Blood pressure

The Best Foods for Lowering Your Blood Pressure

Want to lower your blood pressure?

First, make sense of the numbers.

Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers that are written as a ratio: Systolic (the top number) measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats, and diastolic (the bottom number) measures pressure in the arteries between heartbeats. Healthy people should aim for a systolic blood pressure less than 120 millimeters of mercury and a diastolic blood pressure less than 80 mmHg. Any higher doubles the risk of heart disease.

The Best Foods for Lowering Your Blood Pressure

The plant-based answer.

If you’re overweight or have high blood pressure – or both – changing your diet can make a significant difference. “Getting meat off your plate is a good idea,” Barnard says, pointing out that plant-based foods, in their natural state, have almost no sodium and are rich in potassium. Those two factors go a long way toward cutting blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart disease.

Reduce salt.

Adults should consume less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium a day, Barnard says. Instead of adding salt to your favorite meals, experiment with spices and herbs – think cinnamon, pepper, curry powder and cilantro. Reading nutrition labels will also go a long way; pay particular attention to sodium content in packaged meals, snacks and canned food, which can supply a day’s worth of salt in one serving.

Load up on potassium

Aim for 4,700 milligrams a day. Foods rich in potassium help your blood pressure naturally fall, and bananas aren’t the only option. One cup of tomato paste provides 2,657 milligrams; a cup of bok choy provides 631 milligrams; and one cup of Brussels sprouts provides 495 milligrams, for example. Other smart choices include lentils and beans – have a cup of lentil soup – and orange fruits and veggies, like butternut squash.

Veggies

It’s not revolutionary advice, but it works: Add veggies to your plate, and add a lot of them. Barnard suggests loading up on green, leafy choices, such as kale and spinach, which pack a hefty dose of calcium and iron. Make sure you get some orange choices, too, since they’re rich in beta carotene. One caveat: Check canned veggies to make sure they’re sodium-free, or rinse them off before eating, which Barnard says will do the trick

Fruit

You heard us: Go fruit crazy. Your favorite fruits are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber and low in fat and calories. “You don’t have to sit down and eat six oranges,” Barnard says. “It can be oranges and apples and tangerines and plums and raisins – even juices.” Try mixing fresh fruit into pancakes, waffles or muffins, prepare a green smoothie, or freeze 100 percent fruit juice in a freezer tray overnight to create healthy pops.

Whole grains

There’s an “enormous range” to choose from, Barnard says. Consider that Asian traditions prefer rice; Native Americans and Latinos like corn (tortillas or corn on the cob); and Europeans opt for bread and pasta. “They’re all fine,” Barnard says. “There’s a fad that comes back every year saying not to eat wheat or carbs, but listening to that sort of advice isn’t a good idea.”

Legumes

Beans of all varieties help keep your blood pressure in check. They have no cholesterol and very little fat – and they’re packed with important minerals and fiber. But keep in mind: “If people overdo it with beans real quickly, they might get some gassiness or indigestion,” Barnard says. “The answer is to make sure they’re well cooked – and start with small portions while you’re adapting to it.”

What to avoid

If you’re worried about your blood pressure, steer clear of high-sodium choices, such as packaged snack foods, potato chips, canned products and cheese. Foods high in saturated fat – think bacon and pizza – also tend to raise blood pressure. “You eat those things, and the particles of saturated fat get into your blood and make it thicker – more like grease and less like water,” Barnard says. “So the heart has to push to get this sludgy blood moving, and that’s why blood pressure goes up.”

Source: US news health

Fat kids are more likely to have high BP

Fat children are at a greater risk of hyper-tension (high blood pressure) — generally assumed to be an adult condition that causes health problems, such as heart diseases.

Fat kids are more likely to have high BP

“We found that obese boys had a nearly six-fold increased risk of hyper-tension compared to normal weighing boys. In obese girls the risk was more than four times greater than their normal weight counterparts,” said professor Peter Schwandt from the Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich in Germany.

The study included 22,051 children and adolescents from the PEP (Prevention Education Programme) Family Heart Study, a community-based observational study which was performed from 1994 to 2008 in Nuremberg, Germany.

In each participant, the researchers measured blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), skinfold thickness (SFT) and percent body fat (%BF).

The prevalence of elevated blood pressure increased in boys and girls as body weight went up.

The researchers also found increased risk of hyper-tension with elevated SFT, %BF measurements and abdominal adiposity.

The study was presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2014 in Barcelona.

