High blood pressure: Add this supplement to drinks to lower your reading

HIGH blood pressure is prevalent in the UK, with more than one in four peopleliving with it. Certain dietary decisions have been shown to lower a person’s reading, including adding a particular supplement to drinks High blood pressure is often branded the "silent killer". This is becausesymptoms rarely reveal themselves until it is serious. If left untreated, thecondition can lead to deadly complications such as heart disease. Fortunately,certain dietary decisions have been shown to lower a person's blood pressurereading. One study found that adding whey protein to drinks significantlylowers blood pressure, reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease. Researchled by nutritional biochemist Susan Fluegel and published in InternationalDairy Journal found that daily doses of commonly available whey brought a morethan six-point reduction in the average blood pressure of men and women withelevated systolic and diastolic blood pressures. While the study was confinedto 71 student subjects between the ages of 18 and 26, older people with bloodpressure issues would likely get similar results, said Fluegel. Whey proteinis the protein contained in whey, the watery portion of milk that separatesfrom the curds when making cheese. It is commonly consumed by athletes toboost their performance and increase their strength. According to TerryShultz, co-author and an emeritus professor in the former Department of FoodScience and Human Nutrition, the findings have practical implications forpersonal health as well as the dairy industry. Bolstering the findings, astudy published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association,suggested partly replacing refined carbohydrates with foods or drinks high insoy or milk protein may help prevent and treat high blood pressure. Studyparticipants who took a milk protein supplement had a 2.3 millimetres ofmercury (mmHg) lower systolic blood pressure, compared to when they took arefined carbohydrate supplement. Participants who took a soy proteinsupplement had a 2.0 mmHg lower systolic blood pressure when compared to therefined carbohydrate supplement. Systolic blood pressure is the highestpressure when a person's heart beats and pushes the blood round their body,explained Blood Pressure UK. It is a strong indicator of a person's risk ofhaving a stroke or a heart attack. Key dietary tips Reducing salt intakeand eating plenty of fruit and vegetables offers a robust defence against highblood pressure. According to the NHS, eating a low-fat diet that includes lotsof fibre, such as wholegrain rice, bread and pasta, and plenty of fruit andvegetables helps to lower blood pressure. "Aim to eat five portions of fruitand vegetables every day," noted the health site. It is also important to keepactive, as the NHS explained: "Being active and taking regular exercise lowersblood pressure by keeping your heart and blood vessels in good condition."Regular exercise can also help people lose weight, which plays a key role in blood pressure control, notes the health site.