Hypertension is another term for high blood pressure, which affects 32 percent of the adult population in the United States as of 2006, the latest year for which data are available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though hypertension is a chronic condition that you may have to deal with long-term, a healthy diet can help you keep it under control.
Levels
Blood pressure figures come as two numbers, one over the other, each measured in mmHg, which means millimeters of mercury. An example would be 125/80 mmHg. Systolic pressure is the top number and is dubbed "high" if it tends to stay over 140, according to Medline Plus, an informational website produced by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, along with the National Institutes of Health. Diastolic pressure is the bottom number. Readings consistently over 90 suggest hypertension. If your top number is consistently between 120 and 139 or your bottom number stays between 80 and 90, you have pre-hypertension, which puts you at higher risk for developing hypertension.
Risks
If your blood pressure is high, then your heart must work harder, which can damage it over time. Additionally, the force of the blood can damage the arteries and various organs, leading to risk of heart disease, kidney disease, stroke and blindness, according to the U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Even pre-hypertension ups your likelihood of heart disease and stroke.
DASH Plan
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommends a plan called DASH, which stands for dietary approaches to stop hypertension, for preventing or controlling hypertension. Among its tenets are high intake of fruits and vegetables and low intake of fat. Among specific nutrient goals in DASH are 6 percent of your calories coming from saturated fat, 18 percent from protein and 55 percent from carbohydrates. Based on a 2,100-calorie-a-day diet, you would consume 150 mg of cholesterol, 4,700 mg of potassium, 1,250 mg of calcium, 500 mg of magnesium and 30 grams of fiber. Sodium intake would not exceed 1,500 mg.
DASH Day
A sample day on DASH could include breakfast of one whole-wheat bagel, 2 tbsp. of peanut butter, a medium orange and a cup of coffee with fat-free milk, according to the Mayo Clinic. For lunch, you could have a spinach salad made with 4 cups of fresh spinach leaves, a sliced pear, a half-cup of canned mandarin orange pieces, a quarter-cup of unsalted peanuts and 2 tablespoons of reduced-fat red wine vinaigrette. You could also include 12 reduced-sodium wheat crackers and a cup of fat-free milk. For dinner, you could have a 3-ounce serving of herb-crusted baked cod, a third-cup of brown rice pilaf, a half-cup of fresh green beans, a sourdough roll, a tsp. of trans fat-free margarine, a cup of fresh berries and a glass of herbal iced tea. Snack ideas offered by the Mayo Clinic include vanilla wafers and light yogurt.
Benefits
By sticking with DASH and making other lifestyle changes, such as getting plenty of exercise, you may be able to avoid hypertension altogether if you do not already have it, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Among those who have it, some can control it completely through healthy habits. DASH also can lead to lower LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, which decreases your risk of heart disease.
