Getting your high blood pressure under control can help improve your heart health. Hypertension strongly increases your risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Sodium increases blood pressure because it causes your body to retain water. When you change your diet -- and limit your sodium -- you can help control your blood pressure.
Blood Pressure Guidelines
The problem with blood pressure is that it could be elevated, and you may not even know it. This gives it the reputation as the "silent killer." The only way to know your average blood pressure is by taking it. Hypertension is categorized by average blood pressure readings of 140/90 mmHg or greater. If you have been diagnosed with hypertension and would like to try a lifestyle change to gain control, trying a low-sodium diet might work for you.
DASH Diet
The DASH diet is an eating plan instituted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It focuses on lowering your blood pressure. For this diet, an emphasis is placed on choosing low-sodium foods. Your calories should be split into 55 percent from carbohydrates, 27 percent from fat and 18 percent from protein. Sodium intake is limited to 1,500 mg per day. Other nutrients, like fiber, potassium, magnesium and calcium, are emphasized as these offer other protective benefits for your cardiovascular system.
Benefits of the DASH Diet
The DASH diet really works for people that want to decrease their blood pressure. A study published in "The New England Journal of Medicine" in 2001 by Frank M. Sacks and colleagues, testes the effectiveness of the DASH diet on hypertension. The 412 participants were separated into a DASH diet or average American diet groups. At the study's end, those with hypertension on the DASH diet reduced their blood pressure by 11.5 mmHg on average. This kind of reduction can mean the difference between a healthy or a hypertensive blood pressure.
Limit Processed Foods
Many of the foods you eat are eaten out of convenience. This, along with a sedentary lifestyle, can lead to high blood pressure. Processed foods, like those you heat up out of a box or can, contain high amounts of sodium. According to MayoClinic.com, processed foods account for 75 percent of your sodium intake in one day. Cooking your own foods allows you to control the amount of salt that is in each meal.
References
- MayoClinic.com: High Blood Pressure
- "DASH Diet: Your Guide to Lowering Blood Pressure"; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2008
- MayoClinic.com: Low-Sodium Diet
- "The New England Journal of Medicine"; Effects on Blood Pressure of Reduced Dietary Sodium and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet; 2001