Source: zee news

Honeydew melons play role in boosting brain health and more

Honeydew melons play role in boosting brain health and more

Honeydew melon is more than a mildly sweet, refreshing melon typically enjoyed during the warmer months; it’s also a highly nutritious food that can help maintain a healthy weight, fight colds, keep blood pressure in check and keep nervous system health functioning well.

Here’s a closer look at the top health benefits of honeydew melon. As always, it’s wise to choose organic foods as they’re free of harmful pesticides that fill the body with toxins.

Health benefits of honeydew melon

1) Weight control. Honeydew melons have only 60 calories for every 1/2 cup making it a low-calorie option that also satisfies the craving for something sweet. Furthermore, they have a high water content that not only helps with hydration, but provides a feeling of fullness to stave off the urge to eat foods that may be unhealthy.

2) Fights colds. These tasty melons provide approximately half of daily vitamin C needs in just one cup. Since vitamin C plays a role in keeping the immune system strong, honeydew can help fight infection and ward off illnesses.

3) Regulates blood pressure. Nutrition experts at the University of Texas Southwestern (UTS) Medical Center at Dallas advise eating melons like honeydew, citing their high potassium levels as a way to reduce salt retention and therefore, better control blood pressure. It’s also thought that the ratio of water to potassium on honeydew can help lower blood pressure may also help prevent an increase in blood pressure.

4) Healthy nervous system. Honeydew contains B vitamins thiamin and niacin which are known to not only increase energy levels, but to remove toxins from the body and in turn, boost nervous system health. The vitamins have been known to help boost brain health and prevent detrimental changes to it such as the onset of Alzheimer’s.

Honeydew may be eaten fresh, directly scooped from the melon itself as a snack, or can be added to a variety of dishes including fruit or green salads.

Source: Natural news

Common blood pressure medication may pose risk to older adults

high bp

Adults over 65 who have recently begun thiazide diuretics are at a greater risk for developing metabolic-related adverse events, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.

More than two-thirds of older adults have high blood pressure in the United States and thiazide diuretics are often recommended as the initial medication for these hypertensive patients. Thiazide diuretics primarily inhibit sodium transport in the kidney, leading to urinary loss of sodium and water, which decreases blood pressure. While the risks of this medication are well known, the risks are not well quantified in real-world clinical practice, where older adults who are treated may have a number of other illnesses.

The national observational study, undertaken by a team of researchers at UT Southwestern and the University of California, San Francisco, examined 1,060 adult veterans with hypertension who recently began taking a thiazide diuretic. The study compared them to a similar group of veterans who were not prescribed a thiazide diuretic. The findings were recently published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

During a nine month period, 14 percent of older adults prescribed a thiazide diuretic developed a metabolic adverse event, compared with 6 percent of adults not prescribed a thiazide diuretic. For every 12 adults who were newly prescribed a thiazide diuretic, one developed a metabolic adverse event that he or she would not otherwise have had.

The three metabolic adverse events that researchers assessed were hyponatremia (low sodium levels in the blood), hypokalemia (low potassium levels in the blood), and acute kidney injury (a 25 percent decrease in kidney function from the baseline value before the thiazide diuretic was started).

“Our research quantifies the risks of metabolic adverse events in older adults in real-world, clinical practice shortly after initiating thiazide diuretics,” said Dr. Anil Makam, assistant professor of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern and first author of the study. “From a clinical point-of-view, the implications of these findings help inform doctors of the risks associated with a common medication and their use in older adults.”

While the findings highlight that thiazide-related adverse events are common in this population, researchers were surprised to discover that only 42 percent of older adults who had recently begun taking a thiazide diuretic had laboratory testing to monitor for these adverse events within the first three months of beginning the medication.

“Our research suggests that thiazide-induced adverse events are common in older adults and greater attention should be paid to potential complications in prescribing thiazide diuretics to older adults, including closer laboratory monitoring before and after initiation of thiazides,” Dr. Makam said.

Source; science daily

Natural Remedy for Elevated Blood Sugar

horseradish root

Blood Sugar
When the findings are disappointing, and your doctor will ask whether you want to start insulin therapy or try a diet to reduce blood sugar. Many succeeded to heal and to maintain normal blood sugar levels, using this natural remedy.

Ingredients

  •  A horseradish root, medium size (about 20 cm long, 2 cm wide)
  •  One clove garlic
  •  2 beers

Preparation
Wash the horseradish root nice several times. Leave to stand for 15-20 minutes in water in which you have added a cup of malic acid. Don’t peel it, chop finely or grind it. Along with finely chopped garlic place them into a larger jar and pour the beer. Close the jar and store it for 10 days in a dark place. Then strain and use as follows:

  • The first two days, one teaspoon three times a day.
  • Further use one tablespoon three times a day.
  • Treatment is for one month.

