People in the teen years hardly worry about high blood pressure and the issue gets attention only as folks get to the middle ages. So what makes it so different in the later years as compared to the younger generations of people? It has to be understood that it is not just a single element of health that needs attention as people get older, but a range of body functions and parameters too.
The blood pressure does depend to a large extent on the genetic composition of the individual, but it is possible for you to better control the pressure by choosing carefully what is eaten for the most parts. Simple steps like reducing the salt intake and replacing the sodium based salts with alternatives are some of the more active measures that can be pursued.
- Luncheon meat
You could say that this is one meat type that is heavy in the use of salt to preserve and maintain the taste. But people are more taken in by the convenience that the product provides than the real health benefit to its consumption. Keeping its use to the minimum would definitely help.
- Chinese take outs
Generally, the Chinese dishes are rich in salt content and more importantly in additives that do affect the blood pressure adversely. Avoiding the use of the ready to eat a variety of Chinese preparations would help a great deal to control the blood pressure.
- Canned and pickled tomatoes
Some types of cuisine are dependent on the tomatoes to such a large extent that people conveniently use canned and pickled varieties of them. Not only would this give a massive boost to your salt levels, but the amount of tomato also cannot be measured out when it comes to eating the dish.
- Red meat
If you are the type to indulge in the steaks and beef cuttings often, then the news is that it is not going to do the blood pressure any good. Avoiding red meat could be rather hard, but it can be kept to within controllable limits.
- Alcohol
This can be a real challenge to understand. That is how a little alcohol can elevate the blood pressure? What the alcohol does is to damage the walls of the arteries and blood vessels which in turn would require a higher pumping pressure to be exerted by the heart, thus increasing the blood pressure. Moreover, alcohol can be a contributing factor in various complications from interactions with other medications too.
- Whole milk
Now, I am sure few people would have seen that coming at you. Well, un-skimmed dairy has a high-fat content which could lead to fatty deposits to the interior walls of the blood vessels and in turn causing a heightened blood pressure. In case of milk has to be used, it must be done after removing the fat content by having it served after skimming.
- Cheese
It would be interesting to note how the mild cheese is related to heart disease and high blood pressure. Most parts of cheese are nothing but hardened lard. This is a good source for the saturated fat that gets to line the insides of the blood vessels. More importantly, the high salt content makes this a rich source of just the wrong compound to stable blood pressure.
- Coffee
You might think that coffee is but a harmless stimulant during times of fatigue. But the very act of the drink is to boost the energy levels, and this can cause the sudden shooting up of the blood pressure. In case people need to raise energy levels, there are some simple measures which are less harmful to people’s health. Coffee intake boosts the secretion of the hormones like adrenaline which does harden the blood vessels over time and hence can lead to higher blood pressure.
- Artificial sweeteners
The sugar tooth in us should be wary of using some of the conventional artificial sweetening agents. It is a fact that they do not have any nutritive element to them but more importantly, they do cause heightened levels of sugar levels and at a rapid pace too. This sudden boost could cause the body to react by increasing the blood pressure. Often the sudden rise in blood sugar levels is a sign of the flight mode and hence creates a corresponding increase in the blood pressure.
- Pizzas
I don’t think they could turn out a pizza without using pre-cured meat and cheese by the loads. In fact, most parts of a tasty pizza are but salt and empty calories to boot. Then there is the added element to have to ensure excellent digestion to take care of the extra load on the system. Thus pizzas of any shape and size must be the food and drinks to avoid in high blood pressure.
- Pastries
When food is cooked in the high temperatures of the traditional ovens, people tend to apply copious amounts of salt to compensate for the high loss during the cooking. In effect, the chances of using up too high a quantity of salt are, and often there is no way of knowing how much is sufficient. The amount of salt lost due to the high cooking temperature cannot be measured out or quantified by any means. So if the pastries are to be a must, then it should be taken in the right moderation to keep the blood pressure in check.
- Aerated soft drinks
There would not be many folks who would not be tempted to have a soft drink once in a while. But if the use of the drinks takes on a more serious turn than the once in a while, then it is a sure shot recipe for a poor health profile. The elevated sugar levels and that it can shoot up rather fast does present the issues to keeping the blood pressure and related parameters under control.
