Diet for people with high blood pressure

Hypertension is considered to be a silent killer. And as American population increases and ages, cases of hypertension also rise. Today, almost 60 million Americans have hypertension. This alarming rate of hypertension cases has led many experts and doctors to come up with a more holistic treatment for hypertension.

In the past decade, various organizations have strongly recommended the insistent reduction of blood pressure among patients as the leading and primary approach to treating hypertension. However, a meeting in 2000 of various cardiologists emphasized the more updated and holistic treatment for hypertension. It further stressed that decreasing and maintaining appropriate blood pressure is not enough. A holistic treatment to hypertension must include a variety of strategies that will prevent further damage to highly susceptible organs like the eyes, brain, heart and kidneys.

This holistic treatment for hypertension indicated that systolic blood pressure should be the primary figure for reviewing and evaluating hypertension cases in middle-aged and older patients. Furthermore, blood pressure must be kept under 140/90 mm Hg reading for the rest of the patient’s lifetime to prevent vulnerable organ damage. This holistic treatment for hypertension also required hypertensive patients with diabetes, kidney disorder and heart failure to strengthen blood pressure management and control. Support for blood pressure targets that align with age was dismissed.

Medications with anti-hypertensive drugs or agents were taken into consideration. As more and more products and drugs become available in the market, patients become more prone to drug misuse. A holistic treatment for hypertension would mean stringent use of prescription and control for over-the-counter anti-hypertensives.

Experts like William Cushman of the University of Tennessee asserted that improvement of lifestyle comprises a holistic treatment for hypertension. According to Cushman, lifestyle change can lower blood pressure. A good exercise consisting of walking for 30 minutes can help decrease blood pressure from 5 mm Hg to 10 mm Hg. Maintaining a manageable and ideal weight must also coincide with the patient’s age and height.

It is said that a weight loss of 5 to 10 kilos can lower blood pressure especially those who are in Stage 1 hypertension. Limit of alcohol intake to two glasses for men weekly and one glass for women every week will also improve condition. Prohibition of smoking and large consumption of sodium, calorie and fat rich foods also make up a holistic treatment for hypertension.