Posted on July 28, 2007 in Diet and Fitness
High Blood Pressure has become a common problem nowadays with changing lifestyle and dietary patterns. It is known as ’silent killer’ and is one of the most common diseases of cardiovascular system. High Blood Pressure increases the risk of developing heart disease, heart stroke, and other serious conditions. Higher the Blood Pressure, greater is the risk of getting these problems.
What is High Blood Pressure?
High Blood Pressure, also known as hypertension, means that the pressure of the blood in your arteries is too high. Blood Pressure is recorded as two figures, like 150/95 mmHg. The first number is the systolic pressure. This is the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts. The second number is the diastolic pressure. This is the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between each heartbeat.
Mildly high Blood Pressure is 140/90 mmHg or above, but below 160/100 mmHg. Moderate to severe Blood Pressure is 160/100 mmHg or above.
High Blood Pressure can be:
- Just a high systolic pressure, for example, 170/70 mmHg
- Just a high diastolic pressure, for example, 130/104 mmHg
- Or both, for example, 170/110 mmHg
What is Controlled Blood Pressure?
If one gets treatment for high Blood Pressure, the usual target is to reduce blood pressure to below 140/90. In some cases, your doctor may advise an even lower target. For example, if you have diabetes or certain other conditions.
Who are At Risk of High Blood Pressure?
People who are genetically sensitive to sodium generally experience high Blood Pressure from excessive salt intake. People who are most likely to be salt sensitive include:
- Children of parents with hypertension
- African Americans
- People over 50 years of age
It is important to keep in mind that not everyone is salt sensitive. As hypertension in the body becomes prolonged, the risk for heart failure, vascular disease, kidney failure and heart stroke increases.
Food Guidelines to Control Blood Pressure
Dietary factors have a high rate of influence on Blood Pressure. People with hypertension can control it by following these food guidelines.
Avoid Foods High in Sodium
Sodium causes vasoconstriction – the narrowing of blood vessels. Because of this, the amount of space blood has to travel through decreases. It leads to an increase in the resistance the blood has to overcome. Due to this increased resistance it becomes more difficult for the arteries to expand with each heart beat. It causes the internal pressure to rise. High sodium foods include: processed meats, salted snack foods, cheeses, and canned foods. So, it is always advisable to avoid these foods.
Eat Foods High in Potassium
Good dietary sources of potassium include: bananas, potatoes, avocados, tomato juice, grapefruit juice, and acorn squash. Potassium helps maintain intracellular osmotic pressure – the force required to stop the flow of water across a membrane.
Limit Adding Salt to Foods
Most foods, especially those served in restaurants are high in sodium. Instead of using salt you can use other substitutes.
Eat Calcium and Magnesium Rich Foods
Calcium and magnecium help control your Blood Pressure. Food sources rich in calcium include: low-fat milk, green beans, sardines with bones, broccoli, spinach, and tofu. Magnesium-rich foods include any legumes and seeds, such as navy beans and sunflower seeds.
Lower Saturated Fat Intake
Saturated fat increases the level of low-density lipoproteins (LDL), which tend to stick to the sides of the arterial wall. This deposit of fat is known as arteriosclerosis. It begins with the depositing of fatty streaks on inner arterial walls. When this fatty deposit enlarges and becomes hardened with minerals such as calcium, it forms plaque.
Plaque stiffens the arteries and narrows the passages through them. This leads to rise in Blood Pressure. This rise in Blood Pressure is due to the arteries’ lack of elasticity. So, it is always advisable to control your fat intake. Fat-rich foods include: vegetable oil, red palm oil, groundnut paste, sesame oil or seed, melon or pumpkin seeds, linseeds, coconut oil/cream, butter and lard.
Along with the above, follow these suggestions
- Make gradual changes in your eating patterns
- Center your meal around carbohydrates, such as pastas, rice,
- beans, or vegetables
- Increase consumption of fruits and vegetables
- Treat meat as one part of the whole meal
Always remember that Blood Pressure can be kept under control by following better diet patterns.
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September 30th, 2009 at 9:10 am
blood pressure diet is very much appreciable. One should follow the instruction given
October 13th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Hello, respectable and enlightening article. I want to add a few points out. If you have tight cholesterol, then you may question, will a low fat diet low down cholesterol? This is a vital question, because it is a well known fact that the most efficient way to lower cholesterol is straightforward diet. For Certain one component of a diet for lowering cholesterol will take on represents low in fat. But this is unique part of the report. It is primary to get that it is the supersaturated fats that you want to eradicate it from the foods you feed.