▲ A 40-year-old OL with an upper pressure of 130 is pre-hypertension. The nutritionist taught 6 strokes to lower blood pressure and keep blood vessels healthy.
Dr. Xiong Miaohua, a registered dietitian from Hong Kong Adventist Hospital-Stubbs Road Healthy Life Promotion Center, shared that a female friend of regarding 40 years old found that her blood pressure was too high. how to handle it. In fact, according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO), this friend has “pre-hypertension”. If you ignore it for a long time, it will easily become a real high blood pressure, which will affect the health of blood vessels.
“Do you want medicine?” The woman was worried. Xiong Miaohua then introduced her to Lifestyle Medicine, which is to prevent, manage, and even treat diseases by changing your lifestyle.
Xiong Miaohua pointed out that “lifestyle medicine” focuses more on the overall health of patients. In the past, friends with high blood pressure thought it was enough to eat light food, but health is a package, not just a partial view, but a comprehensive change in “lifestyle” to match.
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Xiong Miaohua calculated the BMI of the woman, 22.3, which looked very standard, but once the waist circumference exceeded the standard, it belonged to the central obesity. She suggested to her that “you need to lose fat”, and asked, “Is the work pressure usually high?” She Said: “It’s okay, but sometimes the pace of work is fast and it can be stressful.” So the following “lifestyle” prescription was prescribed for her:
1. Less sauce original food
Foods that are too salty and full of sodium can raise blood pressure. It is best if you can cook it yourself, but Hong Kong people are busy with work, it is difficult to avoid eating out, and it is easy to absorb excess sodium. The World Health Organization recommends that adults consume one teaspoon (5 grams) of salt per day, but many Hong Kong people consume 8 to 9 grams per day. If you go out to eat on the street, try to choose dishes without sauces, and don’t use sauces for rice.
In addition, raw foods are relatively healthy. For example, baked potatoes are healthier than French fries, and brown rice is better than white rice. These foods usually have a lower glycemic index and are relatively bland. When you get used to them, your taste buds will become more and more sensitive and naturally resist foods that are too salty. In addition, processed foods are also full of sodium. For example, potato chips, doll noodles, frozen Piazza and canned foods are high in sodium and should not be eaten in excess.
2. Eat more potassium fruits and vegetables
The right amount of potassium helps the body get rid of sodium (salt). Many fruits and vegetables contain potassium, such as bananas, avocados, dragon fruits, tomatoes, beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, broccoli, etc. are rich in potassium. Eating every day can help expel excess salt from the body.
3. Eating too sweet can also cause high blood pressure
Sweets can also affect blood pressure. This is because high-sugar foods raise insulin and interfere with the sympathetic nervous system, causing blood pressure to rise. In addition, sugar reduces the body’s nitric oxide (Nitric oxide) levels, as this substance helps relax blood vessels and relieve blood pressure. Sweets, it is better to eat less.
4. Quit coffee
According to foreign medical research, 1.5 to 2 cups of coffee a day can lead to an increase in blood pressure, with an average increase of 8 degrees in the upper blood pressure and 6 degrees in the lower blood pressure. If you’re concerned regarding high blood pressure, coffee can only be ordered. Not to mention alcohol, which can cause vasoconstriction and must be avoided.
5. If you are overweight, lose weight
For every kilogram (regarding 2.2 pounds) lost in weight, blood pressure drops by regarding 1 degree.
6. Get moving
Finally, there is a relationship between mood, blood pressure and stress. When we are under stress, the body produces a lot of hormones that make the heart beat faster, blood vessels constrict, and blood pressure rises. Aerobic exercise is a good way to reduce stress, and 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 3 to 5 times a week can improve blood pressure. Getting enough sleep is also very important, which can also help improve blood pressure.
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Written by: Registered Dietitian Dr. Xiong Miaohua Hong Kong Adventist Hospital – Stubbs Road Healthy Living Promotion Centre
