Healthy eating helps control blood pressure

#Middlebury

If you didn’t have high blood pressure before, there’s a good chance you do now. Last year, new guidelines from the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology and nine other health organizations lowered the numbers for the diagnosis of high blood pressure to 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and higher for all adults. The previous guidelines set the threshold at 140/90 mm Hg and 150/80 mm Hg for those 65 and older.

What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of the arteries. Systolic pressure is the pressure as the heart beats. Diastolic pressure is the pressure while the heart is at rest. Blood pressure is written systolic over diastolic. For example, in 110/75, 110 is the systolic pressure and 75 is the diastolic pressure.

What is hypertension?
Hypertension is another term for high blood pressure. Hypertension is diagnosed as a measure of at least 140/90 on three separate occasions.

Why is this important?
High blood pressure makes the heart work too hard, it can make the walls of arteries harden, and it is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. High blood pressure has many complications, including heart failure, kidney disease and blindness.

Who can develop high blood pressure?
Anyone. Especially at risk are African Americans, adults over 60, overweight individuals and those who have “high normal’ blood pressures: 135-139/85-89 mm Hg.

Prevention and Treatment

Heart-healthy eating helps lower blood pressure. (Depositphotos.com photo)

A major part of both preventing and treating hypertension is lifestyle modification: adopting a healthy lifestyle, following a healthy eating pattern, maintaining a healthy weight, physical activity, limiting alcohol and quitting smoking. Here are some healthy-eating tips:

• Eat plenty of fresh and frozen vegetables instead of canned vegetables. If canned vegetables are used, rinse under running water for two to three minutes before cooking. This will decrease the sodium content by approximately 40 percent.
• Read the “Nutrition Facts” information on the label to find the sodium content of a packaged food. You will find the sodium content in milligrams for a single serving. The percentage Daily Value for sodium also is also given, based on 2,400 mg of sodium for the day.
• Choose low-sodium products. Read the label and look for words such as “unsalted,” “no-salt-added,” “reduced sodium,” “sodium-free” or “low in sodium.”
• Avoid adding extra salt to your foods; ask for sauces or dressings on the side, since they often are high in sodium. For a salad, use a twist of lemon, a splash of vinegar or a light drizzle of dressing. Use low-fat or fat-free products.
• Weight reduction will help lower blood pressure.
• Consume enough calcium by including low-fat dairy products in your diet three times per day.
• Take a walk for 20 to 30 minutes on most days of the week. Increasing your activity will improve your overall since of well-being as you lower your blood pressure.

Season your recipes with herbs, spices, herbed vinegar, herb rub and fruit juices, or prepare easy salt-free herb blends like the ones in the recipes below. They are a delicious, salt-free way to marinate meats when combined with olive oil.

Salt-Free Herb Blends

For each blend, combine the ingredients in a jar. Cover tightly and shake. Keep in a cool, dark, dry place. Use in place of commercial mixes. Each recipe makes 1/2 cup.

Chinese Five-Spice: Blend 1/4 cup ground ginger, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon each of ground allspice and anise seeds, and 2 teaspoons ground cloves.

Mixed Herb Blend: Blend 1/4 cup dried parsley flakes, 2 tablespoons dried tarragon, 1 tablespoon each of dried oregano, dill weed and celery flakes.

Italian Blend: Blend 2 tablespoons each of dried basil and dried marjoram, 1 tablespoon each of garlic powder and dried oregano, and 2 teaspoons each of thyme, crushed dried rosemary and crushed red pepper.

Curry Blend: Blend 2 tablespoons each of turmeric and ground coriander, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons each of ground cardamom, ground ginger and black pepper, and 1 teaspoon each of powdered cloves, cinnamon and ground nutmeg.

Mexican Chili Blend: Blend 1/4 cup chili powder, 1 tablespoon each of ground cumin and onion powder, 1 teaspoon each of dried oregano, garlic powder and ground red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

Greek Blend: Blend 3 tablespoons each of garlic powder and dried lemon peel, 2 tablespoons dried oregano and 1 teaspoon black pepper.

Easy Dip Blend: For use when mixing with cottage cheese, yogurt, cheese or low-fat sour cream. Blend 1/4 cup dried dill weed and 1 tablespoon each of dried chives, garlic powder, dried lemon peel and dried chervil.

Angela Shelf Medearis is an award-winning children’s author, culinary historian and the author of seven cookbooks. Her new cookbook is “The Kitchen Diva’s Diabetic Cookbook.” Her website is www.divapro.com. To see how-to videos, recipes and much, much more, Like Angela Shelf Medearis, The Kitchen Diva! on Facebook. Recipes may not be reprinted without permission from Angela Shelf Medearis.

© 2018 King Features Synd. Inc. and Angela Shelf Medearis