YOUR WORLD-WIDE SOURCE FOR HEALTH AND FITNESS PRODUCTS
 |
WELSH HEALTH SYSTEMS |
 |
HOME : CONTACT : ABOUT WELSH HEALTH : PRIVACY POLICY : DISCLAIMER : FREE INFO
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
High blood pressure is common condition, especially in the developed world. It is exacerbated by stress, poor diet, excessive salt, alcohol and smoking and can reduce life expectancy. Apart from drugs, there are changes which can be made in die and lifestyle. Here we give information on the connection between sodium and blood pressure, and some tips to follow.
The real connection between salt and high blood pressure
Few people don't enjoy a salty snack: a pretzel, potato chips or crisps and salted peanuts. Who doesn't like a dash of salt on their fries or some salt on the plate during a meal. To most of us, salt is an essential seasoning used in most stages of cooking and food preparation. Most recipes require some salt as seasoning.
However, salt has been shown to be partially responsible for high blood pressure. If your blood pressure is high, is starting to climb gradually as you get older, you will be advised by your doctor to cut back on your salt intake as just one of the measures recommended to control your blood pressure. If you feel that you cannot do without salt, here are some tips to help you give it up, or at least reduce your intake.
1. Keep the saltshaker in the cupboard. If you use it for just about every meal, you will be less tempted if it is out of sight. If yo must have it, put just a small amount of salt in the bottom so that you have to go to the bother of refilling it again which may be just enough to put you off. At least for this meal or food item.
2. Use less salt in cooking. Use another seasoning if possible and if the salt is for leavening purposes, there are healthier alternatives which can be used. Check your cookbook. My parents always told me potatoes cooked with salt tasted terrible, so my potatoes always had lots of salt while boiling. When my blood pressure got really high I followed advice and tried cooking without it. It did not make the slightest bit of difference to the taste of my potatoes! This prompted my to drop it completely and I never missed it for a single day! So much for mum always being right.
3. Find substitutes for common salt. Salt is sodium chloride, and it is the sodium which causes the problem, not the chloride. I now use what is known as Lo-Salt. It contains a high proportion of potassium chloride as well as sodium chloride. I only ever use salt on my fries or chips these days, and it is always Lo-Salt. It is just as good as regular salt, as far as I am concerned. I also found that over time my craving for salt disappeared and I like potato chips (crisps in the UK) with no salt at all. Something I could never have contemplated a year ago!
TIPS ON HOW TO CONTROL YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE
This section gives suggestions for how to improve life with blood pressure troubles. It includes tips on how to make changes in your lifestyle to help your blood pressure and tips on how to reduce your intake of salt. They also include a general section of tips. Many are pretty obvious, but there are also not so obvious ones.
I feel that if you start cutting out the obvious tips, you can go too far. What is obvious to me may not be obvious to you, so I have put them all in, even if they are very basic. They are are mix of tips I have come across over the past year since suffering from high blood pressure, so there is a fair bit of repetition. However, I don't mind that because it is the most important which are repeated and repetition helps you to remember them. Don't forget, some of these tips could save or extend your life.
Tip 1:
Getting a regular blood pressure check is important as it could well save your life! High blood pressure can be a silent killer in that it can cause other problems such as kidney failure, heart attacks and strokes - sometimes without warning and with fatal results.
Tip 2:
Getting used to eating food that contains less salt might be difficult at first but if you consistently stick to your lower salt intake, over time, you should find that you actually quite like your food with less salt. Reducing salt intake can be achieved by never adding any salt to your cooking or to the food when it is at the table. If you can't bear to eat your food without any salt, don't salt whilst cooking and eating. (Use one or the other).
Tip 3:
Another way of reducing salt intake is to use a salt substitute. There are several available on the market. They contain less sodium chloride and are more potassium-rich. Sea salt, rock salt and natural salt are still sodium chloride so are not salt substitutes.
Tip 4:
Exercise, such as aerobic exercise, that makes a physical demand on the heart, strengthens the heart and helps reduce major known risk factors for coronary heart disease. It also lowers blood pressure, as well as lowering blood fat levels which helps prevent thrombosis.
Tip 5:
A classic text book blood pressure reading is normally about 120/80 mmHg. If you repeatedly feel faint and light headed during the day, it's probably a good idea to check with your doctor as to whether you are suffering with low blood pressure or not.
Tip 6:
Exercise is another factor in helping to combat high blood pressure.
Nowadays so many of us live such sedentary lifestyles, that we rarely get anywhere near the exercise we need. Exercise doesn't have to be strenuous and you don't have to join the gym.
