Pressure Point
My husband and I have an ongoing dispute about salt – I say that a little goes a long way; he considers it a food group. The difference of opinion isn’t really about salt per se. It’s about salt’s impact on blood pressure.
High blood pressure has become a serious health risk – so serious that it’s been dubbed “the silent killer.” If your systolic blood pressure (the top number, which measures the pressure of blood against artery walls when the heart contracts) is at or above 140 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), or your diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number, which measures the pressure against artery walls when the heart relaxes between beats) is at or above 90 mm Hg, it’s time to make some changes.
Walk Away From Hypertension
Nothing beats a healthy lifestyle for keeping blood pressure in check. That means eating a diet rich in whole foods. Experts also stress the importance of exercising and maintaining a healthy weight. In one analysis of more than 20 clinical trials by investigators at Tulane University, people with normal blood pressure who increased their amount of aerobic exercise lowered their systolic blood pressure by more than 4 mm Hg. An earlier study revealed that overweight participants who lost up to 8 pounds lowered their systolic levels, too.
These studies suggest that if we could just lower the average systolic blood pressure among Americans by 5 mm Hg, we’d see a 14 percent drop in deaths from stroke, a 9 percent drop in heart disease deaths, and a 7 percent drop in overall mortality. In fact, a reduction as small as 2 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure could save more than 70,000 lives per year!
Here’s the best part: you don’t need to sign up for a spinning class or start training for a marathon to see these results. All you have to do is walk for 30 minutes or more most days of the week. You can even break it up if you don’t have the time or stamina to make it for the whole 30 minutes. Try walking for 10 minutes three times a day instead. Just don’t meander – try to walk as briskly as you can to get your heart pumping.
The Salt Debate
So what about salt? Is it really the big bad boogie man? Well, yes and no. We need salt to help our bodies regulate fluid levels – but too much can contribute to high blood pressure and heart disease. According to the National Institutes of Health, you shouldn’t consume more than 2,300 mg, or about one teaspoon, of salt per day. But 95 percent of American men and 75 percent of women exceed that amount, often eating a heart-stopping 4,000 to 6,000 mg daily.
Processed foods pack the biggest sodium punch, so cut back by going natural and filling your plate with fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, nuts and lean meats. If you must use canned and packaged foods, read the nutritional label and choose only items that contain 5 percent (115 mg) or less of the maximum daily recommended intake per serving.
Want flavorful foods without added salt? Hit the spice aisle the next time you’re at the supermarket. Along with blends designed to perk up food without salt, there are a number of individual herbs and spices that work well with specific foods. Meat and poultry benefit from basil, marjoram, onion, oregano or thyme. Fish becomes special with the addition of dill, lemon or Cajun seasoning. Beans benefit from cinnamon, cloves, cumin or nutmeg. And give vegetables some extra zing with curry powder, garlic, lemon, rosemary or sage.
The Promise of Potassium
Along with banishing the salt shaker, eating adequate amounts of potassium can also help keep blood pressure in check. The problem is, Americans’ average potassium intake is shockingly low – barely one-third of the currently recommended 4,700 mg a day.
So how do we boost our potassium intake? One major food company wants you to start stocking your fridge with their new yogurt-based SuperShots with Potassium. Their promise – each 3.3-ounce shot provides a convenient way to add 350 mg of potassium to your diet. Easy, yes. Cheap? Not so much. Each shot costs about a dollar – ounce-for-ounce more than a Starbuck’s latt? – and only provides 7 percent of the recommended daily amount.
Instead of shelling out your hard-earned cash on the newest supermarket gimmick, reach for a potassium-rich banana. Other foods that can help you meet your potassium intake include apricots, cantaloupe, oranges, raisins, cabbage, potatoes, spinach and tomatoes.
The best way to increase your potassium levels is to eat several pieces of fruit, as well as liberal amounts of vegetables every day. The amount of potassium found in a healthy diet ranges from about 2.5 grams to about 5.8 grams per day. But, if your doctor discovers that you’re severely deficient, ask about potassium supplements.
The amount allowed in supplements – 99 mg per tablet or capsule – is very low, considering that one banana can contain 500 mg. Don’t try to raise your potassium levels by taking large numbers of potassium pills, since this concentrated form of potassium can irritate the stomach. One or two, taken with food, each day should supplement a healthy diet – not replace the fruits and vegetables you should be eating.
One Last Thing …
The reason high blood pressure is often referred to as the silent killer is because many people don’t realize they suffer from it until they have a stroke or a heart attack. Although no one dies from high blood pressure itself, the health issues it contributes to – stroke, heart attack, and heart and kidney failure – kill hundreds of thousands of people each year.
Along with cleaning up your diet and starting a regular exercise program, other lifestyle changes – like smoking cessation, limiting the amount of alcohol you drink, and getting a handle on stress – can make a huge difference. That’s especially true for people with borderline to moderate high blood pressure, which constitutes the vast majority of cases. In fact, more than 160 studies comparing drug and non-drug therapies in the treatment of borderline to mild hypertension showed more favorable outcomes for the non-drug treatments, which included diet, exercise and stress-reduction techniques.
Relaxation techniques benefit the body, so be mindful of your breathing and its relationship to stress. Yogic breathing or belly breathing that employs your diaphragm can improve blood pressure. Conversely, shallow or chest breathing can lead to sodium retention in the body and raise blood pressure. Meditation, restorative yoga and the gentle art of saying no can all be therapeutic for your heart and spirit. The incidence of high blood pressure is indeed sobering, but the opportunity for healing can be empowering.
This Just in …
If you’re one of the 20.7 million adults suffering from osteoarthritis (OA), you’ve probably tried numerous remedies to alleviate the joint pain and stiffness. While the go-to drug of choice among doctors is acetaminophen, there is a safer and more natural approach.
A recent meta-analysis of three clinical trials shows that rosehip – the fruit of the rose plant, which has potent anti-inflammatory properties – may help reduce the pain of OA. The randomized, placebo-controlled trials included 287 participants, the majority of whom were women suffering from OA of the knee. All of the patients who took the rosehip supplement reported significantly less pain than those taking the placebo. In one of the studies, the relief was so pronounced that the rosehip group was able to reduce or eliminate the amount of acetaminophen they took.
If you want to give rose hips a try, look for a standardized supplement that offers 500 mg of rose hips. Because each of the studies used relatively high amounts of rose hips, you can safely take up to 5 capsules per day. But be patient, since it can take up to four months to experience less pain and stiffness.
For a Free Subscription: Click HereReferences:Barnes VA, Pendergrast RA, Harshfield GA, et al. “Impact of breathing awareness meditation on ambulatory blood pressure and sodium handling in prehypertensive African American adolescents.” Ethnicity & Disease. 2008;18:1-5.Christensen R, Bartels EM, Altman RD, et al. “Does the hip powder of Rosa canina (rosehip) reduce pain in osteoarthritis patients? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. 2008;16:965-972.Rosas M, Pastelín G, Lomelí C, et al. “Therapeutic clinical approach for the elderly patient with hypertension: recommendations for clinical practice.” Archivos de Cardiologia de Mexico. 2008; 78: Suppl 2:S2-94-97.Whelton SP, Chin A, Xin X, et al. “Effect of aerobic exercise on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials.” Annals of Internal Medicine. 2002;136:493-503.http://www.healthier-you.com/advanced-natural-medicine
