HEALTH ................ UNDER PRESSURE
If your blood pressure consistently starts to
hit the roof, check if you have hypertension. Hypertension is when an
individual suffers from consistent high blood pressure; even when he's resting.
While hypertension on its own doesn't necessarily produce symptoms, this
condition could lead to a number of related health problems over time to
include heart diseases and stroke. So, while you may still need to sort this
condition out medically, you'd be surprised at how effectively hypertension can
be dealt with nutritionally.
So many conditions -ranging from diabetes and
obesity to heart diseases -can be managed and even cured by the food we eat.
While a balanced diet works to ensure that your overall health is well managed,
for hypertension, you have to take extra care. In other words, it's time to get
hyper about the following:
REDUCING
SODIUM
Sodium, or salt, increases blood pressure. If
you have been diagnosed with hypertension, cut down on your salt intake. And
it's not just the obvious addition of salt to your daily cooking.Even packaged
and processed foods come with their own sodium content. Read the nutritional
label to en sure that the intake is permissible.Sometimes, sodium content can
mask itself in the form of com pounds like sodium benzoate (a commonly used
food preservative). Check if any ingredient has the word `sodium' before it, and
avoid those. To manage hyper tension, the recommended sodium intake per day
should not exceed 1,500 mg or 1.5 gm, which is about half a teaspoon. You may
also need to watch out for high-sugar beverages and foods, which impact your
blood pressure as well.
POTASSIUM
AND MAGNESIUM
Where there is low sodium, there is also high
potassium and magnesium. Potassium is actually present in tiny quantities in
certain fruits and vegetables. Your body only needs these small quantities, and
introducing foods with potassium will help reduce hypertension. Fruits and
vegetables are excellent sources of potassium and magnesium. Bananas,
muskmelon, plums and peaches are a superb source of potassium; plus, they are
cheap and easy to carry around for a healthy mid-day snack. Potatoes are high
in magnesium and potassium.Leafy vegetables also help manage hypertension
beautifully.
WHOLE
GRAINS
In addition to the above, eat more whole grains,
fat-free or low-fat dairy products, poultry, beans, nuts, seeds, fish and veg
etable oils. I would also recommend a glass of raw vegetable juice (juice of
three or more types of vegetables) blended coarsely in a blender, not a juicer.
Drink up immediately once a day to pave the way for good health.
FRESH
FOOD
Buy fresh foods, chuck canned food, eat at home
rather than dining out, and you may soon reach a day when your hypertension
just disap pears! Cutting down on processed foods, snacks and fast food in gen
eral is essential. Watch out for canned goods and cured meats too; they could
have high sodium con tent because of the way they are preserved or prepared.
And word to the wise: if you are going all out on salads, try and avoid salad
dressings that are high in fat and sodium.
This could be a setback for your sodium
management.
Dietary approaches to manage hypertension are
highly recommended because of how easily accessible these foods are. A healthy,
balanced diet will also help you be in better shape.
by Pooja
Makhija Consulting Nutritionist & Clinical Dietician
TL5APR15
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