What to eat to help raise low blood pressure Many people wonder what to eat to help raise low blood pressure. Low blood pressure (also known as Hypotension) is usually considered a blood pressure reading below 90/60 mm Hg. The condition affects many people, especially as they age. Between 10% and 20% of Americans over the age of 65 have hypotension to some degree. Symptoms include fainting, blurred vision, dizziness and lightheadedness. Untreated low blood pressure can lead to a heart attack or stroke, causing long-term heart and brain damage and even death. Low blood pressure can be caused by many factors, including side effects of medications and conditions such as diabetes. What you eat also has a significant impact on heart health and blood pressure. Here are eight nutrition tips that can help raise your blood pressure to a healthy level. Here's what to eat to help raise low blood pressure: Drink plenty of fluids When you are dehydrated, your blood volume decreases, causing your blood pressure to drop. Most doctors recommend drinking at least two liters (about eight glasses) of water each day. Water intake should be higher on hot days or during exercise. Eating salty foods Foods high in salt can raise blood pressure. Good sources of salt include olives, country cheese, canned soup or tuna. You can also add table salt or sea salt to your meals, depending on your preference. Drink caffeine Coffee helps raise low blood pressure Drinks such as coffee and tea with caffeine cause an increase in heart rate and a temporary rise in blood pressure. This effect is usually short-lived, and caffeine consumption does not affect everyone's blood pressure in the same way. If you drink coffee regularly, you may also develop a greater tolerance to its effects on the vascular system. Increase your vitamin B12 intake Vitamin B12 plays a key role in helping the body produce healthy red blood cells. A lack of this important vitamin can result in anemia, which lowers blood pressure and can lead to excessive bleeding, as well as organ and nerve damage. Foods rich in vitamin B12 include eggs, chicken, fish such as salmon and tuna, and low-fat dairy products. Fill up with folate Folate (also known as vitamin B9) is another essential vitamin that can be found in foods such as asparagus, broccoli, liver and legumes such as lentils and chickpeas. Folate deficiency can have many of the same symptoms as vitamin B12 deficiency, causing anemia, which leads to lower blood pressure. Limit carbohydrates Foods high in carbohydrates, especially processed foods, tend to be digested very quickly compared to other foods. This can lead to sudden drops in blood pressure. Some studies have shown that a low-carbohydrate diet can help compensate for hypotension, especially in older people. Decrease meal size When you eat a large meal, your body needs a lot more energy to digest it, which can cause your blood pressure to drop. This is a particular problem for breakfast skippers and fasters - skipping meals can often lead to over-eating later to compensate. Even if you don't reduce your total amount of food, eating smaller meals throughout the day is healthier for both your digestion and blood flow. Safe with alcohol Among its many negative health effects, drinking alcohol causes dehydration, which lowers blood pressure by reducing blood volume. Drink responsibly once you've had a drink. Try to drink a glass of water after each alcoholic beverage to avoid dehydration. Maintaining normal blood pressure is very important for the health of your heart and arteries, so it's important to check your blood pressure levels so you can make appropriate changes before health problems arise. If you have normal blood pressure, you should try to check it at least once every one or two years. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of low blood pressure, contact one of our expert cardiologists and we can help you develop a plan to avoid problems in the future.