Download What can you do to lower your blood pressure

WHAT IS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?
Blood pressure is the force of blood against artery walls. It is measured in mmHg and recorded as two numbers—
systolic pressure (as the heart beats) over diastolic pressure (as the heart relaxes between beats). Hypertension
is the medical term for blood pressure. The higher your blood pressure, the greater the health risks. Risks
include stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure, kidney failure, heart disease and many other complications.
HOW CAN YOU LOWER YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE?
Maintain a healthy weight
Be physically active - Engage in physical activity 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week
Follow a healthy eating plan like DASH Diet
Reduce sodium in your diet - Aim to keep sodium intake less than 2400 milligrams per day
Drink alcohol only in moderation - 1 drink a day for women, 2 drinks a day for men
Take prescribed drugs as directed
WHAT IS DASH … Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension
Fewer servings of red meat, sweets and sugar-containing beverages
Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy foods
Rich in magnesium, potassium, and calcium
Focuses on reducing salt intake
Low in saturated fat and cholesterol
High in protein and fiber
TIPS ON HOW TO START …
Change gradually
 Keep fruits and vegetables on hand. Use frozen, canned or dried if they are more convenient than fresh. Try
ready-to-eat items – pre-peeled carrots, pre-washed salad mix, individual-sized cans of fruit.
 If you eat 1-2 vegetables a day, add a serving at lunch and another at dinner to reach 4-5 servings per day. If
you don’t eat fruit or only have juice at breakfast, add a serving to your meals or have fruit for a snack.
 Gradually increase your use of fat free and low fat dairy products to 3 servings a day. For example, drink milk
with lunch or dinner instead of soda, sugar-sweetened tea, or alcohol. Choose low fat (1%) or fat free (skim)
milk to reduce your intake of saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol and calories.
 Read food labels on margarines and salad dressings to choose those lowest in saturated fat.
Treat meat as one part of the whole meal, instead of the focus
 Limit meat to 6 oz a day – 3-4 oz is about the size of a deck of cards. If you are eating more than this, cut the
amount of meat gradually by half or a third at each meal.
 Include 2 or more vegetarian-style (meatless) meals each week.
 Increase servings of fruit and vegetables, whole grain rice, pasta and dry beans in meals to get full without lots
of meat. Try casseroles and stir-fry dishes, which have less meat and more vegetables, grains and dry beans.
Use fruits or other foods low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories as desserts and snacks.
 Use fruits canned in their own juice. Fresh fruits require little preparation. Dried fruits are good “on the go”
 Snack ideas: unsalted pretzels or nuts mixed with raisins, a fruit smoothie made by blending plain low-fat
yogurt and fruit; popcorn with no salt or butter added; and raw vegetables.
Tips to Reduce Salt and Sodium
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Add no salt at the table and use half the usual amount (or less) when cooking
Buy fresh, plain frozen or vegetables canned with “no added salt.” Rinse canned foods to remove some salt
Use fresh poultry, fish and lean meats, rather than canned, smoked, or processed types
Limit cured bacon/ham; pickles, olives, or sauerkraut; MSG, mustard, horseradish, catsup or barbecue sauce
Be spicy instead of salty - flavor foods with spices, garlic, onions, lemon/lime, vinegar or salt-free seasoning
Cook rice, pasta, and hot cereals without salt. Cut back on instant or flavored rice, pasta, and cereal mixes
Cut back on frozen dinners, pizza, and canned soups and broths, or use the reduced sodium varieties
When eating out, order foods without sauces and ask that no salt or soy sauce be used in preparation
http://cardioconnection.org/media/pdf/new_dash.pdf
www.americanheart.org
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash
What does the label mean?
Sodium free or salt free
Very low sodium
Low sodium
Low sodium meal
Reduced or less sodium
Light in sodium
Unsalted/no salt added
Less than 5 mg per serving
35 mg or less per serving
140 mg or less per serving
140 mg or less per 3 1/2 oz
At least 25% less sodium than regular product
50% less sodium than regular product
No salt added during processing
Did you
know that 1
teaspoon of
salt has
2,400
mg that
of 1
ou know
sodium!!!
teaspoon of salt has
FOLLOWING THE DASH DIET
The DASH eating plan shown below is based on 2,000 calories per day. The number of daily servings in a food
group may vary from those listed depending on your calorie needs.
Grains
Daily
Servings
7-8
Vegetables
4-5
Fruits
4-5
Dairy
2-3
Meats, poultry
and fish
2 or less
3 oz cooked
meats, poultry or
fish
Select only lean; trim away visible fats; broil,
roast or boil, instead of frying; remove skim
from poultry
Rich sources of protein
and magnesium
Nuts, seeds and
dry beans
4-5 per
week
Almonds, filberts, mixed nuts, peanuts,
walnuts, sunflower seeds, kidney beans,
lentils, peas
Rich sources of energy,
magnesium, potassium,
protein and fiber
Fats & oils
2-3
Soft margarine, low fat mayonnaise, light salad
dressing, vegetable oil (such as olive, corn,
canola, or safflower)
DASH has 27% of
calories as fat, including
that in or added to foods
Sweets
5 per
week
1/3 cup or 1 ½
oz nuts
2 Tbsp or ½ oz
seeds
½ cup cooked
dry beans
1 tsp soft
margarine
1 Tbsp low fat
mayonnaise
2 Tbsp light
salad dressing
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp jelly
½ oz jelly beans
8 oz lemonade
Maple syrup, sugar, jelly, jam, fruit-flavored
gelatin, jelly beans, hard candy, fruit punch,
sorbet, ices
Sweets should be low in
fat
Food Group
Serving Sizes
Examples
Importance
1 slide bread
1 oz dry cereal
½ cup cooked
rice, pasta or
cereal
1 cup raw leafy
vegetables
½ cup cooked
vegetables
6 oz vegetable
juice
6 oz fruit juice
1 medium fruit
¼ cup dried fruit
½ cup fresh,
frozen or canned
fruit
8 oz milk
1 cup yogurt
1 ½ oz cheese
Whole wheat bread, English muffin, pita bread,
bagel, cereals, grits, oatmeal, crackers,
unsalted pretzels, popcorn
Major sources of energy
and fiber
Tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, green peas,
squash, broccoli, turnip greens, collards, kale,
spinach, artichokes, green beans, lima beans,
sweet potatoes
Rich sources of
potassium, magnesium
and fiber
Apricots, bananas, dates, grapes, oranges,
orange juice, grapefruit, grapefruit juice,
mangoes, melons, peaches, pineapples,
prunes, raisins, strawberries, tangerines
Important sources of
potassium, magnesium
and fiber
Fat free (skim) or low fat (1%) milk, fat free or
low fat buttermilk, fat free or low fat regular or
frozen yogurt, low fat and fat free cheese
Major sources of
calcium and protein