Foods that can lower Blood Pressure

Stock up on this citrus fruit the next time you hit the grocery store. Oranges are bursting with vitamin C, and some studies suggest that people who get lots of vitamin C in their diet may reduce their risk of developing high blood pressure.
Orange: Drink the juice (it’s loaded with other compounds that may reduce pressure.
Other sources of vitamin C: Guava, grapefruit, broccoli, tomatoes, strawberries, bell peppers, kiwi
Try this: Toss together a fresh citrus salad of peeled sliced oranges, shaved fennel, thinly sliced onion, olives and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, recommends Aglaia Kremezi, author of Mediterranean Hot and Spicy.

Low-fat or skim milk
Getting enough of the white stuff isn’t just good for your bones. Milk and other dairy products contain a trio of nutrients that may push down your blood pressure: calcium, potassium and magnesium. These nutrients are so important that the DASH diet (short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) includes two to three daily servings of nonfat or low-fat dairy products.
Best bet: Stay away from artery-clogging saturated fats by choosing nonfat dairy products.
Other sources of calcium, potassium and magnesium: Hazelnuts, wheat bran, calcium-fortified orange juice
Try this: Whip up a healthy version of an old-fashioned milkshake by blending skim milk, frozen strawberries and nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt.

Bananas
If your blood pressure has been inching up lately, make bananas your go-to fruit—they’re rich in potassium and fiber. “A diet with plentiful potassium-rich foods has been shown to help lower blood pressure,” says Joan Salge Blake, R.D., author of Nutrition & You: Core Concepts for Good Health.
Best bet: Bananas taste sweetest when their skins are slightly speckled with brown but they’re still firm.
Other good sources of potassium: Potatoes, tomato paste, apricots, lentils
Try this: “For a guilt-free dessert or breakfast, top banana slices with plain low-fat yogurt and a sprinkle of cinnamon,” Kremezi suggests.

Sweet potatoes
This super-sweet Thanksgiving staple packs a powerful potassium punch, which is why it deserves a spot at the dinner table year round. “Potassium causes the kidneys to excrete excess sodium from the body, and keeping sodium levels low can help drive down blood pressure,” Salge Blake says.
Best bet: Eat them with the skin for a tasty fiber boost.
Other sources of potassium: Beet greens, white beans, plain nonfat yogurt
Try this: Bump up the potassium content of potato salad. Boil sweet potatoes, then combine them with chopped apple, diced celery and sliced scallions. Toss with a dressing of olive oil, cider vinegar and honey.

Herbs and spices
Salt may be off-limits when you’re trying to lower your blood pressure, but you can spice up your dishes with fresh herbs. Even easier, raid your spice rack. “It’s no doubt stocked with wonderful dried herbs and spices that are naturally sodium free,” says Salge Blake.
Best bet: If you like fresh herbs but don’t have time to chop them, try herbs in a tube, like the ones from Gourmet Garden.
Other sources for flavor: Onions, garlic, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice
Try this: Make an exotic spice mix by combining Aleppo or Maras pepper (available at Middle Eastern markets or Kalustyans.com) with ground cumin, lemon zest, Greek oregano and chopped cilantro, Kremezi suggests.

Salmon
Few foods have more heart-healthy benefits than this nutritional superstar. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which studies suggest not only lower blood pressure, but may also boost good cholesterol, cut triglycerides and slow the growth of arterial plaque.
Best bet: Turn it into a supper staple. Salmon and other omega-3-rich fish are so good for your heart that the American Heart Association recommends eating two 3.5-ounce servings per week. No time to cook? Canned or pouched salmon is just as good: Instead of tuna, mix it with nonfat yogurt and diced celery to make a tasty sandwich spread, or toss it with greens and other veggies for a main-dish salad. It’s available with or without bones and skin.
Other sources of omega-3 fatty acids: Herring, mackerel, sardines, anchovies
Try this: Give grilled or broiled salmon steaks or filets a tropical flair with a fresh and spicy salsa. Combine diced papaya, mango, pineapple, red bell pepper and red onion with chopped cilantro, olive oil and lime juice.

