Diet and Blood Pressure

High blood pressure has been referred to as the silent killer. This is because it is the leading cause of stroke, heart disease, and kidney disease. High blood pressure affects over 50 million, or one out of every four Americans, but that number rises as we age. Nearly half of people over 60 have hypertension.

What is hypertension?

Our arteries are stretchy when we are young. They open readily so blood can push through without much resistance. As we get older though, the arteries start to stiffen and lose their ability to expand when needed. This can lead to high blood pressure as well as heart attack, stroke, and cognitive decline. When your arteries can’t expand and contract easily, they can’t shield your smaller blood vessels from the regular high-pressure bursts of blood that the heart puts out. And that may damage your brain. High blood pressure is often a result of this arterial hardening and is a risk factor for major disease.

What You Can Do

Aerobic Exercise

Studies show regular aerobic exercisers—even those who start later in life—have more compliant arteries than sedentary people. Even men who had not been exercisers experienced this beneficial increase in arterial flexibility after starting a walking program and gradually increasing to 40 minutes a day 5-6 times per week. The men’s blood vessel functioning was improved by about 30% after 3 months. Women past menopause did not experience the same benefit as men, but experts still recommend aerobic exercise for women, for its many other healthful contributions.

Limit Your Sodium

Excess sodium in the diet is a major contributor to high blood pressure. The average American eats between 4,000 to 6,000 milligrams of sodium each day and two-thirds of this sodium is hidden in processed and prepared foods. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends we limit our sodium intake to a daily range of 2,300 milligrams of sodium each day. People with hypertension may choose to follow the American Heart Association’s more stringent guideline

of 1,500 mg per day. Here are some tips for reducing your sodium intake:

• Read Labels: Boxed or processed foods are loaded with sodium-based additives

  and preservatives. Check the sodium content and avoid buying products that are

  greater than 400 milligrams per serving.

• Shop fresh: Fresh fruits, vegetables, and dairy are all naturally great tasting

  without sodium.

• Rely on herbs and spices, not salt, for flavor. Try dry spice rubs and herb blends

  (like Mrs. Dash) for seasoning foods during cooking and/or at the table.

• Try the “DASH” diet: Did you know thatadding calcium, magnesium and potassium to your diet helps lower blood pressure? It's true! Researchers

  have found that the DASH diet, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension,

  can help lower high blood pressure. Even better, studies have shown that when the DASH diet is combined with a reduction in sodium, it can be as effective

  as medication!

The following chart shows a snapshot of the DASH diet:

Understanding the Sodium Content of Foods

The more the food is processed, the higher its sodium content. To cut your sodium intake, limit convenience foods such as canned and instant soups or vegetables, canned meats, frozen entrees, frozen side dishes with sauce packets, instant cereal and puddings. Low-sodium canned soups may be used. Here are some common sodium claims you see on packaged foods. Food makers can’t use one of these claims unless they meet the specific requirement listed:

Low-sodium: the food contains 140 mg or less sodium per serving.

Very low sodium: The food contains 35 mg or less of sodium per serving.

Reduced sodium: The food has 25% less sodium than comparable food products.

Light or Lite in sodium: The food has at least 50% less sodium than comparable food products.

No salt added: No salt was added in the processing of the food product. However, naturally-occurring sodium may be present in the ingredients.

More Tips for a Heart Healthy Diet

Eat a variety of colorful foods at each meal

Because no single food can provide our bodies with all of the nutrients we need for good health, choose a variety of different foods each day. Also, in order to reap the health-protective nutrients found in fruits and vegetables, it’s important to choose a variety of colorful foods at each meal. Go for a rainbow approach by choosing an array of fruits, vegetables and legumes – dark reds, oranges, vibrant yellows, deep greens, blues and purples. By choosing a rainbow of color you'll be sure to take in a wide range of nutrients.

Choose whole grains over refined or enriched choices

Whole grains offer many health benefits, such as lowering the risk of heart disease, diabetes and constipation, and studies show they also can help to lower blood pressure. Add whole wheat pasta, brown rice, popcorn and other whole grains to your diet to enjoy the delicious benefits whole grains have to offer. Add Fish or Fish Oil to Your Day The omega-3 fats in fish oil help your blood vessel function and and can also help lower triglycerides. Aim for 2,000 mg of DHA and EPA combined. This adds up to two fatty fish meals per week such as salmon, mackerel or sardines, or a supplement in the proper dosage that meets this need.

Limit Saturated and Trans Fats

A meal high in saturated fat can have immediate negative effects on your blood pressure. And of course eating a regular diet high in saturated fat can have cumulative damaging effects. Butter, lard and fatty cuts of meat should be eaten in moderation.

The most dangerous fat of all is trans fat. This is the artificial fat made by food processors and it’s a required item on the nutrition label. However, even if the label shows zero trans fats, look in the ingredients for “hydrogenated” oils—this indicates the presence of these harmful trans fats.

Sources

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8 th Edition. December 2015. Available at http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/.

Nutrition Action Healthletter from the Center for Science in the Public Interest; October 2010.