Hello there viewers and welcome back to another bestie video.
Did you know that over 100 million Americans suffer from high blood pressure?
This means that it affects 1 in every 3 adults in the US.
It is one of the earliest signs of heart disease and when left untreated, it may lead to damaged
arteries and even heart attack.
Struggling with high BP is a constant battle that includes exercising regularly and making
lifestyle and dietary changes.
Experts suggest that the foods you eat and don’t eat, affects blood pressure both in
long term and short term.
For example salty foods spike up the blood pressure and should be avoided.
Want to know which other foods you must avoid while dealing with high blood pressure?
Stay tuned till the end to know if you want to know if pickled foods are good or bad.
Is it time to say goodbye to sugary treats and trans fat cheat meals?
In today’s video we will be talking about all the foods every high BP patient should
steer clear from.
Frozen pizza Starting off our list with everyone’s favorite!
Frozen pizza or in this case, regular pizza is also equally harmful for high blood pressure
patients.
All the ingredients and toppings in it are packed with tons of sugar, sodium and saturated
fats.
Frozen pizza, especially contains insane levels of sodium which is one of the most unhealthy
foods as it increases the blood pressure.
Did you know that a single 12 inch pepperoni pizza contains over 3,000 mg of sodium which
is well over the mark of the everyday recommended amount of 2,000 mg?
What are your favorite healthy pizza toppings?
Tell us in the comments!
Potato chips Salty snack foods like potato chips and pretzels
rank high on the list of foods that high BP patients should avoid.
They are bad not just because they are high in salt, trans fats and calories but they
also contain certain chemicals which increase the chances of developing cancer.
Its extremely high sodium levels increase weight and hypertension both of which are
horrible conditions for heart health.
Downing packets of chips and unhealthy salty snacks is something we are all guilty of.
But making the simple switch to low sodium varieties of snacks will make a massive difference
while keeping your heart in top notch condition.
Deli meats Deli meats like cold cuts, bologna and ham
are packed with unhealthy amounts of fat and salt.
Other than that they also contain harmful preservatives like nitrites that are added
in them to increase their shelf life.
They are manufactured by curing the meats along with preserving and seasoning them with
a huge amount of salt.
This makes them taste more appealing to the customers.
Just 2 bologna slices contain over 900 mgs of salt which, as we have told you earlier,
is not good news for anyone looking to manage high blood pressure.
Canned vegetables Speaking of foods high in salt, canned products
like soups, broths and vegetables should not be left behind.
Because they are easy to prepare and ready to make, they contain lots of salt which is
added to preserve and also give these foods a punch of flavor.
Other than the obvious high levels of sodium, there are certain chemicals that are also
used in their preparation which are present in these cans and get infused into the foods
inside them.
For a heart healthy meal go for fresh vegetables and low sodium soups.
Pickled foods Just like cured meats and vegetables pickled
foods are high in sodium content.
Pickling foods is when vegetables are made to sit for long hours in a highly concentrated
salt solution in order to kill any bacteria in them.
Due to this reason they are packed with salt which makes them a bad choice for people looking
to get their blood pressure under control.
However if you just cannot quit the tangy flavors then you can wash them out under running
water to get rid of excess salt or avoid them altogether.
Packaged foods Cutting back on saturated fats and trans fats
is a direct way to a healthier heart.
This is especially true for people dealing with high blood pressure.
Packaged foods contain gross quantities of trans fats which are added in huge amounts
to increase shelf life and keep the flavors stable.
This lowers the good cholesterol and increases the bad cholesterol levels which creates an
ideal situation for increasing the risk of developing hypertension.
Trans fats are also linked with diabetes, stroke and other heart diseases.
By making the right swap to plant based diet will keep your heart healthier for longer.
Sauces and condiments Do you love dousing salads in your favorite
dressing?
Is ketchup or barbeque sauce your go to condiments?
Then this may be one of the hidden reasons behind a constantly high blood pressure.
Reason being these add on flavors have large amounts of hidden salt in them.
Even the red and white sauces in pasta and gravy are loaded with salts!
