High blood pressure puts you at risk for a heart attack or stroke. Normal cholesterol somewhat offsets the risk. But high blood pressure can lead to high cholesterol. To protect your heart, adopt a diet that will lower your blood pressure and keep your cholesterol levels within healthy range. Lifestyle changes can also reduce your risk for developing cardiovascular disease.
Hypertension
High blood pressure levels fall into four categories -- prehypertension, stage 1 high blood pressure, stage 2 high blood pressure and a crisis stage that demands emergency medical attention. Prehypertension means either your systolic blood pressure ranges from 120 to 139 or your diastolic blood pressure ranges from 80 to 89. Your systolic blood pressure, the upper number on a blood pressure reading, indicates the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. Your diastolic pressure, the lower number, measures the pressure in your arteries between heart beats. A normal blood pressure would read 120/80 mm Hg -- millimeters of mercury -- or less. Your blood pressure reaches stage 1 if your systolic blood pressure measures between 140 and 159 or your diastolic pressure measures between 90 and 99. Stage 2 high blood pressure means your systolic pressure measures 160 or higher or your diastolic pressure measures 100 or higher. You've reached the crisis stage if your systolic blood pressure measures higher than 180 or your diastolic blood pressures measures more than 110.
Link Between Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
If your cholesterol measures at normal ranges -- 200 mg/dl or lower -- consider this a healthy sign. But your high blood pressure, if left unchecked, could cause your cholesterol to elevate. High blood pressure puts stress on the walls of your arteries. This can lead to vascular scarring. The scars act like nets, catching cholesterol rather than allowing it to travel freely. The buildup of cholesterol in your arteries can narrow your blood's pathway, causing your blood pressure to rise higher.
Lifestyle and Dietary Changes
Fortunately, you can take steps to lower your blood pressure and prevent your cholesterol from reaching unhealthy levels. Lose weight if you carry extra pounds and follow a regular exercise regimen. If you smoke, stop, and if you drink alcohol, do so in moderation -- one drink per day for women and anyone older than 50 or two drinks a day for younger men. You can also include less sodium and more potassium in your diet to help lower your blood pressure. A heart-friendly diet will also include more fiber and olive oil and less sugar and saturated fat.
Considerations
To reduce sodium, eliminate salt in home-cooked meals and avoid processed foods, including deli meats. Potassium-rich foods include sweet potatoes, bananas, nonfat dairy and soy milk. You can reduce saturated fat in your diet by choosing your protein carefully. Animal products such as water-packed tuna and halibut contain much less saturated fat than veal or ground beef.
References
- Mayo Clinic; High Cholesterol; June 24 2010
- American Heart Association: Understanding Blood Pressure Readings
- American Heart Association; About High Blood Pressure; April 13, 2011
- American Heart Association; What Your Cholesterol Levels Mean
- Mayo Clinic: Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines
- University of California San Francisco; Cholesterol Content of Foods; Feb. 2, 2011
