High blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension, puts people at greater risk for heart disease and stroke. The number of sufferers is staggering, especially in the United States, where around 75 million adults have been diagnosed with the disease. And despite it being largely manageable with diet and lifestyle changes, almost half of those do not have the condition under control. You’re different, though. You’re here to make a positive change. We’ll let you know exactly what foods to avoid in order to conquer hypertension and defend against heart attack and stroke.
Sugar and Salt
These two tastiest ingredients are also the main drivers of hypertension and must be limited. That doesn’t mean you have to eat entirely unseasoned food, as the body truly needs some of both of these things. However, in a world of fast and packaged foods, it is extremely easy to exceed the daily recommended allowance by a lot. A focus on eating whole foods that are prepared fresh at home can go a long way in your quest to limit dangerous sugar and salt.
Depending on other factors you will want to discuss with your doctor, the amount of sodiuma healthy person can consume per day should not exceed 2,300 milligrams. If you’re reading labels, stick with foods in the 5% DV range for sodium. Anything that tips the scale at 20% DV or more is best avoided, unless you want it to be the only thing you eat that day.
According to the American Heart Association, you shouldn’t be eating more than 37.5 grams(or 9 teaspoons) for men and 25 grams (6 teaspoons) for women per day of sugar. That sounds like plenty, but keep in mind that one caffeinated soda contains 33 grams all by itself; that goes up to 39 grams in the decaffeinated colas.
One Comment
Pingback: 10 high-protein vegetables that you can add into your life for more energy | Salon Hanane