Diet Plan for High Blood Pressure

Hypertension: Its Causes and The Diet Plan Recommendations

Hypertension leads to cardiovascular disease that increases the risk of heart disease. It leads to strokes, heart attacks, heart failures, and sometimes even death. It is because a person’s blood exerts against the walls of their blood vessels through blood pressure. It is the resistance of the blood vessels that the force depends on and at what rate the heart has to work.

In UAE, almost 30 percent of adults have high blood pressure but are not aware of the fact mostly.

Symptoms of Hypertension

Although there are few symptoms of Hypertension, yet it is a silent condition. Most people do not experience major symptoms. It takes years to recognize and identify its signs. Therefore, it is advisable to take regular readings of blood pressure to avoid any severe health issues.

A few severe symptoms of Hypertension are:

  • Headaches
  • Shortness of breath
  • Nosebleeds
  • Flushing
  • Dizziness
  • Chest pain
  • Visual changes
  • Blood in the urine

The symptoms do not occur in everyone; moreover, waiting for a sign could be deadly. Anyone suffering from any of these symptoms requires immediate medical attention.

Causes of High Blood Pressure

Only knowing the symptoms won’t help; it is equally important to understand its causes as well. Hypertension is of two types, Essential and Secondary Hypertension. The reasons for both of them are different.

Essential Hypertension

It is also known as primary Hypertension and is common in most people. Essential Hypertension grows over time with no perceptible cause. Instead, there may be a mixture of factors that lead to crucial Hypertension like:

  • Hereditary factor: Some people get inclined to Hypertension hereditarily. It is basically due to the gene alterations or genetic irregularities that inherit from parents.
  • Bodily changes: High blood pressure may cause some physical changes. Say, for example, due to aging, kidney function may trouble the body’s usual stability of salts and fluid. As a result, it may lead to change or increase in Hypertension.
  • Lifestyle: The fast-pacing time has led to unhealthy lifestyle choices. Most people feel lazy doing physical activities and choose unhealthy food habits that affect the body. It causes weight gain or obesity, increasing the risk for Hypertension.

Secondary Hypertension

Secondary Hypertension is severe than primary Hypertension and often occurs quickly. Conditions that lead to secondary blood pressure are:

  • Kidney disease
  • Diabetes
  • Disruptive sleep apnea
  • Inherited heart problems
  • Thyroid problems
  • Medication side effects
  • Use of illegitimate drugs
  • Chronic use of alcohol
  • Adrenal gland problems
  • Certain hormone tumors
  • Obstructive sleep apnoea – that causes the walls of the throat to relax and narrow during sleep, disturbing the normal breathing
  • Glomerulonephritis – it damages tiny filters inside the kidneys, narrowing the arteries supplying the kidneys
  • Lupus – in this condition, the immune system attacks parts of the body, such as the skin, joints, and organs
  • Scleroderma – a disease that causes thickened skin and sometimes problems with organs and blood vessels

Foods that spike Hypertension

Managing any enduring health condition can seem irresistible, and Hypertension is one of them. Therefore, there are certain foods to avoid with high blood pressure. Below are the top 15 foods that raise blood pressure quickly are:

  • Canned Beans
  • Alcohol
  • Bacon
  • Premade soup
  • Cheese
  • Canned or Bottled Tomato product
  • North American Style Chinese Food
  • Packaged and Processed Meats
  • Coffee
  • Frozen Meals
  • Cured Hams
  • Candy
  • Soft drinks
  • Sauces
  • Pastries

Foods that control Blood Pressure

Like specific food that increases blood pressure, there are certain foods for controlling high blood pressure.

  • Berries like strawberries and blueberries
  • Potassium-rich fruits and vegetables like banana,avocado, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, halibut, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, tuna, beans.
  • Beet
  • Dark chocolates
  • Kiwis
  • Oats
  • Watermelon
  • Leafy green vegetables
  • Garlic
  • Fermented food
  • Lentils and other pulses
  • Natural Yogurt
  • Pomegranate
  • Cinnamon
  • Pistachios

Diet plan for Hypertension and how can it help?

High in fibre and nutrients, our wellness meal plan with whole food helps reset the body’s natural balance and reboot the metabolism. Rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, this will help you debloat, keep you energized, glowing and healthy.

DASH – Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension is often the recommended high blood pressure diet plan. At Vmeals, our DASH menu focuses on healthy foods low in sodium, cholesterol and fat, and rich in fibre, protein, and nutrients.

It includes: Vegetables, fruits and whole grains, fat-free dairy products, fish, poultry, and nuts.

It limits the following things: Sugar-containing drinks, Sweets and added sugars, red meats, and lean red meats.

The DASH helps to reduce high blood pressure by lowering sodium in the diet. It lowers up to 2300 milligrams (mg) in a day. It is more beneficial when the sodium is reduced to 1500 mg a day. This hypertension diet plan also includes various foods rich in nutrients. DASH helps people lower blood pressure by containing potassium, calcium, and magnesium in the food. In addition, it completely avoids foods that cause high blood pressure.

Start the DASH Diet foods that control blood pressure easily.

Dash is a specialized high blood pressure diet plan that contains a certain number of servings from different food collections. DASH follows a regular menu with a specific number of servings that may vary. It depends on the number of calories required every day.

Under the complete supervision of our nutritionists, one can make gradual changes. For example, one can start by limiting to 2,400 milligrams of sodium per day. Once the body gets adjusted to the diet, one can cut back to 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day which counts to 2/3 teaspoon. This amount includes all sodium eaten. It consists of the sodium in food products and what is cooked with or added to the table.

Dash Diet Tips

  • Add a portion of vegetables at lunch and dinner.
  • Add fruit to meals or as a snack.
  • Add only half a typical serving of butter, margarine, salad dressing, and low-fat or fat-free condiments.
  • Drink low-fat or skim dairy products only.
  • Limit meat intake and add some vegetarian meals.
  • Avoid snacking, and eat unsalted food items. That includes pretzels or nuts, raisins, low-fat and fat-free yoghurt, and raw vegetables.
  • Check food labels for products with low sodium.

Endnote

Deciding to start a diet is easy but maintaining the diet is difficult. The meal requires customization as per the diet. People often look for customized tiffin services in Dubai to help with their diet. Noticing the health risk and the need for a proper meal plan in Dubai, we are devoted to change lives by providing the best healthy meal delivery service. All the meal plan is for individual needs and healthy personal goals.

Our nutritionists are experts in creating strategies that find the perfect balance between menu varieties, nutrition, hunger control, and convenience. In addition, we have a dedicated account manager to make sure that the clients are enjoying the journey from start to finish. Our food doesn’t just provide refreshing options but also provides wholesome, nutritious, and healthy meals on a budget. We emphasize the best superfoods in each food group. We precisely measure the proteins, fats, carbs, and calories to ensure you get all the nutrients you need for optimal well-being. Our results do speak for themselves.

An excellent physical condition leads to a happy life. One cannot get rid of Hypertension in a day. But following a healthy diet and healthy routine can certainly reduce it.

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