Diet
plays a major part in determining your blood pressure and your diet choices
should therefore change for the better when your realize you are hypertensive.
A
quick fact about how diet influences your BP is the cellular balance between
the two minerals Sodium and Potassium. A chronic imbalance (especially higher
levels of Sodium) causes the body to map-out processes to balance out the
levels and this caused unhealthy increases in blood pressure.
A
reading of below 120/80mmHg is
considered normal and persistent checks of above 140/90mmHg is considered to be hypertensive. Readings of 120-139 mmHg (Systolic) or 80-89 mmHg
(Diastolic) is said to prehypertensive.
Now
let’s get talking on how to manage if you are hypertension.
You can always read the
comprehensive and longer version
ADOPT
A DASH DIET
The DASH
(Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is basically a diet pattern
which places emphasis on the eating of fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy
products with inclusion of whole grains, poultry, fish and nuts in meals as
well.
This diet plan provides increased amounts of
potassium, calcium, fiber, magnesium and protein with accompanying reduced
amounts of total fat, saturated fats, tans-fats, and cholesterol.
The proven effect of this diet plan is
due to a combined effect of all the nutrients/foods and complete isolation
should not be made for one nutrient or food.
Among all participants in a DASH diet study, the
DASH diet significantly lowered mean systolic BP by 5.5 mm Hg and mean
diastolic BP by 3.0 mm Hg, each net of changes in the control diet.
REGULATING CALORIC INTAKE
Studies
have established an association between reduction in caloric intake and
reduction in both systolic and diastolic pressure. Increased blood glucose levels leads to a consequential increase in arterial
blood pressure.
Reducing
your dietary fat intake is proven to reduce your BP. Avoid fatty foods, fried
foods, saturated fats, trans-fats and cholesterol. Go in for lean meat, poultry
and fish.
Losing
weight is scientifically proven to have replicating effect on lowering your
blood pressure. For people who have Body Mass indices above 25kg/m2
(overweight or obese), cutting –down some body fat will do your blood pressure good.
In one
meta-analysis that aggregated results across 25 trials, mean systolic and
diastolic BP reductions from an average weight loss of 5.1 kg were 4.4 and 3.6
mm Hg, respectively.
REDUCED SALT/SODIUM INTAKE (SODIUM DIET)
CAUTION: Salt
is the number one (1) source of sodium and its intake is important to help us
meet our daily needs. 1500 milligrams
of sodium is the set recommended adequate intake amount.
Even though sodium intake below this set level
will lead a reduction in blood pressure, there currently is no known healthy
diet source that will provide adequate (1500
milligrams) amounts of the mineral.
The
salt we use is basically SODIUM CHLORIDE (NaCl) and contributes to our blood
pressure levels. Another management advice is to reduce the amount of salt and
specifically sodium you eat every day.
How to reduce sodium
●Limiting the amount of salt you add to your
dishes is the first step to reducing your sodium intake.
●Greater amounts of the sodium ingested by
individuals come from the eating of processed foods which are mostly loaded
with sodium. The next step is thus, making a habit of reading the nutritional
labels/information on Sodium of all processed/canned foods you buy.
●Condiments,
Fats, and Oils like ketchup, pickles, mayonnaise, barbeque sauce, butter, and
salad dressing as well as desserts like pastries, cookies, muffins, pie, and cake
are contain high amounts of sodium.
INCREASE POTASSIUM
INTAKE
As
said earlier, the balance between potassium and sodium greatly affects your
blood pressure. A DASH diet will
provide you with all the potassium you need compared to pills/supplements and so
it’s not advisable to go in for the later (potassium pills).
The effect of increased potassium intake on
blood pressure is greater
with an accompanying higher salt/sodium intake and vice-versa. This means, a
healthy balance must exist between the two minerals and thus, you should opt for either reducing your salt
(sodium) intake or increasing your potassium intake while
maintaining your present salt intake. A combined reduction in
salt (sodium) intake and increased potassium intake would have negligible effect
in the reduction your blood pressure.
Eat
dark-green leafy vegetables, root vegetables (sweet potatoes and carrots) and
fruits every day as they are high in potassium and low in sodium.
CONCLUSION
This
is the concise version of this topic and we advise your read the comprehensive
version.
FOR
CONSULTATION
Call Our Nutritionist- +233277279565
This article was reviewed on Monday, 16th December,
2013 By Nu. Sallah
Stanley Kwesi (Nutritionist at Nutritional Talk)
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