Substituting these blood pressure raising ingredients with herbs and spices will not
only add some fresh new flavors in your meals but will also be a refreshing change from
unhealthy sauces and condiments.
Processed foods Just like canned and packaged foods, processed
foods are a huge no no when it comes to heart friendly meals.
Packaged products is anything that comes out of a box whose list can go on.
From frozen dinners and pizzas to chips, biscuits, cakes, ready to go meals and so much more,
these kinds of foods are not freshly prepared.
They are also packed with preservatives and other unhealthy chemicals.
Your best bet would be to either make freshly prepared meals.
If you have no option, then choose something that contains low sodium or low salt versions
of your favorite foods.
Alcohol Alcohol and alcoholic beverages have a direct
link with raising blood pressure to alarming levels.
Having a couple of drinks with your friends within a couple of hours temporarily spikes
the BP.
But binge drinking regularly can lead to serious heart problems.
They are packed with calories which puts pressure on the heart.
Cutting back alcohol lowers the blood pressure and gets rid of that beer belly as well.
This doesn’t mean going cold turkey.
Heavy drinkers should tone down to a moderate level.
So instead of drinking 5 drinks within 2 hours, bring it down to 1 or a maximum of 2 drinks
per day.
Cured meats Meats or vegetables that are preserved through
aging, drying or salting in order to avoid spoilage and stop the growth of bacteria are
called cured meats.
With bacon being one of the most common forms of cured meats that we eat and love, sadly
they are not your heart’s best friend.
While they can be really tasty, it's best to steer clear of them especially if you are
keeping a track of your high blood pressure.
Even your favorite sandwich or sub containing deli meats, condiments and sauces have well
over 2,000 mg of sodium.
Other than foods, making lifestyle changes will also help in controlling and managing
high blood pressure:
Cut back on caffeine Caffeine gives a kick but your morning cup
of joe does more harm than good.
This kick is a sign of your rising blood pressure.
Drinking caffeine raises blood pressure by over 5 points within a matter of minutes.
This dramatic rise in such a short period of time is not great for your heart.
Sure it is difficult to completely get rid of caffeine since they are present in tea,
coffee and soda but it should be done for the betterment of your health.
Before we move forward, have you been looking for healthy alternatives for caffeine?
Check out these healthy drinks you should and shouldn’t be drinking regularly.
Now let's get back to foods that you should avoid in order to lower blood pressure.
Lose a couple of pounds Did you know that for every pound you lose
your systolic blood pressure drops as little as 5 to as much as 20 points.
This means that lowering just 10 hounds will also lower your high BP.
Weight loss not only controls or lowers a high blood pressure situation but also has
the potential to completely eliminate it.
Weight loss through strength training or weight lifting will be a winder cure for obese people
who also suffer from hypertension.
Quit smoking Smoking is bad, that’s a known fact.
Everything good happens once you stop smoking which includes lowering of blood pressure.
High blood pressure is associated with smoking and even if you don’t smoke for even a single
day, you will notice visible changes and lowering of the blood pressure.
In a very short while after quitting smoking your body will be receiving more oxygen, making
you able to carry out a lot of physical activities which in turn keeps the heart in good shape.
Practice yoga or meditation Yoga and meditation are increasingly becoming
a great way of reducing stress.
There are specific yoga poses that are targeted to lower BP.
These involve calming breathing techniques which relaxes the mind, body and soul.
Mindfulness is also a stress reducing activity which not only enhances mood and reduces drug
dependence but doing it at least 3 days a week will open up the blood vessels and lower
the blood pressure.
The symptoms for high blood pressure should be identified before it gets worse or out
of hand.
Some common signs include nose bleed, chest pains, difficulty in breathing and vision
problems.
Switching to the right, heart healthy foods and making lifestyle changes will be a great
way of dealing with high BP situations.
To deal with high blood pressure it is important to…
Know these unmissable signs.
Also try out these blood pressure lowering beverages.
Watch these 2 videos to gather more info about the symptoms and natural ways to lower blood
pressure.