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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! 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 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 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! 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