Problems and Remedies

a baked potato with butter (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) A medical student checking blood pressure using a sphygmomanometer and stethoscope. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The potato’s stereotype as a fattening food for health-conscious folks to avoid is getting another revision today as scientists report that just a couple servings of spuds a day reduces blood pressure almost as much as oatmeal without causing weight gain. Scientists reported on the research, done on a group of overweight people with high blood pressure. “The potato, more than perhaps any other vegetable, has an undeserved bad reputation that has led many health-conscious people to ban them from their diet,” said Joe Vinson, Ph.D., who headed the research. “Mention ‘potato’ and people think ‘fattening, high-carbs, empty calories’. In reality, when prepared without frying and served without butter, margarine or sour cream, one potato has only 110 calories and dozens of healthful phytochemicals and vitamins. We hope ou...

Raisins. Français : Raisins secs. Русский: Изюм. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) taking blood pressure in PE (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Raisins: Eating raisins and soy appears to help reduce high blood pressure, thus warding off heart disease. Munching on a handful of raisins three times a day helped people with slightly elevated blood pressure lower their numbers after several weeks, said one of the studies presented at the American College of Cardiology conference. Blood pressure ranged from 120 over 80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) to 139 millimeters of mercury over 89 mm Hg, or just higher than normal. The raisin-eating group saw significant drops in blood pressure, in some cases lowering the top number, or systolic pressure, by 10.2, or seven percent over the 12-week study. Researchers think that high level of potassium in the shriveled, dried grapes. "Raisins are packed with potassium, which is known to lower blood pressure," said lead investigator Harold B...