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6. Don’t Drink Too Much Coffee
Avoid excessive caffeine, as a cup of coffee raises your blood pressure as much as an extra 10mmHg within half an hour of drinking it. Caffeine is hidden in many energy drinks as well as tea and coffee.
There’s no need to skip you’re morning cup of coffee — in fact, there are some health benefits associated with moderate coffee consumption — but consider replacing your second, third and fourth cups with decaf or green tea.
If you need an energy boost you could also have a small piece of dark chocolate, which contains plant chemicals that help maintain the elasticity of blood vessels. Just make sure it’s at least 70% cocoa. One study showed that 18% of people who consumed dark chocolate experienced improvement in blood pressure readings.
Resources
DASH Shopping ListThe American Journal of Clinical NutritionMenopause - NewLifeOutlookMayo Clinic (High Blood Pressure (hypertension))Prevention.com (13 Ways to Lower Blood Pressure Naturally)
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