A complete guide to lowering blood pressure with diet and lifestyle changes

World Hypertension Day 2021: A diet low in sodium helps control blood pressure

High blood pressure or high blood pressure is due to the strong force that blood exerts on the arterial wall. For some time, uncontrolled hypertension is some of the kidneys (chronic kidney disease, nephropathy), heart (risk of cardiovascular disease), eyes (retinopathy), brain (stoke), nerves (neuropathy), etc. Pregnancy (pregnancy-induced hypertension), which can harm the organs of the kidneys.

World Hypertension Day 2021: Here’s what you need to do for a healthy blood pressure level:

High blood pressure can be caused by poor eating habits, poor lifestyle, or secondary illnesses such as diabetes. Adding extra salt to foods every day can cause water to build up in the body and increase blood pressure. However, it is important to understand that it is not only the intake of visible salt but also the intake of invisible salt, and those foods should be checked as well-

• Pickled cucumber and papad
• Food that can be frozen and eaten immediately
• Bakery products such as bread, biscuits and potash
• Sauce, salted
• Packaged food

Similarly, foods high in saturated fat cause fat to build up in the arteries, putting more pressure on the blood as it passes through the arteries. Therefore, limit the intake of oily and fried foods in the diet.

Read again: World Hypertension Day 2021: Steps to follow while checking your blood pressure at home

Reduces consumption of highly processed foods and lowers blood pressure
Photo courtesy of iStock

Contains foods low in salt and cholesterol for the Dash diet (a diet to stop high blood pressure)

• Whole grains (millet such as whole wheat, lagi, joir, vajra)
• Fresh vegetables (beetroot, green leafy vegetables, etc.) and fruits
• Low-fat dairy products
• Reduction of alcohol intake
• Includes regular physical activity for 30-60 minutes to help manage high blood pressure

Read again: Hypertension: 5 Ways to Manage Your Number Without Medications

General myths you should stop believing-

Myth 1: Use of sea salt, black salt, and pink salt other than salt can help manage high blood pressure.

All salts are chemically the same, regardless of type. They contain sodium that should be consumed in moderation.

Myth 3: Red wine is good for heart health

It is generally important to avoid excess alcohol as it affects blood pressure.

Myth 4: Completely eliminates salt in the diet

Limitation is important, not exclusion. It is important to check the sodium or salt in ready-to-eat packaging and processed foods.

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Lifestyle changes rather than using quickfixes can help control high blood pressure-

1. Read food labels: It is important to note the amount of sodium or salt in the packaged food

2. Include fiber-rich foods such as whole grains, cereals, millet, fresh fruits, vegetables and legumes in your diet

3. Include foods such as fish, eggs and chicken as it contains vitamin B12, which helps lower blood pressure

4. Nuts like walnuts, almonds, ginger, beetroot, pomegranates and citrus fruits contain arginine (amino acid), a precursor of nitric oxide, a powerful vasodilator.

5. Karonji (Nigerasativa), barley water, cranberry juice and coriander seeds act as natural diuretics by flushing away excess water retained in the body.

6. Reduce the amount of salt in your diet by flavoring your food with lemon juice, tamarind pulp, onion powder, garlic powder, and amchoor (dry mango powder).

7. Include some form of physical activity (walking, running, swimming, dancing, aerobics, etc.) daily.

Therefore, it is important to manage hypertension early by changing lifestyles to prevent future complications.

(Bhakti Samant, Chief Dietitian, Kokiraben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital)

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