EASY THINGS TO DO TO LOWER YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE
"Your good health depends on what you eat and drink!"
The health of the Nation continues to improve overall, in part because of the significant resources devoted to public health programs, research, health care, and health education. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), as of April 19, 2006 -- U.S. life expectancy continues to rise, reaching a new record in 2004, Babies Born in 2004 Have Life Expectancy of 77.9 Years. The sharp decline in deaths from cardiovascular disease, we now enjoy, is a major public health achievement that resulted in large part from public education campaigns emphasizing a healthy lifestyle and increased use of cholesterol and hypertension-lowering medications.
And although life expectancy in the United States continues to show a long-term upward trend, the most dramatic increases have already been achieved in the early part of the 20th century. However, we can still expect increases of a smaller gains throughout this decade and those to follow.
Of particular concern in recent years has been the increase in overweight and obesity, which are risk factors for many chronic diseases and disabilities including heart disease, hypertension, and back pain. The rising number of children and adolescents who are overweight, and the high percentage of Americans who are not physically active raise additional concerns about Americans’ future health.
(Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Health, United States, 2005 With Chartbook on Trends in the Health of Americans Hyattsville, Maryland: 2005)
HBP Is A Serious, Growing Problem
In spite of many great medical advances, high blood pressure-related medical health issues are growing at an alarming rate... especially when you consider that we can prevent and effective control the health problems associated with high blood pressure. Here are the alarming facts:
- Hypertension killed over 49,707 Americans in 2002. It was listed as a primary or contributing cause of death in about 261,000 U.S. deaths in 2002.
- As many as 65 million Americans age 6 and older have high blood pressure.
- One in three U.S. adults has high blood pressure.
- (30%) Thirty percent of people with high blood pressure don't know they have it.
- Of all people with high blood pressure, 11 percent aren't on therapy (special diet or drugs), 25 percent are on inadequate therapy, and 34 percent are on adequate therapy.
The cause of 90–95 percent of the cases of high blood pressure isn't known; however, high blood pressure is easily detected and usually controllable.
For the elderly and many ethnic groups, the numbers are even more alarming. In 2002 the death rates per 100,000 population from high blood pressure were 14.4 for white males, 49.6 for black males, 13.7 for white females and 40.5 for black females.
(Source: American Heart Association)
The following are the latest estimates of prevalence for these conditions.
- High blood pressure (HBP)—65,000,000.
(Defined as systolic pressure 140 mm Hg or greater and/or diastolic
pressure 90 mm Hg or greater, taking antihypertensive medication or being told at least twice by a physician or other health professional that you have high blood
pressure.) - Coronary heart disease (CHD)—13,200,000.
- Myocardial infarction (MI, or heart attack) — 7,200,000.
- Angina pectoris (AP, or chest pain)—6,500,000.
- Heart failure (HF)—5,000,000.
- Stroke—5,500,000.
HIGH SALT IN-TAKE IS A BIG PROBLEM
We eat TOO much processed foods and these contain very high amounts of sodium. On average, the higher an individual’s salt (sodium chloride) intake, the higher an individual’s blood pressure. Nearly all Americans consume substantially more salt than they need. Decreasing salt intake is advisable to reduce the risk of elevated blood pressure. Keeping blood pressure in
the normal range reduces an individual’s risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and kidney disease. (Source: Health Dietary Guidelines
Key Recommendations
- Consume less than 2,300 mg (approximately 1 tsp of
salt) of sodium per day. - Choose and prepare foods with little salt. At the same
time, consume potassiumrich foods, such as fruits and
vegetables.
Key Recommendations for Specific Population Groups - Individuals with hypertension, blacks, and middleaged
and older adults. Aim to consume no more than 1,500
mg of sodium per day, and meet the potassium recommendation
(4,700 mg/day) with food.
And I would add... Drink Goji Juice - an all natural high nutrient juice from the Himalayans that has wonderful health benefits for helping you keep your blood pressure properly regulated. Learn more by visiting Juice 4 Healing
It is important to read the food label and determine the sodium content of
food, which can vary by several hundreds of milligrams
in similar foods. For example, the sodium content in
regular tomato soup may be 700 mg per cup in one brand
and 1,100 mg per cup in another brand.
Sources of Dietary Sodium
The relative amounts of dietary sodium in the American diet.
- 77% Food Processing
- 12% Naturally Occurring
- 6% At the Table
- 5% During Cooking
"Lifestyle changes can
prevent or delay the onset of high blood
pressure and can lower elevated blood pressure."
Reducing salt intake is one of several ways that people
may lower their blood pressure.
Another dietary measure to lower blood pressure is to
consume a diet rich in potassium. A potassiumrich
diet also blunts the effects of salt on blood pressure , may
reduce the risk of developing kidney stones, and possibly
decrease bone loss with age.
Potassium rich fruits and vegetables include leafy green vegetables,
fruit from vines, and root vegetables.
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EAT MORE FRUIT... CUT down on chips, pretzels, frozen pizza, & canned soups
& canned/bottled tomato juices. NOTE: Eating raw tomates and using tomato sauce is good.
(Source: Dietary Guidelies: Sodium and Potassium)
Get D*A*S*H into your eating lifestyle. More tomorrow on how to be a DASHER.
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