Diet for High Blood Pressure

Posted on December 13, 2007 in Latest News

Hypertension, commonly referred to as “high blood pressure” or HTN, is a medical condition in which the blood pressure is chronically elevated. Hypertension is considered to be present when a person’s systolic blood pressure is consistently 140 mmHg or greater, and/or their diastolic blood pressure is consistently 90 mmHg or greater.

Approximately 60% of the essential hypertension population is responsive to sodium intake. This is due to the fact that increasing amounts of salt in a person’s bloodstream causes the body to draw more water, increasing the pressure on the blood vessel walls.

Diet tips

A patient suffering from high blood pressure should be very careful about the dietary intake. Here are some tips which have been proven by experts to work.

First and foremost, follow a low-sodium diet. “Low sodium” means the food has 140 milligrams or less of sodium per serving. Sodium is one of two minerals that make up salt (the other is chloride). One teaspoon of salt contains a whopping 2,300 milligrams of sodium and emdash; an entire day’s supply! But sodium is also “hidden” in the diet in other foods, mainly processed and packaged foods. Those following a low-sodium diet should read food labels for the quantity of sodium content in foods.

Avoid taking the following herbal supplements as they may increase blood pressure: ephedra, ginseng, licorice and feverfew On the other hand, garlic and flax seed have shown some effects in lowering high blood pressure.

Potassium, as well as calcium, plays an important role in regulating high blood pressure. Bananas, beans, tofu and potatoes are all rich sources of potassium. Try baking, roasting or steaming when cooking vegetables. Avoid boiling as potassium leaches out into the water during cooking. As for calcium, an average adult needs at least 1000mg of calcium daily.

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