High Blood Pressure and The DASH Diet
High blood pressure or hypertension is a primary risk factor for conditions such as stroke, heart attack and kidney damage.
Your blood pressure (BP) is taken using a sphygmomanometer and is a measurement of the force required for your heart to pump blood through the arteries to the organs and tissues in your body.
It is divided into what is called the systolic pressure and the diastolic pressure.
The systolic pressure is the top number, while the diastolic pressure is the bottom number.
The systolic measurement is recorded when the heart contracts, and should be around 120 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) in a healthy adult, while the diastolic measurement is recorded as the heart relaxes and is usually around 80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) in a healthy adult.
You'll see this blood pressure reading written down as 120/80.
In Australia, there are around three million adults with high blood pressure.
The main problem with this condition is that you don't feel it, so it can be present without diagnosis for many years, until it causes a serious medical emergency such as a heart attack or stroke.
In the past, hypertension was considered to be a condition of 'old age'.
However, the current research suggests that high blood pressure can be prevented if we lead a healthy lifestyle, by eating a well balanced diet that reduces excess sugar and saturated fat, increases the level of fibre, as well as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Following a regular exercise or physical activity program also helps to keep the heart healthy by making the muscles more efficient at utilizing oxygen and other nutrients from the blood.
Some people have a genetic predisposition, making them more likely to develop it if they had a parent who had hypertension, or suffered from a heart attack or stroke in their middle age.
Your chances of developing high blood pressure will be increased by one or more of the following issues:
This dietary approach includes lean meat, chicken and fish (rich in omega-3 fats) with fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy foods, nuts and whole grains.
This diet is low in saturated fat and recommends eliminating excess sugar from sweets, sugary drinks and other forms of junk food.
In 1997, the New England Journal of Medicine published the earliest results showing success using the DASH Diet.
Since these first clinical results were published, many other clinical studies have confirmed the effectiveness of using the DASH Diet as a way of reducing blood pressure.
Why the DASH Diet Works Nutrition experts believe that the DASH Diet is effective at reducing blood pressure for the following reasons:
Your blood pressure (BP) is taken using a sphygmomanometer and is a measurement of the force required for your heart to pump blood through the arteries to the organs and tissues in your body.
It is divided into what is called the systolic pressure and the diastolic pressure.
The systolic pressure is the top number, while the diastolic pressure is the bottom number.
The systolic measurement is recorded when the heart contracts, and should be around 120 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) in a healthy adult, while the diastolic measurement is recorded as the heart relaxes and is usually around 80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) in a healthy adult.
You'll see this blood pressure reading written down as 120/80.
In Australia, there are around three million adults with high blood pressure.
The main problem with this condition is that you don't feel it, so it can be present without diagnosis for many years, until it causes a serious medical emergency such as a heart attack or stroke.
In the past, hypertension was considered to be a condition of 'old age'.
However, the current research suggests that high blood pressure can be prevented if we lead a healthy lifestyle, by eating a well balanced diet that reduces excess sugar and saturated fat, increases the level of fibre, as well as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Following a regular exercise or physical activity program also helps to keep the heart healthy by making the muscles more efficient at utilizing oxygen and other nutrients from the blood.
Some people have a genetic predisposition, making them more likely to develop it if they had a parent who had hypertension, or suffered from a heart attack or stroke in their middle age.
Your chances of developing high blood pressure will be increased by one or more of the following issues:
- Excess abdominal fat
- High alcohol consumption
- High salt intake
- High sugar and refined carbohydrate intake
- Chronic stress
- Lack of physical activity
- Sedentary job
This dietary approach includes lean meat, chicken and fish (rich in omega-3 fats) with fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy foods, nuts and whole grains.
This diet is low in saturated fat and recommends eliminating excess sugar from sweets, sugary drinks and other forms of junk food.
In 1997, the New England Journal of Medicine published the earliest results showing success using the DASH Diet.
Since these first clinical results were published, many other clinical studies have confirmed the effectiveness of using the DASH Diet as a way of reducing blood pressure.
Why the DASH Diet Works Nutrition experts believe that the DASH Diet is effective at reducing blood pressure for the following reasons:
- The diet is rich in important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
- It is a diet that is high in fibre with an abundance of low glycaemic index carbohydrates
- This type of diet is effective for people wishing to lose abdominal fat
- It includes daily servings of whole grains, a variety of raw and lightly cooked vegetables, fresh fruit, low fat dairy foods, lean meat, chicken, fish, as well as healthy fats from nuts and seeds
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