Simple lifestyle changes or some diet could help to prevent and lower your risk of high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is often known as ‘the silent killer’, as there are usually no symptoms of the condition at all.
However, changing eating habits and an increase in sedentary lifestyles among an expanding middle class have contributed to a rise in the prevalence of NCDs like hypertension (high blood pressure)
Expert says this lifestyle of unhealthy diet has caused millions of Nigerians disease such as high blood pressure, overweight, respiratory diseases,high cholesterol level and it is a huge burden.
Individuals need to take caution of their lifestyle and be aware to carry out more exercises in order to reduce the high blood pressure and curtail the sugar level.
Below are some of the foods to be avoided
Salt in your diet
One of the best ways to lower your high blood pressure is to cut back on the amount of salt in your diet. Eat less salt to lower blood pressure. Eating too much salt is the biggest cause of high blood pressure – the more salt you eat, the higher your blood pressure will be.
Salt makes your body retain water. If you eat too much, the extra water stored in your body raises your blood pressure.
A focus on eating whole foods that are prepared fresh at home can go a long way in your quest to limit dangerous salt.
An adult should eat no more than 6g of salt a day, but most of us eat much more than this
To avoid hidden salt and cut down your salt intake, it is best to eat foods that are low in salt and stop using salt when cooking or at the table.
Caffeine
Caffeinated beverages, like coffee, tea, energy drinks, and caffeinated soft drinks can increase your blood pressure. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, and one action of caffeine is to constrict your blood vessels, which will raise your blood pressure. In addition to the sugar found in many soft drinks, caffeine poses an additional risk.
Alcohol
Alcohol is another beverage to consume in moderation. If you drink more than three drinks at one time, your blood pressure may rise. Chronic use of alcohol can lead to blood pressure increases over time, and even one drink can change the way your blood pressure medication works. If you are a chronic drinker, you should also be aware that alcohol can cause you to pack on the pounds: there are a lot of calories in alcohol, and if you are overweight, you are at a greater risk of developing hypertension.
Fatty foods (High in saturated fats)
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is likely to happen when you’re overweight. One good way to lose weight is to reduce your fat intake. One gram of fat contains 9 calories. Carbohydrates and protein contain less than half these calories. Therefore, you can reduce your calorie intake by cutting down on deep fried foods, cream and pastries.
It’s especially important to reduce saturated fats which increase the risk of clog arteries. Saturated fats are found in red meat, full-fat dairy products and oils rich in saturated fat for example coconut oil. Choose fish, lean cuts of meat, skinless poultry and low-fat milk instead.
ANTHONIA OBOKOH
