Good Diet For Hypertension


This article will furnish you comprehensive Dietary Advice For Prehypertensive and Hypertensive Blood Pressure Levels. Here you will find Diet Tips To Reduce Blood Pressure 



Diet For High Blood Pressure and Hypertension, Relation Between Diet and Blood Pressure



If you have Bad eating habits then it contributes significantly to unhealthily high blood pressure levels, even in middle age, when blood pressure levels typically rise as part of the aging process.



Whether or not you are taking antihypertensive drugs, the need to make dietary improvements (eg. follow a healthy low-fat diet) is frequently at the top of a doctor’s list of recommendations to reduce or prevent the onset of high blood pressure.



Before outlining the best type of diet for hypertension, let’s take a brief look at health consequences of raised blood pressure.



Hazards of Hypertension & High Blood Pressure

In under developed as well as developed countries, an estimated 20-40 percent of all adults suffer from persistent high blood pressure.



High blood pressure puts a strain on the heart causing atherosclerosis(Thickenning of vessels). Result is damage to heart, Coronary artery disease, Kidney failure, Strok, Eye damage. Choice is yours, try to save these vital organs by controlling your BP.



Remember Hypertension is a silent Killer, it shows its effects silently and when you come to know that you have BP, by that time hypertension often affects your vital organs.



Normal Blood Pressure Levels vs. Prehypertensive and Hypertensive



Normal blood pressure of an healthy adult at rest, is 120 (systolic) over 80 (diastolic) or less. Blood pressure levels greater than 120/80 and below 140/90 are at prehypertensive stage, while levels above 140/90 are considered hypertensive stage.



Both prehypertensive and hypertensive subjects should make diet, exercise and lifestyle changes to reduce or prevent the onset of hypertension and reduce the risk of heart disease.



Weight increases blood Pressure

Over weight persons will be having high blood pressure. Weight reduction significantly decreases blood pressure.People with obesity double their risk of developing the disorder. In addition, roughly 7 out of 10 obese adults suffer from high blood pressure. If you lose even 10 pounds can produce noticeable improvements.



Dietary Advice and Tips For High Blood Pressure

If you have high blood pressure and not overweight, here are few tips to control your BP.



Choose A Healthy Balanced Diet

If you want to reduce your blood pressure, your diet should be rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods, while low in saturated and trans-fats. It should also be low in cholesterol, high in fiber, calcium,potassium and magnesium, and moderately high in protein.



The American Heart Association and U.S. government recommend the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet as a good diet guide to reduce blood pressure.



First thing is to Reduce Your Intake of Sodium (Salt)



How salt intake increases blood pressure. Eating too much salt or sodium-rich foods leads to a greater uptake of fluid and causes greater retension of water inside body, leads to volume overloard and High blood presure.



It also places extra strain on the arterioles (blood vessels that dilate/constrict to regulate blood pressure and blood flow). Both these effects lead to higher blood pressure. The Recoomended daily dose for sodium for most people is 2,400 mg. 



You can Reduce Sodium Intake



How can you decrease sodium intake? Eat less pre-cooked or processed food, and eat more fresh food. Sodium is found naturally in fresh foods like grains, fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts, and dairy products, but in much lower quantities than in processed foods (eg. packet, bottled or canned food).