Lower Blood Pressure With A Smoothie!
At least 80% of the population can expect their
blood pressure to increase at some point in their
lives, and if you have a family history or
are doing things, (like eating poorly, smoking, etc)
you may want to take steps to lower it.

Luckily, one of those things you can do is have
a daily smoothie.
Yes, a smoothie, one loaded with specific foods that’ll
help lower your blood pressure easily and effortlessly.

Here are the ingredients for this week’s grocery list:
Bananas (1 bunch)
Bag of Oranges (or can of mandarin oranges)
mango, fresh or frozen
plain yogurt
1/2 or gallon of milk
Pomegranate juice, 1 bottle or 2 fresh pomegranates

Now, that you have the ingredients, here’s the recipe…

In a blender, add 1 ripe banana, 1 orange, peeled, or
the contents from 1 can of mandarin oranges, rinsed
and drained, 1 cup frozen mango or 1 fresh mango,
1 cup of plain yogurt,  1 cup of milk, and 1/2 cup
of pomegranate juice.
Blend all of the ingredients until smooth.
Enough for 2 servings.

And lastly, here are some of the health benefits
of the foods that are used to make this smoothie.
a) Oranges-
Foods like carrots, oranges, mangoes, and pumpkin,
their vibrant color comes from beta-carotene, a plant
pigment that cuts your risk of ever having blood
pressure problems by 20%. Beta-carotene blocks
plaque buildup in the arteries, and it speeds healing
if your arteries become worn or damaged–benefits
that help prevent those arteries from stiffening with age.
b) Dairy-
If you’ve been avoiding dairy because of weight concerns,
or you fear it may cause damage to your heart, you may
want to rethink this. Dairy-be it cheese, yogurt or milk
could take 5 to 7 points off your blood pressure in less
than 2 months. And there’s even more god news:
Dairy could lower your risk of future of blood
pressure problems by 30%. Dairy contains a blend of
whey protein and calcium- both of which helps your
kidneys keep your fluid and sodium levels in balance,
making sure your pressure stays steady.
c) Pomegranate Juice-
Researchers say that a small glass of pomegranate juice
daily could lower blood pressure by 7% in less than 3 weeks.
The juice contains tannins, compounds that help block
buildup of artery-stiffening plaque.
d) Salt-
For some, salt doesn’t affect blood pressure, but for many
others you may be “salt-sensitive.”
In other words, it means you must avoid any and all types
of salt.
And what will you do enhance the flavor of your meals?
You can start experimenting with spices and herbs.
Use garlic powder, basil, rosemary, chives, onion
powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, plus the dozens
of other spices and herbs that are available.
Or try fish sauce, it doesn’t taste fishy and it can lower
sodium levels by 30%. Look for it in the international
aisle of most grocery stores.
Another tip: make sure you start reading labels,
look for sodium on canned goods or frozen
food items.

Sources:
* Journal Atherosclerosis
* Lead Researcher- Michael Aviram, D.Sc.
* Journal of Food Science