In addition, you should drink 150 ml oatmeal water, 4 times a day, properly arranged.
(50 g oatmeal boil over on low heat for 15 minutes, then let it stand for 1 hour. Grains are squeezed, then strained through gauze).

Source: healthy tavern

Home Remedies for Managing High Blood Pressure

Exercising 30 to 60 minutes a day can help bring down your blood pressure numbers by 4 to 9 mmHg. If you’ve been inactive for a while, talk to your doctor about a safe exercise routine. Start out slowly by walking or riding a bicycle. Gradually add moderate intensity activities to your routine. Not a fan of the gym? Take your workout outside. Go for a hike, jog, or swim and still reap the benefits. The important thing is to get moving! The AHA also recommends incorporating at least two days of muscle strength training a week.

Following the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) can lower your blood pressure by as much as 14 mmHg. The DASH diet consists of eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, low-fat dairy, lean meats, and fish. Eliminate foods high in saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol, such as processed foods, whole milk dairy products, fatty meats, and fried food.

Slow Down On the Salt
If you have high blood pressure, keeping your sodium intake to a minimum is vital. The AHA recommends limiting your sodium intake to less than 1,500 mg of sodium a day. That’s a little over half a teaspoon. One teaspoon of table salt has 2,400 mg of sodium! Table salt isn’t the only culprit when it comes to high sodium; processed food and many restaurant dishes tend to be loaded with sodium. Consuming too much sodium can cause the body to retain fluid, resulting in a sharp rise in blood pressure.

Lose Excess Weight
Weight and blood pressure go hand in hand. Losing just five pounds can help lower your blood pressure. It’s not just the number on your scale that matters, but the number of your waist size. The extra fat around your waist, called visceral fat, is troublesome because the fat tends to surround organs in the abdomen, which can lead to health issues including high blood pressure. Men should keep their waist measurement to less than 40 inches, while women should aim for less than 35 inches.

Nix Your Nicotine Addiction
Studies show that smoking a cigarette can temporarily raise blood pressure 10 mmHg or more for up to an hour after you smoke. If you’re a heavy smoker, your blood pressure can stay elevated for extended periods of time. People with high blood pressure who smoke are at greater risk for developing dangerously high blood pressure. Even secondhand smoke can put you at increased risk for high blood pressure and heart disease.

Limit Alcohol
Drinking a glass of red wine with your dinner is perfectly fine and may even offer heart health benefits when done in moderation. Drinking alcohol in excess, however, can lead to many adverse health issues, including high blood pressure. What does drinking in moderation mean?

Stress Less
In this hurried, multitasking society we live in, it’s hard to slow down and relax. It’s important to step away from your daily stress and take a few deep breaths, meditate, or practice yoga. Stress can temporarily raise your blood pressure, and too much of it can keep your pressure up for extended periods of time. Try to identify what’s triggering your stress, such as your job, relationships, or your finances, and find ways to fix the problems.

Source: health line

BP reading above normal may up risk of stroke

A new study has found that any blood pressure reading higher than the normal 120/80 mmHg may increase the risk of stroke.

The meta-analysis looked at all of the available research on the risk of developing stroke in people with “prehypertension,” or blood pressure higher than optimal but lower than the threshold to be diagnosed with high blood pressure, which is 140/90 mmHg.

A total of 19 prospective cohort studies with more than 760,000 participants were included in the analysis, and participants were followed for time periods ranging from four to 36 years. From 25 to 54 percent of study participants had pre-high blood pressure.

The analysis found that people with pre-high blood pressure were 66 percent more likely to develop a stroke than people who had normal blood pressure.

The results were the same after researchers adjusted for other factors that could increase the risk of stroke, such as high cholesterol, diabetes and smoking.

The researchers determined that nearly 20 percent of strokes in the study population were due to pre-high blood pressure.

Considering the high proportion of the population who have higher than normal blood pressure, successful treatment of this condition could prevent many strokes and make a major difference in public health, study author Dingli Xu, of Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China, said.

The study is published in the online issue of journal Neurology®.

Source: Daily news and analysis

High Blood Pressure Can Quietly Damage Kidneys

I thought I was a healthy 40-year-old until I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. My doctor began treating it as a stand-alone condition, without considering that high blood pressure is a major risk factor for kidney disease.

At first, I wasn’t even tested for kidney disease. But eventually, he gave me a urine test, and it was discovered that I had protein in my urine — one of the earliest signs of kidney damage. Apparently, my high blood pressure had damaged my kidneys.

