3 Vital Nutrients to Combat High Blood Pressure
Heart attacks, cardiovascular disease, and strokes are possibly some of the most dangerous conditions caused by high blood pressure. With the alarming increase in diagnoses of these conditions, knowing what your body needs to regulate blood pressure may save your life.
Three of the most important nutrients for supporting healthy blood pressure, and for promoting a healthy cardiovascular and circulatory system, include:
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Magnesium
Potassium
You may be familiar with the low sodium diet as being a heart-healthy diet, but the truth is that it is not just low sodium that is needed, but a balanced diet of potassium and sodium that is important for heart health.
The reason most doctors tell you to reduce sodium in your diet is because our modern diet is often far too high in sodium when compared with our intake of potassium. According to a report by the CDC, you need to ensure your potassium/sodium balance is designed to support health.
Eating foods that are high in potassium and avoiding high sodium foods is one way to help ensure the balance between potassium and sodium in the body.
Calcium
Many people tend to associate calcium with strong teeth and bones, and, while calcium is an essential nutrient for skeletal health, the functions of calcium are far more varied. Most of the calcium in your body is stored in the bones, and the body has access to these stores to meet its needs for calcium. Although the body can store calcium, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t include sufficient calcium in your daily diet.
Calcium is found abundantly in the blood stream. This calcium regulates the pH of the blood and the various organs, and it supports the structural health of arteries, veins, and capillaries. Calcium supports healthy contraction and expansion of your blood vessels, and calcium is important for the support of nerve signal transmission. These aspects are vital for supporting cardiovascular and circulatory health.
Magnesium
Magnesium is also essential for supporting healthy nervous signal transmission. Since the heart muscles rely on a healthy nervous system in order to beat properly, ensuring you have sufficient magnesium is vital for optimal cardiovascular health. Your muscles also use magnesium to support healthy contraction and relaxation. Heart rate and how effectively your heat pumps determine how well the cardiovascular system functions.
Magnesium facilitates the use of calcium. Your body needs magnesium to help transport calcium through the cell walls, where it can fulfill its functions. It is vital to make sure you get sufficient magnesium with calcium, in order to ensure calcium use by the body.
Balancing Nutrients
The balance of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium are key to ensuring your cardiovascular health. The ratio of sodium to potassium should ideally be 1:2. In other words, for every milligram of sodium you consume, you should be consuming 2 mg of potassium. There is also an ideal ratio for calcium and magnesium.
While it is possible to get your potassium, magnesium, and calcium from your daily diet, trying to balance the ratios and amounts can be almost impossible. A well-balanced supplement of potassium, calcium, and magnesium can take the guesswork out of supporting your cardiovascular system.
