Can diet reduce high blood pressure?

Q: My latest blood pressure reading was high. Can I bring it down by changing my diet?

A: Yes, but dietary approaches to controlling hypertension should be tailored to your individual balance of doshas, so it’s difficult to make a blanket statement about what constitutes the ideal diet. Most hypertensives have imbalances in vata, pitta, or both. A diet to calm the vata would include lots of sweet and sour foods, while one aimed at balancing the pitta would steer clear of spicy and oily food. I also recommend that anyone with hypertension eat mostly warm, freshly cooked foods, such as leafy greens and legume-based dishes like dal, and eat as few salty, fried, or heavy foods—like cheese and meat, for example—as possible.