Effects on Blood Pressure of Reduced Dietary Sodium and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet. Sacks, M.D., Laura P. A delicious and realistic eating plan. Welcome to the DASH diet. DASH stands for "Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension" and it is an eating plan that. Hypertension Definition. Hypertension is high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as it flows through them. Stage 2 Hypertension definition, symptoms, treatment, diet and dangers are covered in detail in this article. The Southern African Hypertension Society is a Society that is largely managed by a concerned group of Southern African health professionals. Hypertension Diet - Plan . This diet is a solution to hypertension treatment. Most people are ignorant of the fact that what you eat affects your chances of developing hypertension. It is no secret that millions of people have absolutely total disregard for what they eat on a day to day basis. Therein lays the dangers of what people eat. It must be noted that being on a hypertension diet does remove the role of hypertension medications. Provides up-to-date, selected information on renal disorders and their treatment, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and about hypertension, dialysis, and clinical. In fact after dignosis your doctor will determine whether to add drugs or just recommend lifestlye change. In general and effectively so, high blood pressure can be lowered by less consumption of sodium. This sodium is not the same as table salt in that it doesn't necessarily refer to salt in a salt shaker on your dinner table. It's, more than that and something different and actually embedded in thousands of processed food products. Almost each and every processed food product on a store shelf has sodium in it. Lowering your overall daily sodium intake will help prevent, control high blood pressure and even eliminate it in people suffering from essential hypertension. The recommended daily level of sodium consumption is 2. The best and recommended hypertension diet plan is that with 2. DASH. DASH is a scientifically arrived at high blood pressure diet which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It is a diet that was developed by the United States National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). It is shocking that adults in America, the western world and large cities in general consume up to 4. DASH is an effective health eating plan. It provides sound dietary guidelines for hypertension patients keen to control or even eliminate high blood pressure through what they eat. Foods that lower blood pressure are embedded in this eating plan which is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and total fat. Fruits and vegetables that lower blood pressure are included in DASH including fat- free or low- fat milk and milk products. This diet for hypertension also includes fish, poultry and nuts as well as whole grain products. Red meat (beef, oxtail, lamb, ostrich meat), sweets, added sugars and sugar containing beverages are eliminated in this special professionally assembled hypertension diet. They are the order of the day at thousands of fast food outlets across the world opposing a heart healthy living. Instead the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension are rich in potassium, magnesium and calcium as well as fibre. It is interesting to note that even though DASH produces the best sets of hypertension diets, eating lots of fruits and vegetables atop your normal daily diet produces positive results. This is a good start instead of engaging full gear into DASH. However with DASH blood pressure reduction can be experienced within two weeks of starting the high blood pressure eating plan. The diet for high blood pressure does not in anyway suggest abandoning medication for those with hypertension, this needs to be repeated. In fact some people at an increased risk of heart disease, or stroke will require medication and not rely only on a specially crafted hypertension diet. It also does not mean the place for exercise to lose weight and keep healthy no longer exists. Hypertension and diet are very good considerations so is the strong link between exercise and blood pressure. The most noticeable side effects of a hypertension diet such as DASH is bloating and diarrhea. This has been noted to be a result of high fiber in the diet. The solution is to gradually increase the intake of fruit, vegetables and whole grain foods. All in all whichever blood pressure diet you decide to pursue, decreasing sodium intake is of paramount importance. Sodium is thought to cause hypertension as it increases the amount of fluid in your bloodstream which in turn increases pressure on blood vessels and causes your heart to work harder. A basic definition of blood pressure is when a volume of blood forces its way against constricted artery walls. It must be remembered that the greatest amounts of sodium combined is in processed foods. Not that table salt as we know it in the restaurant or at the dinner table should be abused. Since much of the salt is at your nearest store, it is therefore of paramount importance to read food labels when visiting a store for home supplies. The following is a limited list of some of the processed foods with varying levels of sodium; Baked goods Certain Cereals Soy Sauce Seasoned Salts Baking Soda Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) Antacids. Some supplements such as glucosamine are a bad idea when considering hypertension. This have sodium in them which is bad for people attempting to control, prevent or treat hypertension. There