High blood pressure: eating this can reduce levels

Elevated blood pressure is where when blood is forced through the arteries at an increased pressure. This can cause damage to your blood vessels, heart and kidneys - and can prove fatal

years later. There are currently 16 million people with high blood pressure in the UK. However, there are seven million people who are unaware they have it. Along with physical inactivity,

being overweight, smoking and stress, another risk factor is poor diet. However, the right diet can help - eating almonds every day reduces blood pressure.  The nuts are high in potassium,

an electrolyte that’s important for maintaining healthy levels. According to Blood Pressure UK, it does this by balancing out the negative effects of salt. They state: “Your kidneys help to

control your blood pressure by controlling the amount of fluid stored in your body.  “The more fluid, the higher your blood pressure. “Your kidneys do this by filtering your blood and

sucking out any extra fluid, which it then stores in your bladder as urine.  “This process uses a delicate balance of sodium and potassium to pull the water across a wall of cells from the

bloodstream into a collecting channel that leads to the bladder.” DOCTOR: MANY PEOPLE HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND ARE UNAWARE GETTY High blood pressure: It's a serious condition Eating

foods rich in potassium balances out any salt you have consumed that has damaged the balance. As well as almonds, foods rich in potassium include bananas, potatoes and green leafy

vegetables. Almonds are great for heart health in other ways too. Indeed, eating a handful - or 30g a day - can lower cholesterol levels by five to ten per cent.