If you know how to take care of your body, provide it with the right nourishment that it needs, then that means you have less chances of getting sick. Hypertension is just one of the major illnesses in the world, especially if not monitored by a doctor. This just shows that even at a young age, it is essential to watch out for what you eat and drink.
Hypertension or high blood pressure is considered a “silent killer” because it often shows no symptoms at all. There will be times that symptoms will manifest, but the condition is already worse. This is why it is very important to monitor your blood pressure by watching what you consume.
But before anything else, you should know when your blood pressure is already exceeding the normal measurement. This table will tell you how to classify your blood pressure readings.
|
SYSTOLIC |
|
DIASTOLIC |
Normal |
<120 |
And |
<80 |
Prehypertension |
120-139 |
Or |
80-89 |
HYPERTENSION |
|
|
|
Stage 1 |
140-159 |
Or |
90-99 |
Stage 2 |
≥160 |
|
≤100 |
* Based on two readings taken 5 minutes apart with a confirmation reading in the contralateral arm
(Source: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09318.html)
Systolic refers to the blood pressure when the heart is contracting while diastolic refers to the period when the heart is in a period of rest and expansion.
There is no cure for hypertension but it can be controlled by medication, lifestyle change and diet. A change in diet can help treat and lower blood pressure. A typical diet for a hypertensive patient will include less intake of sodium, increase in potassium, and balanced calories. They are also advised to maintain a reasonable weight.
Decreasing your sodium intake might seem difficult, since majority of the food we eat use sodium. However, try to lessen your sodium intake gradually until you can finally be able to lessen it or better, eat without it.
It is important that we include potassium-rich foods everyday since potassium works with sodium to regulate the body’s water balance.
Calcium has also been linked to be one of the risks for hypertension. It is said that you should maintain calcium intake of 1,000 mg per day for adults, and 1,200 mg for adults over 50, as per the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI).
Aside from these supplements, there is a landmark study called the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) that focuses on what people should eat. This plan, which is recommended by the American Heart Association and the National Cancer Institute, is composed of fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates and low-fat dairy products. It has less sodium, fat, cholesterol, and has a higher source of potassium, magnesium and calcium.
A vegetarian diet will also help in lowering your blood pressure and at the same time, get more nutrients from it. Some of the beneficial vegetables include celery, garlic, onion, tomato, broccoli and carrots. This is also the same with fiber, as it is known to be effective in the prevention and treatment of many diseases. For spices, fennel, oregano, basil and tarragon are also good as well.