May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month. According to the CDC, 74 million people in the United States have high blood pressure. High blood pressure - also known as hypertension - is a condition of increased pressure in the arteries. It is a "silent" disease meaning that the patient usually does not know about the problem unless blood pressure measurements are done. If left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to serious medical problems such as coronary heart disease, heart failure, heart attack, stroke, and kidney damage.
Risk factors for high blood pressure are being overweight or obese, heavy alcohol consumption and inactive lifestyle. Other factors such as increasing age, gender, genetics and race, also increase the chance of developing high blood pressure. Some people develop high blood pressure because they are sensitive to high salt intake.
The first step to lowering blood pressure is changing your lifestyle. Losing weight, reducing salt intake, and increasing physical activity helps many people control their blood pressure.
Sodium is a mineral essential for good health. However, most Americans consume more sodium than is necessary. The average intake of sodium ranges from 5,000 to 10,000 milligrams per day. People with high blood pressure should typically be consuming around 2,300 milligrams per day (about 1 teaspoon). Sodium and salt do not mean the same thing. Sodium is a part of salt that can lead to health problems.
Sodium acts like a sponge in our body and holds fluid; therefore the more sodium you consume, the more fluid you retain. Fluid retention can result in edema, a condition where water accumulates in the body. Edema places strain on various parts of the body such as the heart, kidneys and blood vessels. This can contribute to high blood pressure, heart failure, or kidney failure. To reduce risk, a reduced sodium intake is recommended.
To reduce salt in your diet, eat fresh fruits, vegetables, grains and fresh meats. Processed, convenience foods, and fast food restaurants are high in salt. Use fresh herbs and spices without salt to flavor foods. Do not use salt when preparing food and do no add salt to your food at the table. Use condiments sparingly such as catsup, barbeque sauce, soy sauce and relish. Buy low sodium varieties or limit to 1 tbsp per day. Read labels for ingredients containing sodium including baking soda, baking powder, sodium nitrate, and MSG (monosodium glutamate). When reading labels, keep in mind that less than 200 mg sodium is low, 200-400 mg sodium is medium and 400-600 mg is high. Remember the amount listed is for one serving, which may be more or less than you eat.
Pair these tips with a more active lifestyle and you are on your way to reducing your risk and/or better controlling your high blood pressure.
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