Diet for Hypertension

2009-06-17T13:44:00.000-07:00

Hypertension is very common disease in the community. Hypertension cannot be cured, but with healthy lifestyle, diet and prescriptive medication it can be controlled. The latest research shown that food dietary (special diet for hypertension) changes and healthy lifestyle has big impact to control and prevent people to have hypertension or high blood pressure.

Based on the studies, people in country with more salt consumption in their daily cooking tend to have higher blood pressure compare with people in countries that consume less salt in their daily diet. From that fact above, we know that salt has a big role for people to develop the hypertension.

While hypertension medications are available, modest lifestyle and healthy dietary with eating diet for hypertension food are still the best way to control and prevent hypertension. Latest research revealed two eating plans to control and prevent hypertension. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension - Sodium.

The American Heart Association and the National Cancer Institute recommended the DASH is an overall eating plan that focuses on what people should eat, rather than what not to eat. Daily diet for hypertension which is rich in vegetables, fruits, and all low-fat dairy products and low in saturated fat, total fat and cholesterol. This diet for hypertension contain higher potassium, magnesium and calcium compare with typical American diet.

In the DASH-sodium diet, reducing dietary sodium intake is the main focus. Clinical study shows that reducing dietary sodium lowered blood pressure. The biggest blood pressure-lowering benefits were for those who eating salt in daily diet at the lowest sodium level (1,500 mg per day).

Facts :

Excessive sodium intake is major factor for hypertension or high blood pressure in some people.The suggested sodium intake for daily diet range from 1,100 to 3,300 mg per day
Table salt contains 40% sodium. One teaspoon salt has about 2,000 mg sodium
Low calcium diet may increase risk of hypertension.
Some vegetables are "best friend" for hypertension patient : garlic, onion, celery, tomato, carrot, broccoli, saffron, fennel, oregano, black pepper, basil and tarragon.

It is very advisable for people to do their "DASH" diet as early as possible to prevent hypertension, with more active life as well. Very simple things you can do if you want to do diet for hypertension:

Eating more fruits, vegetable and low-fat diary foods
Eating more whole grain products, fish, poultry and nuts
Eating less red meat and sweets
Cutting back on foods that are high in saturated fat, cholesterol and total fat
Eating foods that are rich in magnesium, potassium and calcium

Some recipes suitable with Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension you can visit to National Heart Lung and Blood Institute website here.

Healthy diet

2009-05-29T23:29:00.000-07:00

Diet for healthy people means eating healthy food. As the body needs calories, proteins, minerals to maintain healthy level of life, we need good nutrition intake, healthy diet.
Here are some steps to do your healthy diet, to improve your quality of life, and lower your risk from illness.

Enough calorie intake, not excess calories. The ideal recommended daily intake is 2000 calories, depend on the age, sex, height, weight and activity. You have to arrange your diet and your activity, so there will be balance between intake calories and energy you use.

Eat more fruits, grains, vegetables, legumes, drink more water will ensure the carbohydrate, minerals, protein, fiber, vitamins your body need.
Limit sugar and salt consumption, too many sugar consumption with less of physical activity will lead you to obesity diabetes.
Limit meat and cholesterol sources consumption, cut down animal fat.
Eat more fish and nuts, that rich of healthy saturated fat.
Keep moderate portion of your food.
Eat variety of food and try to get local and fresh food.

Here is one example of what to eat as diet for an entire day (nutrition) :

Breakfast: one cup strawberries, one-half cup low fat cottage cheese with one tablespoon of sunflower seeds. One slice of whole grain toast.
Midmorning: one small apple, eight walnuts, two ounces lean sliced chicken breast.
Lunch: three cups salad consisting of dark green lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower and tomatoes with two teaspoons of walnut oil, two ounce organic beef patty served on a whole grain roll.
Mid afternoon: six ounces of tofu, one and one-half cups carrot sticks, one tablespoon of pumpkin seeds.
Dinner: one-half cup whole wheat spaghetti with one-forth cup organic marinara sauce and two ounces ground turkey. Two cups cooked green vegetables such as asparagus, spinach or broccoli drizzled with two teaspoons flax oil.
Evening Snack: six whole grain crackers with one ounce sliced cheese and one small apple.

Your healthy diet will be perfect with being active all day long. Contact your dietitian to get more information.

diet information

Diet for Hypertension

Healthy diet