Dark chocolate
The next time you crave chocolate, give in. Besides their mood-boosting effects, the flavonols in dark chocolate may protect against high blood pressure and stroke, in part by improving the elasticity of blood vessels.
Best bet: When choosing chocolate, go as dark as your taste buds can stand. Check labels for the percentage of cacao, which is the source of all that antioxidant goodness. Dark chocolate typically ranges from 45 percent to 80 percent cacao. And eat a square, not the whole bar.
Another healthy chocolate treat: Sugar-free hot cocoa—in one study it lowered blood pressure, but the sugared kind did not.
Try this: “Toast slices of chewy whole-wheat bread, then brush them with fruity extra virgin olive oil while they’re still warm. Sprinkle the slices with Aleppo or Maras pepper to taste, and top with shavings of good quality dark chocolate,” says Kremezi.

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Cinnamon Health Benefit

Some research has found that a particular type of cinnamon, cassia cinnamon, may lower blood sugar in people with diabetes. However, other studies have not found a benefit. Studies of cinnamon for lowering cholesterol and treating yeast infections in people with HIV have been inconclusive.
Lab studies have found that cinnamon may reduce inflammation, have antioxidant effects, and fight bacteria. But it’s unclear what the implications are for people.
For now, studies have been mixed, and it’s unclear what role cinnamon may play in improving health.

How much cinnamon should you take? Because cinnamon is an unproven treatment, there is no established dose. Some recommend 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (2-4 grams) of powder a day. Some studies have used between 1 gram and 6 grams of cinnamon. Very high doses may be toxic.
Can you get cinnamon naturally from foods?
What are the risks of taking cinnamon?

• Side effects. Cinnamon usually causes no side effects. Heavy use of cinnamon may irritate the mouth and lips, causing sores. In some people, it can cause an allergic reaction. Applied to the skin, it might cause redness and irritation.

• Risks. Very high quantities of cassia cinnamon may be toxic, particularly in people with liver problems. Because cinnamon may lower blood sugar, people with diabetes may need to adjust their treatment if they use cinnamon supplements. An ingredient in some cinnamon products, coumarin, may cause liver problems. Given the lack of evidence about its safety, cinnamon -- as a treatment -- is not recommended for children or for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

• Interactions. If you take any medication regularly, talk to your doctor before you start using cinnamon supplements. They could interact with antibiotics, diabetes drugs, blood thinners, heart medicines, and others.

Cinnamon is an additive to countless foods. When purchased in the store, common spice cinnamon could be one of two types or a mixture of both. It is either "true" or Ceylon cinnamon, which is easier to grind but thought to be less effective for diabetes. Or, and more likely, it could be the darker-colored cassia cinnamon.

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Diabetes + Cinnamon

Diabetes - cinnamon may help improve glucose and lipids levels³ in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in Diabetics Care.
The study authors concluded that consuming up to 6 grams of cinnamon per day "reduces serum glucose, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes." and that "the inclusion of cinnamon in the diet of people with type 2 diabetes will reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases."
In addition, a certain cinnamon extract can reduce fasting blood sugar levels in patients, researchers reported in the European Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Alzheimer's disease - Tel Aviv University researchers discovered that cinnamon may help prevent Alzheimer's disease. According to Prof. Michael Ovadia, of the Department of Zoology at Tel Aviv University, an extract found in cinnamon bark, called CEppt, contains properties that can inhibit the development of the disease.

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Cinnamon May Potentially Be Effective Against HIV

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, Cinnamon is used to help treat muscle spasms, vomiting, diarrhea, infections, the common cold, loss of appetite, and erectile dysfunction (ED).

Cinnamon may lower blood sugar in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, according to Diabetes UK. However high quality research supporting the claim remains scarce.

Fungal infections - according to the National Institutes of Health, cinnamaldehyde - a chemical found in Cassia cinnamon - can help fight against bacterial and fungal infections.

HIV - a study of Indian medicinal plants revealed that cinnamon may potentially be effective against HIV. According to the study authors, "the most effective extracts against HIV-1 and HIV-2 are respectively Cinnamomum cassia (bark) and Cardiospermum helicacabum (shoot + fruit)."

Multiple Sclerosis - cinnamon may help stop the destructive process of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a neurological scientist at Rush University Medical Center. Cinnamon could help eliminate the need to take some expensive and unpleasant drugs.

