Gut health can affect your blood pressure health. When it comes to gut health and blood pressure, what’s the link? Read below to find out.
A new study shows the various ways in which a healthy digestive microbiome can affect your overall health. According to a team of European researchers, balanced levels of microbiota in the gut can benefit your blood pressure levels. Moreover, eating certain types of foods can give you these health benefits, so consider adding these to your diet.
Flavonoids and Health
A group of public health, epidemiology, and biology researchers from Germany and Northern Ireland found an interesting connection. Their study is available in the journal Hypertension and highlights the beneficial relationship between gut health and blood pressure.
To understand and analyze the connection, researchers used a sample of 904 participants in Northern Germany. Furthermore, they were aware of past evidence showing the effects of flavonoid-rich foods on both gut and blood pressure health.
You can find flavonoids in various natural foods that are rich in antioxidants such as apples, grapes, chocolate, and wine. They are also available in pears, berries, tea, red cabbage, onions, kale, parsley, soybeans, and citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, etc.).
According to WebMD, flavonoids may be able to help protect against certain diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and heart disease. Moreover, they may be able to help in the management of chronic pain and inflammation and help treat viral infections.
Conclusions from the Study
Through their current study, researchers were able to analyze the participants’ intake of berries, pears, apples, and red wine. Finally, their conclusions show that “microbial factors explained 15.2% to the association between flavonoid-rich foods and clinically relevant lower [systolic blood pressure].”
Note that systolic blood pressure measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart pumps blood out. When measuring your blood pressure levels, systolic blood pressure is the top number while diastolic BP is the bottom number.
“What we eat plays a critical role in shaping our gut microbiome,” says Aedín Cassidy, Ph.D. “Unlike many other food constituents, the flavonoids are predominantly metabolized in the gut.” Cassidy is the study’s co-author and director for interdisciplinary research at the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s University Belfast.
In addition to these findings, Cassidy explains that there are other systemic benefits to having a healthy gut. For example, a 2017 study shows there’s a connection between an unhealthy gut and an increased risk of heart disease.
The Outlook
If you want to improve your blood pressure health, starting with your diet is one of the best things you can do. In addition, you can exercise regularly and make it a goal to work out at least 150 minutes per week.
Finally, you can give your health an extra boost by taking a daily heart supplement like L-arginine Plus. It efficiently promotes better circulation, blood pressure levels, cholesterol levels, energy levels, and more.
Give your health the support it needs and eat healthily, exercise regularly, and take L-arginine Plus.