Hypertensive Disease. Doctor’s Recommendations

Hypertension is the most common chronic disease of the heart and blood vessels.

It has been established that 25-30% of the adult population suffers from this disease and it is quite possible that you or someone you know also has this disease.

What is hypertension?

This is a disease in which blood pressure rises in the blood vessels of the body. As scientists have found, this happens for the following reasons: spasm (narrowing) of blood vessels, atherosclerosis, increased blood in the vessels, or improper heart function.

Blood pressure (BP) is usually shown in two digits, for example, “120/80”. The larger number is called systolic pressure and means the maximum pressure of blood on the vessel wall after a heartbeat. The smaller number is diastolic pressure, the pressure of blood on the vessels during the rest period, and the break between heartbeats. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).

What is the danger of high blood pressure?

People with high blood pressure are more likely than healthy people to develop vascular atherosclerosis, cerebral stroke, myocardial infarction, kidney damage, and vision loss.

The disease is almost always accompanied by the following symptoms:

• Headache, especially in the back of the head
• Darkening in the eyes, a feeling of flashing midges.
• Shortness of breath (even if the level of physical activity is below average)

What lifestyle changes are needed to normalize blood pressure

• Stop smoking.
• Limit alcohol consumption: the norm for men is no more than 20-30 g of pure ethyl alcohol, for example, a glass of wine, and for women up to 10-20 g of pure ethyl alcohol, half a glass of wine.
• Keep track of your weight: normal weight for men is height minus 100, for example, height 174cm – 100cm = 74, that is, for this man normal weight is 74 kg, abnormal weight for a woman is height minus 105. It has been proven that a 5 kg weight loss reduces systolic blood pressure by 5 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 4 mmHg.
• Exercise daily for 30-45 minutes – walking, and swimming with a gradual increase in pace and distance. Attention, at maximum load, the pulse rate should not exceed 110 – 130 beats per minute, and sports should not cause shortness of breath or heart pain.
• Avoid sudden exertion, especially in the sun, such as gardening.

How to eat right for hypertension

Hypertensive patients are recommended to adhere to the following nutritional principles:

• Eliminate animal fats, palm, coconut, and butter – they can increase blood cholesterol levels.
• Avoid pastries and granulated sugar.
• Limit the consumption of table salt and fluids.
• Enrich the menu with foods that contain a lot of potassium, magnesium, calcium, and lipotropic components.
• Exclude foods that provoke increased gas formation and are difficult to digest.
• You should not consume alcoholic and carbonated beverages, juices containing sugar, and energy drinks. Tea and coffee can be without sugar. Let’s say you consume mineral water without gas.
• It is permissible to drink a little more than a liter of water per day. The menu should be dominated by insoluble carbohydrates – pectin, vegetable fiber, and dietary fiber.
• Limit salt to 3 g per day, and fats to 70 g, of which 20 g refers to polyunsaturated oils.

Foods that normalize blood pressure

If we talk about which foods normalize blood pressure, then, first of all, they include fresh vegetables and fruits. Vegetables are a source of nitrates, which are converted into nitric oxide in the body. This oxide helps to normalize blood circulation and blood pressure by relaxing the smooth muscles of blood vessels.

Relaxation of the smooth muscles of the vascular walls and dilation of the vascular lumen have a beneficial effect on blood pressure.

Sour-milk products normalize blood pressure due to the fact that they contain a large number of trace elements such as potassium and calcium. These products are especially important for women who are pregnant.

This is because an increased load on the body leads to a lack of these trace elements, and low levels of these trace elements lead to disorders, which leads to an increase in blood pressure.

Potassium and magnesium are very important elements for regulating blood pressure. Magnesium has a calming effect on the body, and the presence of this trace element can reduce the negative effects of stress, which can increase blood pressure. Magnesium is involved in the synthesis of prostaglandin E1, which contributes to the expansion of blood vessels. Relaxing the walls of blood vessels and expanding the lumen helps to reduce blood pressure.

The list of useful foods includes garlic.

Fresh garlic is most useful, as it provides the body with sulfur compounds.

It also allows you to replenish the amount of allicin. Allicin reduces inflammation, prevents blood clotting, lowers cholesterol, and lowers blood pressure.

Foods containing omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In the diet of modern people, there is an acute deficiency of these fatty acids, which leads to the development of cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension.

EPA and DHA fatty acids reduce blood clotting, preventing the formation of blood clots that can cause a heart attack or stroke. Omega-3 improves the balance of “good” and “bad” cholesterol in the blood, and protects arteries from cholesterol plaques, preventing the development of atherosclerosis.

Taurine acts in the same way as diuretics (diuretics) for hypertension. It removes excess fluid from the body, which reduces blood pressure. But, unlike diuretics, it is a natural substance, and therefore treatment does not harm the kidneys.

Taurine also helps to relax the walls of the arteries and relieves their spasms. As a result, blood flow through the vessels improves, and blood pressure normalizes. Large-scale scientific studies have confirmed that taurine is useful in congestive heart failure because it strengthens the heart muscle. In addition to normalizing blood pressure, taurine has the following “side effects”: strengthening the immune system; prevention of visual impairment; getting rid of edema.

Products for normalizing blood pressure:

• Fresh fruit.
• Yogurt.
• Cottage cheese.
• Bananas.
• Pumpkin seeds.
• Homemade tomato paste.
• Celery.
• Vegetables.
• Whole grains (rice, wheat, barley).
• Beans.
• Nuts.
• Seeds.

Diet table for hypertension

Nutrition with high blood pressure is a specially designed diet table No. 10, designed for 7 days. The food is balanced so as not to cause new health problems in the patient. The menu contains familiar foods, but in smaller quantities, and the level of protein, fat, and carbohydrates is balanced.

In case of hypertension, men and women are allowed to eat meat products without visible fat (veal, chicken, rabbit), boiled fish, vegetables of any kind, and various fruits – berries, oranges, and bananas.

Vegetarian soups, seasoned with low-fat sour cream, cereals, durum pasta, and yogurt are allowed. Only yesterday’s wholemeal bread and sugar-free cookies should be on the table.

With high blood pressure, even with restrictions, you can eat tasty and varied meals. There are many recipes on the Internet that are suitable for hypertensive patients. It is better to immediately make a menu for the week.