Lower the negative effects of high fat meals - Penn State researchers revealed that diets rich in cinnamon can help reduce the body's negative responses to eating high-fat meals.

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How to Minimize Your Risk TRADING SECRET

No investment advisor likes to admit it, but no stock picking system is perfect. Sometimes, the stocks we think will explode, don’t. Sometimes, the stocks we feature lose money.
There may not be a foolproof system to predicting the stock market, but we do have a foolproof system for managing risk. Follows one of the safest risk reduction systems available.
Using these three simple steps, you can reduce the risk in your stock picking plan:

Three Ways to Take Risk Out of the Stock Market

1. Screen Your Picks.
   This might seem obvious, but patterns that look like they are developing into predictable trends do not always follow through. After combing over thousands of stock charts a day, ChartAdvisor will often not fetures a single stock.


2. Get In. Get Out.
   ChartAdvisor preaches setting realistic target exit prices for all stocks. We lock in high returns while the stock is high, and we get out before the market has a chance to change its mind.
   
3. Set Tight Stop Losses.
   This step is absolutely critical to minimizing your risk in the stock market. If a sure-fire winner turns out to be a fizzled-out dud, your system needs to have a built-in, abandon-ship trigger. That is, you need to know when to cut your losses and move on to brighter prospects.

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Triple and Double Bottoms and Tops Trading Secret

Triple and Double Bottoms and Tops: Reversals upon reversals

When you see a W or M pattern forming, you may have just discovered a money-making double bottom or double top pattern. These patterns are common reversal patterns used to suggest the current stock trend may be likely to shift.
But don’t panic if your double bottom or double top patterns do not develop as you had originally thought. You haven’t lost your chance for cash. If your W or M pattern reverses for a fourth time, you could now be working with the profitable triple bottom or triple top.

Double Bottom Pattern

Double Bottom Pattern A small peak is surrounded by two equal troughs.

Purchase When:

• The price exceeds the middle-peak price.

Watch For:

• A price increase of 10% to 20% from the first trough to the middle peak.
• Two equal lows, not to differ by more than 3% or 4%.

Set Your Target Price:
For the double bottom pattern, sell your stock at a target price of:

• Entry price plus the pattern’s height (distance from the peak to the bottom of the lowest trough).

Double Top Pattern

Double Top Pattern A small trough is surrounded by two equal peaks.

Short Sell When:

• The price drops below the middle-trough price.

Watch For:

• A price decrease of 10% to 20% from the first peak to the middle trough.
• Two equal highs, not to differ by more than 3% or 4%.

Set Your Target Price:
For the double top pattern, buy shares at a target price of:

• Entry price minus the pattern’s height (distance from the trough to the top of the highest peak).

Triple Bottom Pattern

Triple Bottom Pattern Three equal troughs amid a series of peaks.

Purchase When:

• The price exceeds the resistance established by the prior peaks.

Watch For:

• A series of three identical troughs at the end of a prolonged downtrend.

Set Your Target Price:
For triple bottom patterns, sell your stock at a target price of:

• Entry price plus the pattern’s height (distance from the resistance to the bottom of the lowest trough).

Triple Top Pattern

Triple Top Pattern Three equal peaks amid a series of troughs.

Purchase When:

• The price falls below the support that formed from the prior troughs.

Watch For:

• A series of three peaks at relatively the same level.

Set Your Target Price:
For triple top patterns, buy shares at a target price of:

• Entry price minus the pattern’s height (distance from the support to the top of the highest peak).

Now You Know

The five most profitable stock patterns:

• symmetrical triangle
• ascending and descending triangles
• head and shoulders
• double top and double bottom
• triple top and triple bottom

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Head and Shoulders Trading Secret

The head and shoulders pattern is a prevailing pattern among short sellers, investors who profit from downtrends. After three peaks, the stock plummets, offering a textbook, high-return opportunity to traders who catch the trend early.

Head and Shoulders Pattern Head and shoulder patterns are characterized by a large peak bordered on either side by two smaller peaks. Draw one trendline, called the neckline, connecting the bottom of the two troughs.

The first trough is a signal that buying demand is starting to weaken. Investors who believe the stock is undervalued respond with a buying frenzy, followed by a flood of selling when traders fear the stock has run too high. This decline is followed by another buying streak which fizzles out early. Finally, the stock declines to its true worth below the original price.

