High blood pressure (referred to medically as hypertension) affects approximately 73 million Americans over the age of 20. Although 90-95% of these cases have no known cause, there are effective and natural ways to control blood pressure.
One of the first actions of treatment a doctor will recommend for high blood pressure is a change in diet. So what is considered high blood pressure and what foods should you eat if you have it? Keep reading to find out.
Blood Pressure
As you can probably derive from the phrase “blood pressure”, high blood pressure occurs when the force exerted by the blood on the inside of blood vessels is above healthy levels. Blood pressure is a ratio of two numbers: systolic pressure and diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure is the force exerted by the blood when the heart is contracting while diastolic pressure is the force exerted by blood when the heart is relaxed.
The Basics of Hypertension
Normal blood pressure is considered 120/80 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury, a unit of pressure).
- Stage 1 Hypertension is classified as anything within the following range: 140-159/90-99.
- Stage 2 Hypertension is considered anything above 160/100.
Unregulated hypertension causes the heart to work harder in order to efficiently pump blood throughout the circulatory system. This causes arteries to harden, a condition known as artherosclerosis, which can result in heart failure and numerous other complications.
The DASH Eating Plan
Scientists supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recently developed a diet plan shown to effectively lower high blood pressure. The DASH (or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) plan is based on a diet low in cholesterol, saturated fat, and total fat.
It encourages eating more fruits, vegetables, and fat-free or low-fat milk products in addition to whole grains and low-fat protein sources like fish, poultry, and nuts. The DASH plan also emphasizes getting high amounts of minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium and low amounts of salt: all of which discourage the water retention which can contribute to hypertension.
Daily nutrient goals for the DASH plan (when on a 2,100 calorie/day diet) are broken up as follows:
- Total Fat: 27% of calories
- Saturated Fat: 6% of calories
- Protein: 18% of calories
- Carbohydrates: 55% of calories
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
- Fiber: 30 g
- Sodium: 1500 mg
- Potassium: 4700 mg
- Magnesium: 500 mg
- Calcium: 1250 mg
Foods for Hypertension
So how can you be sure to get all these nutrients (especially the huge amounts of potassium, magnesium and calcium)? Try to eat foods that can deliver more bang for your buck:
- Spinach: high in potassium, calcium, and fiber
- Yogurt: high in potassium and calcium, fair source of protein
- Whole wheat bread: lots of magnesium and fiber
- Broccoli: good source of fiber, magnesium, and calcium
- Dry peas and beans: more potassium and fiber
- Mackerel: high in magnesium, calcium, and protein
A healthy diet isn’t just good for lowering blood pressure; it also helps maintain weight and ward off a plethora of other diseases. The internet is chock-full of healthy and delicious recipes to help you incorporate these foods into your diet. So get surfing for healthier blood pressure!
Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/dash-diet
http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/
http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/blood-pressure-basics