is therefore a link between glucosamine and blood pressure. The following is a 2. Day 1 under the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension - DASH; (the amounts in mg in brackets stand for amounts of sodium in each item)BREAKFAST 3/4 cup bran flakes cereal (2. LUNCH 3/4 cup chicken salad (1. Dijon mustard (3. Tablespoon sunflower seeds (0mg)1 teaspoon Italian dressing, low calorie (4. DINNER 3 oz beef, eye of the round (3. Tablespoon chopped scallions (1mg)1 small whole wheat roll (1. SNACKS 1/3 cup almonds, unsalted (0mg)1/4 cup raisins (4mg)1/2 cup fruit yogurt, fat- free, no sugar added (8. TOTAL SODIUM IN THIS MENU - 2. The DASH approach has 7 days of unique menus each for each day. Total sodium consumed in these menus will slightly fluctuate but will not exceed 2. As you might have noticed in this Day 1 menu there is no inclusion of garlic. It is so through out to Day 7 of DASH. There are numerous assertions around garlic and high blood pressure as well as caffeine and blood pressure. Other Related Topics. Foods that Lower Blood Pressure . There are however other processed foods that are also suitable. Follow link for a detail discussion. Learn More > > > Return to Hypertension Home Page from Hypertension Diet. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as it flows through them. Arteries are the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the body's tissues. Description. As blood flows through arteries it pushes against the inside of the artery walls. The more pressure the blood exerts on the artery walls, the higher the blood pressure will be. The size of small arteries also affects the blood pressure. When the muscular walls of arteries are relaxed, or dilated, the pressure of the blood flowing through them is lower than when the artery walls narrow, or constrict. Blood pressure is highest when the heart beats to push blood out into the arteries. When the heart relaxes to fill with blood again, the pressure is at its lowest point. Blood pressure when the heart beats is called systolic pressure. Blood pressure when the heart is at rest is called diastolic pressure. When blood pressure is measured, the systolic pressure is stated first and the diastolic pressure second. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). For example, if a person's systolic pressure is 1. Hg. The American Heart Association has long considred blood pressure less than 1. However, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Maryland released new clinical guidelines for blood pressure in 2. A normal reading was lowered to less than 1. Hypertension is a major health problem, especially because it has no symptoms. Many people have hypertension without knowing it. In the United States, about 5. Hypertension is more common in men than women and in people over the age of 6. More than half of all Americans over the age of 6. It also is more common in African- Americans than in white Americans. Hypertension is serious because people with the condition have a higher risk for heart disease and other medical problems than people with normal blood pressure. Serious complications can be avoided by getting regular blood pressure checks and treating hypertension as soon as it is diagnosed. If left untreated, hypertension can lead to the following medical conditions: Arteriosclerosis is hardening of the arteries. The walls of arteries have a layer of muscle and elastic tissue that makes them flexible and able to dilate and constrict as blood flows through them. High blood pressure can make the artery walls thicken and harden. When artery walls thicken, the inside of the blood vessel narrows. Cholesterol and fats are more likely to build up on the walls of damaged arteries, making them even narrower. Blood clots also can get trapped in narrowed arteries, blocking the flow of blood. Arteries narrowed by arteriosclerosis may not deliver enough blood to organs and other tissues. Reduced or blocked blood flow to the heart can cause a heart attack. If an artery to the brain is blocked, a stroke can result. Hypertension makes the heart work harder to pump blood through the body. The extra workload can make the heart muscle thicken and stretch. When the heart becomes too enlarged it cannot pump enough blood. If the hypertension is not treated, the heart may fail. The kidneys remove the body's wastes from the blood. If hypertension thickens the arteries to the kidneys, less waste can be filtered from the blood. As the condition worsens, the kidneys fail and wastes build up in the blood. Dialysis or a kidney transplant are needed when the kidneys fail. About 2. 5% of people who receive kidney dialysis have kidney failure caused by hypertension. Causes and symptoms. Many different actions or situations can normally raise blood pressure. Physical activity can temporarily raise blood pressure. Stressful situations can make blood pressure go up. When the stress goes away, blood pressure usually returns to normal. These temporary increases in blood pressure are not considered hypertension. A diagnosis of hypertension is made only when a person has multiple high blood pressure readings over a period of time. The cause of hypertension is not known in 9. Hypertension without a known cause is called primary or essential hypertension. When a person has hypertension caused by another medical condition, it is called secondary hypertension. Secondary hypertension can be caused by a number of different illnesses. Many people with kidney disorders have secondary hypertension. The kidneys regulate the balance of salt and water in the body. If the kidneys cannot rid the body of excess