How to Profit from the Head and Shoulders Pattern

• Short sell as soon as the price moves below the neckline after the descent from the right shoulder.

Set Your Target Price: For the head and shoulders pattern, buy shares at a target price of:

• Entry price minus the pattern’s height (distance from the top of the head to the neckline).

ChartAdvisor Head and Shoulders Pattern in Action

Profiting from a downtrend can seem counterintuitive at first, but accounthopes.blogspot.com readers soon learn the benefits of being able to profit in up OR down markets.

This head and shoulders pattern on PAWC shot up an astonishing 27% in just 33 days.

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ASCENDING/DESCENDING TRIANGLE TRADING SECRET

Ascending and Descending Triangles: The Traditional Bull and Bear

When you notice a stock has a series of increasing troughs and the price is unable to break through a price barrier, chances are you are witnessing the birth of an ascending triangle pattern.

Ascending Triangle Pattern Confirm your ascending triangle pattern by drawing a horizontal line tracing the upper price barrier and a diagonal line tracing the series of ascending troughs.

The descending triangle is the bearish counterpart to the ascending triangle.

Descending Triangle Pattern Confirm your descending triangle by drawing a horizontal line tracing the lower price barrier and a diagonal line tracing the series of descending troughs.

The ascending and descending patterns indicate a stock is increasing or decreasing in demand. The stock meets a level of support or resistance (the horizontal trendline) several times before breaking out and continuing in the direction of the developing up or down pattern.

How to Profit from Ascending and Descending Triangles

Ascending and descending triangles are short-term investor favorites, because the trends allow short-term traders to earn from the same sharp price increase that long-term investors have been waiting for. Rather than holding on to a stock for months or years before you finally see a big payday, you can buy and hold for only a period of days and reap in the same monster returns as the long-time stock owners.
As with many of our favorite patterns, when you learn to identify ascending and descending triangles, you can profit from upwards or downwards breakouts. That way, you’ll earn a healthy profit regardless of where the market is going.
Watch For:

• An ascending or descending pattern forming over three to four weeks.

Set Your Target Price:
For ascending and descending triangles, sell your stock at a target price of:

• Entry price plus the pattern’s height for an upward breakout.
• Entry price minus the pattern’s height for a downward breakout.

ChartAdvisor Ascending and Descending Triangles in Action
Ascending and descending triangles are some of our most popular patterns, because their features are so clear and the breakouts are almost always fast and furious.
Flanders Corp (FLDR) earned our readers 28% in 18 days. Dominos Pizza (DPZ) jumped 12% in 20 days after we pinpointed the breakout point on June 13, 2005.

Another of our winning picks in 2005, Dril-Quip Inc (DRQ) jumped 12% in just 6 days. On Boyd Gaming (BYD), investors following our pick earned a whopping 29% in 35 days.

Our readers earned 29% in 35 days on the BYD ascending triangle pattern.

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SYMETRICAL TRIANGLE TRADING SECRET

The Symmetrical Triangle: A Reliable Workhorse

You’ll recognize the symmetrical triangle pattern when you see a stock’s price vacillating up and down and converging towards a single point. Its back and forth oscillations will become smaller and smaller until the stock reaches a critical price, breaks out of the pattern, and moves drastically up or down.
The symmetrical triangle pattern is formed when investors are unsure of a stock’s value. Once the pattern is broken, investors jump on the bandwagon, shooting the stock price north or south.

Symmetrical Triangle Pattern To form your symmetrical triangle pattern, draw two converging trendlines that bound the high and low prices. Your trendlines should form (you guessed it) a symmetrical triangle, lying on its side.

How to Profit from Symmetrical Triangles

Symmetrical triangles are very reliable. You can profit from upwards or downwards breakouts. You’ll learn more about how to earn from downtrends when we talk about maximizing profits.
If you see a symmetrical triangle forming, watch it closely. The sooner you catch the breakout, the more money you stand to make.
Watch For:

• Sideways movement, a period of rest, before the breakout.
• Price of the asset traveling between two converging trendlines.
• Breakout ¾ of the way to the apex.

