High blood pressure has swept the nation. It's one of the most common medical conditions in America, and contributes to heart disease including strokes and heart attacks. Whether it's caused by stress or the massive amount of salt that we consume, we suffer from the repercussions nonetheless.

Next Avenue provides some tips on how to lower blood pressure. No, it's not exercise or even a pill. It's food. Here are the top foods that can help:

• Bananas: Popular and packed with potassium, bananas are an excellent way to fight high blood pressure.
• Yogurt: A high calcium diet can drastically lower blood pressure. Yogurt may be one of the healthiest ways to obtain this benefit as its packed with a ton of other vitamins.
• Dark Chocolate: Low blood pressure is one of the many health benefits of eating chocolate. One of its ingredients called photochemical is very helpful for heart health.
• Red Wine: As Next Avenue explains, too much alcohol will naturally raise blood pressure. But a moderate amount of red wine can soothe arteries, lower blood sugar, and lessen diabetes risk.

The next time you head to your local supermarket, keep these food items in mind. They provide natural (and delicious) ways to prevent high blood pressure and ultimately heart disease

For more information, check our Next Avenue