in the fruit are its high level of pottassium and low sodium levels. Research has shown that including the fruit in a healthy eating plan can reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure, and lower an already elevated blood pressure.

For a comprehensive healthy eating plan that reduces high blood pressure, consider the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institutes’ ‘DASH’ eating plan.
‘DASH’ or ‘Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension,’ is a clinical study that tested the effects of nutrients in food on blood pressure levels. Results clearly indicate that those with high blood pressure experienced a significant reduction in it by following an eating plan that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods.

Another US clinical study, ‘DASH-Sodium,’ examined the effect of a reduction in dietary sodium on blood pressure, as people followed either the DASH eating plan or a typical American diet. Results showed that reducing dietary sodium lowered blood pressure for both the DASH eating plan and the typical American diet. The greatest benefits were for those eating the DASH eating plan at the lowest sodium level (1,500 milligrams per day).

According to the Blood Pressure Association in 2008, 40% of the UK population have high blood pressure. Perhaps it is time to start following a healthy eating plan in a bid to reduce high blood pressure, and the risk of strokes and heart attacks.
Dr Mike Mead, GP and medical adviser to the BPA claims that: "High blood pressure is a serious health condition. Uncontrolled high blood pressure is the biggest cause of death and disability through the strokes and heart attacks it causes. But this is preventable.
"We urge everyone to make it their New Year's resolution to have a blood pressure check and lead a healthier lifestyle to lower their numbers.”

The First Aid Warehouse is committed to enabling people to monitor their blood pressure accurately and effectively. It only stocks monitors from manufacturers who
have products validated by the British Hypertension Society, including A&D, Microlife and Omron.

Measuring blood pressure in the privacy of your own home using one of the many reliable and accurate blood pressure monitors stocked by the First Aid Warehouse has never been easier. Some people are actually asked by their doctor or nurse to measure blood pressure at home for a short period of time, to find out what it is like away from the surgery. Sometimes blood pressure can be higher when taken in a clinical or medical environment. This is commonly known as white coat hypertension and can be caused by feeling anxious while waiting to see the doctor, or by being in a clinical environment. Blood pressure readings taken at home are often lower than those taken at the GP’s surgery, and can be seen to give a more accurate picture of normal blood pressure for the individual.

First Aid Warehouse, is the UK's premier supplier of medical equipment and accessories. First Aid Warehouse, is the one-stop shop for high quality, great value First Aid Kits, Blood Pressure Monitors and First Aid Equipment and Medical Supplies for medical professionals and the care industry and the general public.
The First Aid Warehouse specializes in the supply of first aid and diagnostic equipment to both the public and trade. With a wealth of industry knowledge and an online e-commerce platform, they supply 100’s of first aid products ranging from first aid kits, resuscitation masks and blood pressure monitors.