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The first thing that a person suffering from high blood pressure needs to consider is sodium intake. Sodium intake can be reduced by eliminating salt from food before and after it is cooked. Foods such as cheese, ketchup, deli meats and soft drinks have high levels of sodium. Most packaging on processed foods will show the amount of sodium per serving for the product. You might be surprised to learn how high in sodium some foods are. Even canned vegetables and canned fish should be rinsed with water before eating to get rid of the salt they are packed in.
Another way to help control high blood pressure through diet is to reduce as much fat as possible from food. Try to eliminate butter, mayonnaise, cream, etc. and replace these with low-fat substitutes.
Make sure that your diet includes large amounts of fruits and vegetables high in potassium, which helps the body to get rid of excess sodium. Some of these foods are bananas, avocados, dried fruits and lima beans. Steamed clams are also a good source of potassium. High-fiber fruits like apples and pears are also said to decrease blood pressure by lowering cholesterol.
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