Easy Way to lower Blood Pressure

Researchers at Louisiana State University note that cutting out just one sugary beverage a day can knock up to 18 points off your blood pressure over the course of a few months.  And if you reduce your soft drink consumption by more than one a day, your blood pressure is likely to drop even more. That’s one easy way to lower blood pressure – we have to stop drinking so many sodas and other sugar-laden drinks!

Capsaicin, A Weapon against High Blood Pressure

If you enjoy spicy foods, eat up - you may be helping your blood pressure. Capsaicin, the compound that adds the spicy zing to hot peppers, appears to help lower blood pressure. Animal research suggests that long-term consumption of capsaicin helps relax blood vessels by increasing production of nitric oxide, a molecule known to protect blood vessels against inflammation and dysfunction (the primary function of nitric oxide is really vasodilation). While follow-up studies will be needed to see whether capsaicin works as well on blood pressure in humans, other studies indicate that capsaicin may enhance the metabolism of fat, and help inhibit inflammation. Even if you don't like spicy food, capsaicin has something to offer - a topical application can help minimize symptoms of shingles and eczema, and reduce aches from arthritis

Oatmeal for help to keep Blood Sugar Level Stable & Others

Oatmeal is more than a tasty, warming breakfast meal - it offers benefits to your health as well. It's naturally high in fiber, which helps keep blood-sugar levels stable. It also helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels by binding lipids in the intestinal tract and increasing their elimination from the body. Oats also contain B vitamins, which are essential to convert carbohydrates into energy. Choose steel cut or Irish oatmeal over rolled oats, and for added taste and health benefits, toss some strawberries, dried cranberries or nuts on top.

Fenugreek Seeds for help Taming Diabetes

In some parts of the world, this medical “breakthrough” is old news.

This plant grows all over Asia and South America. Its seeds are a staple of Chinese and Indian medicines. Natural healers use them for everything from improving metabolism to aiding childbirth. It turns out they’re also a potent weapon for controlling your blood sugar.

We’re not talking about small percentage points here and there. You can use these to lower your fasting blood glucose levels by as much as 40 percent. You can also reduce glucose excretion in your urine—a marker of diabetes risk—by 54 percent in just over a week.
They’re called fenugreek seeds. And they keep your blood sugar levels stable in a few different ways.

The soluble fiber in these seeds slows digestion and carbohydrate absorption. This prevents your blood sugar from spiking. The fiber also improves the metabolic symptoms of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It does this by increasing your body’s glucose tolerance. 

Harvard researchers believe that fenugreek also prevents glucose absorption in the gut. There’s one compound in particular that does this. It’s called 4-hydroxyisoleucine. It stimulates the release of insulin. Without enough insulin, your body won’t be able to control how it uses glucose. This is what leads to type 2 diabetes in the first place.

Fenugreek seeds aren’t easy to find in their natural form. If you do come across them, try adding the whole seeds to salads. This will give it some extra texture. You can also grind the seeds and use them as a seasoning. But the easiest way to get fenugreek is in supplement form. You can find quality, natural fenugreek supplements in health stores and online.

Foods for Stable Sugar Lever Part 2

Yesterday's Daily Tip covered five foods for healthy blood sugar levels, from green leafy veggies to onions. Today we look at five more - add these foods to your diet, as they may help lower blood sugar levels.

1.    Maitake mushrooms. Not only contain compounds that enhance immune function, but in one study people with type 2 diabetes were given maitake along with diabetes medication, and the result was lower blood sugar readings. Cook some up and serve them as a side dish!

2.    Underground vegetables. Also known as "tubers," veggies such as leeks, potatoes and yams have been shown in studies to lower or return to normal high blood sugar levels.  

3.    Brewer's yeast. Rich in essential amino acids and B vitamins, brewer's yeast may also lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, and may improve glucose tolerance, increase insulin sensitivity, and lower cholesterol as well. Shake some on your next batch of popped corn!

4.    Prickly pear. The green pads of this plant are called nopal, and is more than a staple in Mexican cuisine - it is very low on the glycemic index and may have blood-sugar-lowering effects. Look for it at specialty or ethnic grocers.

5.    Bitter melon. When cooked and added to other dishes, bitter melon will impart a unique flavor that may help glucose tolerance of people with type 2 diabetes, and help keep blood sugar levels in the normal range.