Set Your Target Price:
As with all patterns, knowing when to get out is as important as knowing when to get in. Your target price is the safest time to sell, even if it looks like the trend may be continuing.

For symmetrical triangles, sell your stock at a target price of:

• Entry price plus the pattern’s height for an upward breakout.
• Entry price minus the pattern’s height for a downward breakout.

ChartAdvisor Symmetrical Triangles in Action

ChartAdvisor has a long history of identifying symmetrical triangle patterns. Over the last two and one-half years, ChartAdvisor has brought to its readers over 20 symmetrical triangle patterns. That’s an average of one every month and a half.
Our readers earned an amazing 40% profit on our Nortel Networks Inc (NT) pick. Those who followed our call on Rochester Medical Corp (ROCM) in September of 2004 earned 15% in 33 days. And in October of 2004, our members earn 11% in 19 days when ChartAdvisor noticed Pan American Silver Corp (PAAS).

Our members earned 11% in 19 days on the PAAS symmetrical triangle pattern.

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4 Common Active Trading Strategies

Active trading is the act of buying and selling securities based on short-term movements to profit from the price movements on a short-term stock chart. The mentality associated with an active trading strategy differs from the long-term, buy-and-hold strategy.

1. Day Trading Day trading is perhaps the most well known active-trading style. It's often considered a pseudonym for active trading itself. Day trading, as its name implies, is the method of buying and selling securities within the same day. Positions are closed out within the same day they are taken, and no position is held overnight. Traditionally, day trading is done by professional traders, such as specialists or market makers. However, electronic trading has opened up this practice to novice traders.
2. Position TradingSome actually consider position trading to be a buy-and-hold strategy and not active trading. However, position trading, when done by an advanced trader, can be a form of active trading. Position trading uses longer term charts - anywhere from daily to monthly - in combination with other methods to determine the trend of the current market direction. This type of trade may last for several days to several weeks and sometimes longer, depending on the trend. Trend traders look for successive higher highs or lower highs to determine the trend of a security. By jumping on and riding the "wave," trend traders aim to benefit from both the up and downside of market movements. Trend traders look to determine the direction of the market, but they do not try to forecast any price levels. Typically, trend traders jump on the trend after it has established itself, and when the trend breaks, they usually exit the position. This means that in periods of high market volatility, trend trading is more difficult and its positions are generally reduced.

3. Swing Trading
When a trend breaks, swing traders typically get in the game. At the end of a trend, there is usually some price volatility as the new trend tries to establish itself. Swing traders buy or sell as that price volatility sets in. Swing trades are usually held for more than a day but for a shorter time than trend trades. Swing traders often create a set of trading rules based on technical or fundamental analysis; these trading rules or algorithms are designed to identify when to buy and sell a security. While a swing-trading algorithm does not have to be exact and predict the peak or valley of a price move, it does need a market that moves in one direction or another. A range-bound or sideways market is a risk for swing traders.
4. Scalping Scalping is one of the quickest strategies employed by active traders. It includes exploiting various price gaps caused by bid/ask spreads and order flows. The strategy generally works by making the spread or buying at the bid price and selling at the ask price to receive the difference between the two price points. Scalpers attempt to hold their positions for a short period, thus decreasing the risk associated with the strategy. Additionally, a scalper does not try to exploit large moves or move high volumes; rather, they try to take advantage of small moves that occur frequently and move smaller volumes more often. Since the level of profits per trade is small, scalpers look for more liquid markets to increase the frequency of their trades. And unlike swing traders, scalpers like quiet markets that aren't prone to sudden price movements so they can potentially make the spread repeatedly on the same bid/ask prices.
Costs Inherent with Trading StrategiesThere's a reason active trading strategies were once only employed by professional traders. Not only does having an in-house brokerage house reduce the costs associated with high-frequency trading, but it also ensures a better trade execution. Lower commissions and better execution are two elements that improve the profit potential of the strategies. Significant hardware and software purchases are required to successfully implement these strategies in addition to real-time market data. These costs make successfully implementing and profiting from active trading somewhat prohibitive for the individual trader, although not all together unachievable.
The Bottom LineActive traders can employ one or many of the aforementioned strategies. However, before deciding on engaging in these strategies, the risks and costs associated with each one need to be explored and considered.

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