If you are diagnosed with hypertension
or high blood pressure- it is one of the first signs of heart disease- your
doctor will advice you on how to manage it, whether through lifestyle changes,
such as watching your diet or starting an exercise, and/or medications. High
blood pressure (HBP), left untreated, can damage your arteries and lead to
serious complications like heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, amongst other
complications. You have HBP if your blood pressure reading is persistently 140/90 mm Hg or higher.
There are many risk factors for high blood pressure, such as family history and
age, which cannot be controlled. However, many other factors can be modified,
for example, you can change your food choices, for instance foods high in
sodium throw balance of water in your body into disarray, which strains your
blood vessels and causes a spike in blood pressure. So these are foods you
should avoid with hypertension to keep your heart healthy and lower your risk
of serious health complications.
Often with hypertension,
keeping track of what to eat and what to avoid can be tricky. To help you get
started, we are listing some foods you should be cautious of or completely
avoid to reduce hypertension:
Salt- Undeniably, salt is the number
one food to avoid with hypertension as it increases the amount of fluid in the
blood, which raises blood pressure. Salt is the easiest way to increase the
flavor of any dish, thus can be difficult to avoid. Instead of salt, season your
food with flavorful, salt-free herbs and spices. Also, it can be difficult to
tell if foods have a lot of salt in them. According to the American Heart
Association, people with hypertension should reduce their salt intake to 1,500
mg a day (less than half a teaspoon). Steer clear of canned foods and soups as
they are high in sodium. Processed meats (bacon, ham, luncheon meat) and frozen
dinners are as well a big NO.
Sugar- Anyone with HBP would do
well to watch their sugar intake. Studies have established connection between excessive
sugar consumption and increased blood pressure. It is equally important that
you avoid added sugar, start off by avoiding canned fruit in syrup and soft
drinks. Aim to keep your sugar consumption at a minimum. See a drastic drop in
high blood pressure readings by reducing added sugar intake just by 2.3
teaspoons.
Caffeine and Energy Drinks-
Caffeine from any source like coffee, tea, energy drinks, sodas, can cause the
blood vessels to constrict, which can raise blood pressure. If you have high
blood pressure, decaf, caffeine-free teas are a good alternative to caffeine.
It’s advisable that you read the label to review the caffeine information prior
to consuming any beverage that isn’t 100 percent water. Do not jump at energy
drinks without caffeine, as some of them might be loaded with sugar. Better you
exercise regularly to boost your energy levels, which is good for your overall
health (including heart health) too.
Alcohol- According to a recent
research, consuming 7-13 alcoholic beverages a week can substantially raise
your risk of high blood pressure. It is believed that alcohol in this amount
may stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, which raises cortisol levels and
creates an imbalance in the vascular inflammatory system. According to the American
Heart Association, people with hypertension should avoid excessive alcohol
consumption, and one should limit to two drinks per day or fewer even if they
drink. Alcohol of any kind might as well interact with heart medications you
take.
Pizza- There’s no two ways about
pizza being a quick-fix solution to satiating hunger pangs. You might be
surprised by the amount of salt that a pizza contains, one medium-sized pizza may
contain nearly 3,500 milligrams of sodium, which is more than double the AHA’s recommended
allowance of 1,500 milligrams per day. If you are craving for pizza, instead of
ordering delivery, just make your own heart-healthy pizza using flatbread and
one serving each of canned pizza sauce, turkey pepperoni, and , part-skim
mozzarella.
Some other foods to avoid with
high blood pressure include potato chips, pretzels and other salty snacks;
bologna, salami and other lunch meats; regular canned vegetables, including
beans; high-fat foods; pickled foods; restaurant meals since more than 70 percent
of people’s sodium intake comes from foods eating outside of the home; bacon
and deli meat, etc.
By keeping your blood pressure
in check, you can keep heart disease at bay, and hence will lower your risk of
cardiac emergencies like a cardiac arrest or heart attack.
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