Going for a brisk walk three times a week for thirty minutes improves the metabolism and helps reduce both excess weight and blood pressure.
Tip 7:
The higher your blood pressure, the higher your risk of heart disease and stroke, whatever your level is. This means that someone with a blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg is at greater risk than someone with a blood pressure of 110/70 mmHg. This is why it is so important for everyone to lead a healthy lifestyle to make sure that their blood pressure is as low and as healthy as it can be.
Lifestyle Changing tips:
Tip a:
Getting your blood pressure back to normal can be greatly helped by making changes to your lifestyle. Consider that prolonged blood pressure problems can kill you, making even the smallest of changes will be of great benefit. Concentrate on making the small changes.
For instance, if you are overweight, aim to lose just 10lbs. Losing just 10lbs can make a huge difference to your blood pressure.
Tip b:
Getting your blood pressure back to normal can be greatly helped by making changes to your lifestyle. Consider that prolonged blood pressure problems can kill you, making even the smallest of changes will be of great benefit. Concentrate on making the small changes.
For instance, just walk for 30 minutes a day. You can do it in one hit or even break it up in 5 minute chunks if that fits. If you work, you can even use some of your lunch break to walk. Don’t stroll, but you don’t have to walk briskly either, just walk 30 minutes more than what you already do.
Tip c:
Getting your blood pressure back to normal can be greatly helped by making changes to your lifestyle. Consider that prolonged blood pressure problems can kill you, making even the smallest of changes will be of great benefit. Concentrate on making the small changes.
For instance, follow a healthy eating plan that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy foods. Search for diet books on Amazon if you have to, or go back to the websites & books we have already recommended.
Tip d:
Getting your blood pressure back to normal can be greatly helped by making changes to your lifestyle. Consider that prolonged blood pressure problems can kill you, making even the smallest of changes will be of great benefit. Concentrate on making the small changes.
For instance, choose and prepare foods with less salt and sodium.
Tip e:
Getting your blood pressure back to normal can be greatly helped by making changes to your lifestyle. Consider that prolonged blood pressure problems can kill you, making even the smallest of changes will be of great benefit. Concentrate on making the small changes.
For instance, drink caffeine beverages in moderation. Limit the amount you drink in a day to maybe one or two drinks. Caffeine is bad for your long term concentration and can give you Alzheimer’s as well so there are other reasons to limit your intake too.
Tip f:
Getting your blood pressure back to normal can be greatly helped by making changes to your lifestyle. Consider that prolonged blood pressure problems can kill you, making even the smallest of changes will be of great benefit. Concentrate on making the small changes.
For instance, drink alcoholic beverages only in moderation. That means less than one unit per day.
Tip g:
Getting your blood pressure back to normal can be greatly helped by making changes to your lifestyle. Consider that prolonged blood pressure problems can kill you, making even the smallest of changes will be of great benefit. Concentrate on making the small changes.
For instance, smoke in moderation, or, better yet, quit.
Salt Reduction Tips:
Tips for reducing sodium in your diet:
Tip I:
Buy fresh, plain frozen, or canned "with no salt added" vegetables. Any kind of processed food will normally have more salt ( or Sodium ) than fresh food because they add salt as preservatives as well as for flavouring as part of the processing erm, well, process.
Tip II
Use herbs, spices, and salt-free seasoning blends in cooking and at the table. Herbs have other well documented health benefits without the risks that sodium ( salt ) have.
Tip III
Cook rice, pasta, and hot cereals without salt. Cut back on instant or flavoured rice, pasta, and cereal mixes, which usually have added salt.
Tip IV
You would want to avoid "convenience" foods, but if you have to, make sure to inspect the food labels and choose those that are lower in sodium. Cut back on frozen dinners, pizza, packaged mixes, canned soups or broths, and salad dressings - these often have a lot of sodium.
Tip V
Rinse canned foods, such as tuna, to remove some sodium. The manufacturing process ads salt to the food and by rinsing it you will at least remove some of the residue that has gathered on it while it’s been stored. Or better yet, use fresh poultry, fish, and lean meat, rather than canned or processed types.
Tip VI
When available, buy low- or reduced-sodium, or no-salt-added versions of foods.
Tip VII
Choose ready-to-eat breakfast cereals that are lower in sodium.
If you have not already registered for this newsletter, please do so here:
Please use the search box below to seek any other topics on this website, our sister website or Google
RETURN TO MAIN PAGE