Download Hypertension

Hypertension: The Silent Killer
Every third adult in North America has high blood pressure. People with hypertension are three times
more likely to have a heart attack, five times more likely to develop heart failure, and eight times more
likely to suffer a stroke than people without hypertension, or normal blood pressure.
How can I know if I have hypertension?
Hypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure reading (the top number) consistently over 130,
and/or a diastolic (lower number) reading of 85 or above. The optimal level is below 120/80. Even though
high blood pressure has no symptoms (that’s why it is called the silent killer), it can cause progressive
changes in the blood vessels until the first sign hits, usually a stroke or a heart attack.
What causes the blood pressure to go up?
Certain kinds of tumors will do it, or diseases within the kidney itself. But in 90% of everyday
hypertension, no specific organic causes can be determined. For this reason this kind of hypertension is
called essential hypertension.
Americans eat
10-15 times
more salt than
they need. And
they pay for it
with high blood
pressure, heart
failure, and other
problems related
to fluid retention.
The following factors contribute to essential hypertension:

High Salt Intake. Surprisingly, hypertension is uncommon in
70% of the world’s population where salt intake is also very
low. In places where salt intake is high, as in Japan, the
disease is epidemic, affecting approximately one half of
adults. Americans consume an average of 10 to 15 grams of
salt per day. That’s two to three teaspoonfuls, or about 10 to
15 times more than the body actually needs!
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Obesity. Nearly everyone who is significantly overweight will
eventually experience high blood pressure. It’s just a matter
of time.
Arterial Plaque. Narrowed and plugged arteries force the
body to boost the blood pressure in order to deliver necessary
oxygen and food to body cells.
Lack of exercise.
Smoking.
Estrogen. This hormone, found in birth control pills and used
to ease menopausal symptoms, is also a salt retainer. It can
raise blood pressure and weight by holding excess fluid in the
body.
Alcohol. Scientific studies have demonstrated that even
moderate use of alcohol may account for 5 to 15% of all
hypertension.
Salt and Hypertension
The evidence that high salt intake and high blood pressure is closely associated is no longer refutable.
Americans consume 10-15 times more salt than the body requires!
Population studies have shown that the higher the salt intake, the larger the prevalence of hypertension.
In America, some 68 million have high blood pressure. That's every third adult. By the time a person is 70
years old, the likelihood of hypertension is 3 out of 4.
Why do Americans eat so much salt?
In today’s life it’s hard to get away from salt. About 75% of our salt intake comes from fast and processed
foods. A taste for salt is easy to develop, and salty snacks and foods abound to accommodate us.
How much salt is enough salt?
While sodium is essential for body metabolism, too much can cause trouble. Excess sodium can stay in
body tissues and hold extra water. This causes swelling, which raises the blood pressure, which in turn
increases stress on the heart.
Getting the
Salt Out
Not salting
your food is a
good way to
start
protecting
yourself from
stroke.
Unfortunately,
only 25
percent of the
salt we eat
comes from
the shaker.
SOME PROCESSED FOODS SALT (mg)
Apple Pie (1 slice)
.........................................500
Canned Chili and Beans (1 cup)
.....................3,000
Minute Rice (1
cup)........................................120
Wheaties (2
oz)..........................................1,100
Frozen Pasta au Gratin (1
cup)......................2,750
Potatoe Chips (7
0z)...................................3,000
Tomato Sauce (1/2
cup)...............................950
Much of the
rest is hidden
in processed
foods and
snacks. Here
are a few
examples.
Canned Tomato Soup (1
cup).......................1,250
Corned Beef (3
oz).....................................1,685
Cheese, American (2
slices).........................1,800
Kentucky Fried Chicken (3-piece
meal)...........5,600
People need less than half a gram of salt a day—about one fifth of a teaspoon. Sodium, the key particle
in salt, occurs naturally in foods—more than enough to meet daily needs.
Our best guess is that some 40 million North Americans with mild essential hypertension could normalize
their blood pressure within weeks by just cutting their salt intake to less than one teaspoon a day—still 5x
the salt needed by the body, and losing weight!
What about medications for hypertension?
The past few years have produced an avalanche of new drugs that are effective in lowering blood
pressure. Some are lifesaving. Most produce prompt results—the quick fix that Americans love.
But a closer look at anti-hypertensive medications reveals some disquieting facts: the drugs do not cure
hypertension; they only control it. In some cases the medications need to be taken for life. Unpleasant
side effects may include fatigue, depression, and lack of sexual desire and impotence. While the drugs
help protect against strokes, they do not protect against coronary atherosclerosis (narrowing of the
coronary arteries). Some may actually promote atherosclerosis, diabetes, and gouty arthritis.
Reversing Hypertension
What are the alternatives to blood pressure medication?
1. A number of major scientific studies have convincingly shown
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that simple dietary and lifestyle changes can reverse most
essential hypertension in a matter of weeks without drugs.
A large percentage of people are sensitive to salt and would
benefit from its reduction in their diets.
When the weight goes down, blood pressure levels usually
fall. Reducing excess weight is often the only treatment
needed to correct a rising blood pressure.
A diet very low in fat yet high in fiber lowers the blood
pressure by about 10% even without weight loss or salt
restriction. Reducing the blood's viscosity (thinning of the
blood), which results from eating less fat, probably produces
these favorable changes.
Deleting alcohol from the diet will lower blood pressure and
do the body a favor in several other areas as well.
Physical exercise lowers blood pressure by reducing
peripheral arterial resistance. In addition, regular exercise
promotes general health and well-being.
Reducing Blood Pressure!
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Eat lots of fresh, raw food, both fruits and
vegetables. They need no added salt. They also
increase potassium stores, which helps lower
blood pressure.
Look for unsalted snacks (if you really need them).
Undercook vegetables and eat them a bit crispy.
They will require less salt.
Learn to flavor foods with lemon juice, parsley,
taragon, garlic, or onions instead of salt.
Take advantage of the excellent salt-free gourment
cookbooks available on the market today.
People taking blood pressure medications should not play doctor and change doses or stop medicines on
their own. But those who are willing to make healthful lifestyle changes will usually find their physicians
glad to help them eat and exercise their way out of hypertension.
A Tremendous
Step
Become a label reader.
By carefully reading labels,
you can select products low
in sodium. Watch for words
like "salt," "sodium," and
"soda," and avoid products
in which these terms are
listed among the first five
ingredients.
FDA's Proposed
Packaging
Guidelines (per
serving)
Sodiumfree
under
5 mg
Very Low under
Sodium
35 mg
Low
Sodium
under
140 mg
Reduced
Sodium
a 75%
decrease