Two out of Five African Americans have hypertension problems.
Dietary therapies with a proven ability to lower blood pressure include:
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reduced sodium intake to less than about on half teaspoon of salt per day in total or less than 1,150 mg.
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weight loss,by exercising, such as brisk walking, dancing, swimming, bicycling, playing ball - something that raises your heart rate for at least 30 minutes to 1hour 30 minutes a day on most, preferably all, days of the week.
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a diet low in both saturated fat and total fat will also help lower your blood pressure. Only 30% of your total calories should be from fat, with only 7% to 10% of your fat calories from saturated fat. Saturated fat is found in meats, cheeses, butter, poultry, snack foods, and any processed foods.
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moderation of alcohol intake, less than 2 drinks a day for men, and 1 drink a day for women.
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increased potassium intake about 3,500 mg each day
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a diet that emphasizes fruits
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diet that emphasizes vegetables, low-fat dairy products that are low in fat and cholesterol.
- emphasize fruit and vegetables as a core part of diet
Get your blood pressure checked Regularly!
People without regular health check-ups often don't realize they have hypertension until they have symptoms caused by chronic (ongoing, long-term) high blood pressure.
Chronic high blood pressure creates the following problems:
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Heart attack
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Heart failure
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Stroke or "mini stroke"
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Kidney failure
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Eye damage with loss of vision
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Peripheral arterial disease
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Outpouring of the aorta, called aneurysms
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