Anyone, regardless of age, sex, race, or heredity, can lower his or her risk of developing high blood pressure
or lower existing high blood pressure by taking the steps described here. Maintain a healthy weight. As your body weight increases, your blood pressure rises. In fact, being overweight can make you two to six times more likely to develop high blood pressure than if you maintain a desirable weight. It’s not just how much you weigh that is important; it also matters where your body stores excess fat. Your body shape is inherited from your parents, just like the color of your eyes and hair. Some people tend to store fat around their waists, while others store fat around the hips and thighs. “Apple-shaped” people who store extra fat at the waist appear to have higher health risks than “pear-shaped” people who store fat around the hips and thighs.
No matter where your extra weight is located, you can reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure by losing weight. Even a small weight loss can make a big difference. And if you are overweight and already have high blood pressure, losing weight can help you lower your blood pressure. To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. But don’t try to lose weight too quickly. The healthiest way to lose weight and keep it off is to do it gradually, by losing about a pound a week. By taking in 500 calories less per day and being more physically active, you should be able to lose about a pound (which equals 3,500 calories) a week. Losing weight and keeping it off involves making permanent lifestyle changes. Here’s how to eat healthfully and lose weight:
• Choose foods that are low in calories, sugar, and fat. Naturally, choosing lowcalorie foods cuts calories. But choosing foods low in fat also can cut calories. Fat is a concentrated source of calories, so eating fewer fatty foods will help reduce your calorie intake. Cutting back on butter, margarine, fatty salad dressings, fatty meats, skin on poultry, full-fat dairy products such as milk and cheese, fried foods, and sweets will also improve your cholesterol profile.
• Choose foods that are high in fiber. These include fruits; vegetables; wholegrain foods such as cereal, pasta, and bread; and dried peas and beans. Foods high in fiber are excellent substitutes for foods high in fat. The former are lower in calories and are a good source of essential vitamins and minerals.
• Limit serving sizes. When trying to lose weight, it’s not just the types of foods you eat, but how much you eat. To take in fewer calories, you need to limit your portion sizes. Try especially to take smaller helpings of high-calorie foods such as fatty meats and cheeses. And try not to go back for seconds. Today many restaurants take pride in serving large portions of food. This does not mean that you have to clean your plate. Choose the doggy-bag option; eat only half of what you are served and take the rest home for an excellent “free meal” the next day.
• Keep track of what you eat, when you eat, and why you eat. Write it down. Note whether you snack on high-calorie foods while watching television or if you skip breakfast and then eat a large lunch. Once you clearly see your eating habits, you can set goals for yourself—for example, cutting back on TV snacks or, when you do snack, having fresh fruit, low-fat or air-popped popcorn, or vegetables such as carrots and celery. If there’s no time to eat breakfast at home, take fruit, a bagel (skip the cream cheese), or whole-grain cereal with you to eat at work. Changing your eating habits will help you change your weight. Exercise regularly. Another way to lose weight and control blood pressure is through regular physical activity. Cutting down on fat and calories combined with regular exercise can help you lose more weight and keep it off longer than with either diet or exercise alone. Aerobic exercise provides added benefits. It helps improve the fitness of your heart, blood vessels, and lungs, which, in turn, protects you against heart disease. Activities such as stair climbing, bicycling, swimming, brisk walking, running, and jumping rope are called “aerobic,” which means that the body uses oxygen to make the energy it needs during the activity. Aerobic activities provide health benefits if done at the right intensity for at least 20 to 30 minutes, three to four times per week. If you think you don’t have time to exercise, try to exercise for two 15-minute periods or even three 10-minute periods during your day. You will still gain health benefits.
You need to see your doctor before starting an exercise program if you:
• have a health problem such as high blood pressure
• have angina (chest pain)
• tend to feel dizzy or faint
• have difficulty breathing after a mild workout
• are middle-aged or older and have not been active
• are planning a vigorous exercise program Otherwise, get up off the couch, get out, get active, and get fit.
Choose foods that are lower in salt. Most Americans take in more salt (sodium) than they need, which may help explain why the United States has higher rates of high blood pressure than countries where people eat less salt. Salt attracts water. Normally, if you have eaten too much salt, your kidneys eliminate the excess salt from your body along with a certain amount of water. But if your kidneys cannot get rid of the extra salt, your body retains the water that clings to the salt, which raises blood volume and, in some people, blood pressure. Certain people appear to be salt-sensitive, which means that their blood pressure goes up when they eat salt. Researchers think that about half of all people with high blood pressure are salt-sensitive and that as many as 70 to 80 percent of blacks are salt-sensitive. Other groups that seem to have a high incidence of salt sensitivity are older people, people who have diabetes, and people who are overweight. There is a good chance that if you are a member of one or more of these groups, decreasing your salt intake would be beneficial to your health. Research suggests that the average person needs only about 200 milligrams of sodium per day. Doctors recommend that people with high blood pressure take in no more than about 6 grams of salt per day, which equals about 2,400 milligrams of sodium, or about 1 teaspoon of table salt. A teaspoon of salt may seem like a lot to you, but remember that this refers to total salt intake for a day. This includes salt in processed and prepared foods, salt added during cooking, and salt sprinkled on food at the table. Americans eat an average of 4,000 to 6,000 milligrams of sodium each day, so many people could probably benefit from cutting back on their salt intake. The key to cutting back on salt is in teaching your taste buds to enjoy less salty foods. Here are a few tips for cutting back on salt:
• Check food labels for the amount of salt in the foods you buy. Choose foods that are low in sodium. Look for labels that say “sodium-free,” “very low in sodium,” “low sodium,” “light in sodium,” “reduced sodium,” “less sodium,” or “unsalted.” Then check the label for the amount of sodium per serving.