Healthy kidneys filter out wastes and toxins, but my kidneys’ ability to do so began to decrease at an alarming rate. I continued to manage my blood pressure with medication and decided to make a few lifestyle changes, as well, that helped me avoid the progression of kidney disease to kidney failure.

I limited my salt intake, started eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, decreased the amount of meat I was eating and began swimming every day. I began to feel better, and when I went to the doctor, it turned out my kidney function had stabilized.

Please tell your readers that if they have high blood pressure they should be proactive and ask their doctor to check their kidneys. Early detection and lifestyle change can make a major impact on your health, as I have learned. — DUANE SUNWOLD, SPOKANE, WASH.

DEAR DUANE: It is generous of you to share your medical history in an effort to caution my readers. The National Kidney Foundation urges everyone to learn about these vital organs and whether they might be at risk.

The three major risk factors for kidney disease are: high blood pressure, diabetes and a family history of kidney failure. People who have these risk factors should ask their doctor to check their kidney function with a simple blood and urine test.

Readers, March is National Kidney Month, and March 13 is World Kidney Day. If you are at risk, schedule an appointment with your doctor. For anyone who needs more information, the National Kidney Foundation’s website is kidney.org.

DEAR ABBY: I’m a member of the clergy who enjoys studying for my ministry and doctoral work at a local coffee shop. Three men who go there every day have found out that I’m a minister, and they each want to talk with me while I’m there. Although all three are members of the same religion, none of them is affiliated with a church.

I have invited them to visit my worship services, as well as call the office and set up an appointment with me. I have also tried to diplomatically explain that I go to the coffee shop to study. One of them ignores it, another appears hurt and the third one gets offended. When they’re not around, I am productive. When they show up, they want me to be their chaplain.

Because of where I live, finding another coffee shop is not a viable option. How can I set a boundary with them and still do my studying there? Thank you. — Reverend in New York

Source:The Mercury

 

Study suggests blood pressure should be measured in both arms

New research published in The American Journal of Medicine suggests that there is an association between a difference in interarm systolic blood pressure and a significant increased risk for future cardiovascular events, leading researchers to recommend expanded clinical use of interarm blood pressure measurement.

While blood pressure is a widely used medical metric, most measurements are taken only using one arm. Measuring interarm blood pressure involves taking two readings, one for each arm. Increased interarm systolic blood pressure differences are defined as 10 mmHg or greater, and while a link between interarm blood pressure and cardiovascular risk was suspected, little data existed to support the hypothesis until now.

This new study examined 3,390 participants aged 40 years and older from the Framingham Heart Study. All subjects were free of cardiovascular disease at baseline, but investigators found that participants with higher interarm systolic blood pressure differences were at a much higher risk for future cardiovascular events than those with less than a 10 mm Hg difference between arms.

“In this large prospective, community based cohort of middle-age men and women free of cardiovascular disease, an increased interarm systolic blood pressure difference was found to be present in nearly 10 per cent of individuals and is associated with increased levels of traditional cardiovascular risk factors,” explains lead investigator Dr Ido Weinberg, Institute for Heart Vascular and Stroke Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. “Furthermore, an increased interarm systolic blood pressure difference is associated with an increased risk for incident cardiovascular events, independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors.”

Researchers also found that participants with elevated interarm blood pressure difference were older, had a greater prevalence of diabetes mellitus, higher systolic blood pressure, and a higher total cholesterol level.

According to these findings, investigators suggest practitioners should consider including blood pressure readings in both arms in order to get the most accurate readings possible and detect any differences in interarm blood pressure.

“Even modest differences in clinically-measured systolic blood pressures in the upper extremities reflect an increase in cardiovascular risk,” says Dr Weinberg. “This study supports the potential value of identifying the interarm systolic blood pressure difference as a simple clinical indicator of increased cardiovascular risk.”

Source: India Medical Times

Eating vegetarian diets may help lower BP

A new study has revealed that eating a vegetarian diet is associated with lower blood pressure (BP), and the diets can also be used to reduce blood pressure.

Factors such as diet, body weight, physical activity and alcohol intake play a role in the risk of developing hypertension. Dietary modifications have been shown to be effective for preventing and managing hypertension.

The authors analyzed seven clinical trials and 32 studies published from 1900 to 2013 in which participants ate a vegetarian diet. Net differences in BP associated with eating a vegetarian diet were measured.

In the trials, eating a vegetarian diet was associated with a reduction in the average systolic (peak artery pressure) and diastolic (minimum artery pressure) BP compared with eating an omnivorous (plant and animal) diet.

In the 32 studies, eating a vegetarian diet was associated with lower average systolic and diastolic BP, compared with omnivorous diets.

The study was published in the journal JAMA.

Source: DNA India