salt and water, blood pressure goes up. Kidney infections, a narrowing of the arteries that carry blood to the kidneys, called renal artery stenosis, and other kidney disorders can disturb the salt and water balance. Cushing's syndrome and tumors of the pituitary and adrenal glands often increase levels of the adrenal gland hormones cortisol, adrenalin, and aldosterone, which can cause hypertension. Other conditions that can cause hypertension are blood vessel diseases, thyroid gland disorders, some prescribed drugs, alcoholism, and pregnancy. Even though the cause of most hypertension is not known, some people have risk factors that give them a greater chance of getting hypertension. Many of these risk factors can be changed to lower the chance of developing hypertension or as part of a treatment program to lower blood pressure. Risk factors for hypertension include: age over 6. Some risk factors for getting hypertension can be changed, while others cannot. Age, male sex, and race are risk factors that a person can't do anything about. Some people inherit a tendency to get hypertension. People with family members who have hypertension are more likely to develop it than those whose relatives are not hypertensive. People with these risk factors can avoid or eliminate the other risk factors to lower their chance of developing hypertension. A 2. 00. 3 report found that the rise in incidence of high blood pressure among children is most likely due to an increase in the number of overweight and obese children and adolescents. Diagnosis. Because hypertension doesn't cause symptoms, it is important to have blood pressure checked regularly. Blood pressure is measured with an instrument called a sphygmomanometer. A cloth- covered rubber cuff is wrapped around the upper arm and inflated. When the cuff is inflated, an artery in the arm is squeezed to momentarily stop the flow of blood. Then, the air is let out of the cuff while a stethoscope placed over the artery is used to detect the sound of the blood spurting back through the artery. This first sound is the systolic pressure, the pressure when the heart beats. The last sound heard as the rest of the air is released is the diastolic pressure, the pressure between heart beats. Both sounds are recorded on the mercury gauge on the sphygmomanometer. Normal blood pressure is defined by a range of values. Blood pressure lower than 1. Hg is considered normal. A number of factors such as pain, stress or anxiety can cause a temporary increase in blood pressure. For this reason, hypertension is not diagnosed on one high blood pressure reading. If a blood pressure reading is 1. Diagnosis of hypertension usually is made based on two or more readings after the first visit. Systolic hypertension of the elderly is common and is diagnosed when the diastolic pressure is normal or low, but the systolic is elevated, e. Hg. This condition usually co- exists with hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Blood pressure measurements are classified in stages, according to severity: normal blood pressure: less than less than 1. Hgpre- hypertension: 1. Hg. Stage 1 hypertension: 1. Hg. Stage 2 hypertension: at or greater than 1. Hgmedical and family historyphysical examinationophthalmoscopy: Examination of the blood vessels in the eyechest x rayelectrocardiograph (ECG)blood and urine tests. The medical and family history help the physician determine if the patient has any conditions or disorders that might contribute to or cause the hypertension. A family history of hypertension might suggest a genetic predisposition for hypertension. The physical exam may include several blood pressure readings at different times and in different positions. The physician uses a stethoscope to listen to sounds made by the heart and blood flowing through the arteries. The pulse, reflexes, and height and weight are checked and recorded. Internal organs are palpated, or felt, to determine if they are enlarged. Because hypertension can cause damage to the blood vessels in the eyes, the eyes may be checked with a instrument called an ophthalmoscope. The physician will look for thickening, narrowing, or hemorrhages in the blood vessels. A chest x ray can detect an enlarged heart, other vascular (heart) abnormalities, or lung disease. An electrocardiogram (ECG) measures the electrical activity of the heart. It can detect if the heart muscle is enlarged and if there is damage to the heart muscle from blocked arteries. Urine and blood tests may be done to evaluate health and to detect the presence of disorders that might cause hypertension. Treatment. There is no cure for primary hypertension, but blood pressure can almost always be lowered with the correct treatment. The goal of treatment is to lower blood pressure to levels that will prevent heart disease and other complications of hypertension. In secondary hypertension, the disease that is responsible for the hypertension is treated in addition to the hypertension itself. Successful treatment of the underlying disorder may cure the secondary hypertension. Guidelines advise that clinicians work with patients to agree on blood pressure goals and develop a treatment plan for the individual patient. Actual combinations of medications and lifestyle changes will vary from one person to the next. Treatment to lower blood pressure may include changes in diet, getting regular exercise, and taking antihypertensive medications. Patients falling into the pre- hypertension range who don't have damage to the heart or kidneys often are advised to make needed lifestyle changes only.
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