• Choose fresh or frozen vegetables, or canned vegetables labeled “no salt added.” Choose fresh poultry, fish, and lean meat rather than canned, cured, smoked, or processed varieties.
• Use herbs, spices, salt-free seasoning blends, and lemon juice instead of salt to add flavor to your food.
• Cook rice, pasta, and hot cereals without salt. Avoid using instant or flavored rice, pasta, and cereal mixes because they usually have added salt.
• Choose “convenience” foods that are low in sodium. Cut back on frozen dinners, packaged dinners such as macaroni and cheese, packaged mixes, canned soups or broths, and salad dressings, which often contain large amounts of sodium.
• Buy low-sodium, reduced-sodium, or no-salt-added versions of canned soups, dried soup mixes, or bouillon; canned vegetables and vegetable juices; low-fat cheeses; margarine; condiments such as ketchup or soy sauce; crackers and baked goods; processed lean meats; and snack foods such as chips, pretzels, and nuts.
• Rinse canned foods, such as tuna, to remove excess sodium. Drink alcoholic beverages only in moderation. Drinking too much alcohol can lead to the development of high blood pressure. To prevent high blood pressure, or if you already have high blood pressure, limit yourself to no more than two drinks per day. A drink is defined as 11⁄2 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits, 5 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer (regular or “lite”). Do not use tobacco. Although it is not a direct cause of high blood pressure, smoking puts you at risk of developing the disease. The chemicals in tobacco smoke can damage the artery walls, making them more susceptible to plaque formation. Plaques narrow the arteries and interfere with blood flow to the heart,
brain, and other organs and tissues. Blood clots can form on the rough surface of a plaque. A blood clot or plaque can block an artery, causing a heart attack or a stroke. The nicotine in tobacco is a powerful stimulant that causes the heart rate to increase, the arteries to constrict, and blood pressure to rise. Smoking also affects cholesterol levels in the blood: it can increase LDL (“bad” cholesterol) levels and decrease HDL (“good” cholesterol) levels. All of these tobacco induced effects can contribute to the development of high blood pressure. Although it is sometimes promoted as a smoke-free alternative to cigarettes and cigars, smokeless tobacco also puts you at risk of developing high blood pressure. The nicotine, sodium, and licorice contained in smokeless tobacco products all can raise blood pressure. Considering these health risks, it makes sense to give up your tobacco habit now. Here are some other factors that may help prevent high blood pressure:
• Potassium. A certain amount of potassium is essential for proper body function. Eating foods rich in potassium may help protect some people from developing high blood pressure. Many people get enough potassium from eating fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and fish, so potassium supplements are rarely needed. Too much potassium can disturb your heart rhythm.
• Calcium. People with low calcium intake have higher rates of high blood pressure. It is best to get the calcium you need 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams per day for adult men from the foods you eat. Low-fat and nonfat dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese are excellent sources of calcium. It has not been proven that taking calcium supplements helps prevent high blood pressure.
• Magnesium. A diet low in magnesium may make your blood pressure rise. However, doctors do not recommend taking magnesium supplements to help prevent high blood pressure. The amount of magnesium you get in a healthy diet is enough. Magnesium is found in whole grains; green, leafy vegetables; nuts; seeds; and dried peas and beans.
• Fish oils. A type of fat called omega-3 fatty acids is found in fatty fish such as mackerel and salmon. Evidence suggests that eating fish at least twice a week can help reduce high blood pressure. Talk to your doctor if you are considering taking fish oil supplements. Most fish, if not fried or prepared with added
fat, are low in saturated fat and calories and are a good source of essential nutrients.
• Fats, carbohydrates, and protein. Varying the amount and type of fats, carbohydrates, and protein in the diet has little if any effect on blood pressure. But for overall heart health, it is crucial to limit the amount of fat in your diet, especially the saturated fat found in foods such as fatty meats and full-fat dairy products. Saturated fats raise your blood cholesterol level, and a high cholesterol level is another risk factor for heart disease. Foods high in fat are usually also high in calories. Foods high in complex carbohydrates (starch and fiber) are often low in fat and calories so eat these foods in moderate amounts instead of eating high-fat foods. Always check food labels.
• Caffeine. The caffeine found in coffee, tea, and colas may cause blood pressure to rise, but only temporarily. In a short time your blood pressure will return to its previous level. Unless you are sensitive to caffeine, you do not have to limit caffeine intake to prevent high blood pressure.
• Garlic and onions. Increased amounts of garlic and onions have not been found to affect blood pressure. Of course, they are rich in antioxidants and are tasty substitutes for salty seasonings.
• Stress management. Stress can make blood pressure go up for a while and over time may contribute to high blood pressure. Stress management techniques such as biofeedback, meditation, and relaxation can help you to deal positively with the stress-producing events in your life, and may help you control your blood pressure.
