Diet for hypertension: foods to lower blood pressure (and at the same time - cholesterol)

 High blood pressure is a serious pathology, during which you need to carefully monitor your health. Nutrition for hypertension is an equally important component that can either improve health or aggravate the disease.

Arterial hypertension (hypertension) is one of the most common diseases and quite dangerous. Normal blood pressure readings vary. The absolute norm is 120/80 mm Hg. An increase in numbers more than 140/90 is already a pathology in which the lifestyle should be adjusted. In particular, food. There is a special diet for hypertension that lowers blood pressure (and at the same time cholesterol and weight).

At the same time, high blood pressure is not a sentence at all. You can even do without drugs, and often you don't need to give up a large number of products. But it is necessary to adjust the diet so that the disease does not progress (regardless of the reasons that caused it). And besides that, it is important to have regular check-ups with a doctor.

Nutrition rules for hypertension and high blood pressure

Eat as little salt as possible

It is not necessary to completely abandon it, but it is necessary to reduce it - about 3 times. The maximum rate is 3-4 g per day.Excess sodium interferes with the elimination of fluid from the body, which increases blood volume, and with it pressure. There are safer salt substitutes that make meals just as delicious.

Reduce the amount of sugar and sweets

Sugar is also an unsafe product for hypertensive patients. Simple carbohydrates lead to weight gain, which increases the risk of hypertension. It is important not only to cut down on sugar and sweets themselves, but also to take a closer look at the food in stores, a lot today contains hidden sugar , such food should also be avoided.

Eliminate fatty meat

A common cause of hypertension is vascular blockage due to high cholesterol levels. Therefore, it is so important to remove fats and smoked meats from the diet, give preference to low-fat varieties (poultry, rabbit), and cook in safer ways - boil, bake without adding oil.

Replace unhealthy fats with useful ones

Animal fats and butter are harmful under high pressure. You need to cook in vegetable. Its choice is very wide, it is not only sunflower, but also, for example, flaxseed, corn. It is not necessary to completely abandon creamy, but its use should be reduced to a minimum.

Reduce caffeine and alcohol

In large quantities, it carries a strong burden on the heart. Recall that caffeine is found even in green and black tea (green tea contains more). Alcohol, on the other hand, can cause vasospasm, which is very dangerous.

Add vegetables and fruits

They contain not only vitamins, but also fiber, which is very beneficial for the heart, as it helps to lower cholesterol levels. It also provides satiety and improves metabolism, which reduces the risk of excess weight.

Add potassium and magnesium foods

They strengthen the heart muscle. These substances are found in seafood, sea fish, cereals, carrots, beets, dried apricots.

Eat fractionally

Portions should be small, meals should be 5-6 times a day. It is not advisable to eat at night, but you cannot go to bed in a hungry state either . If necessary, you can drink a glass of kefir or eat a fruit.

Not to starve

Strong restrictions are a great stress for the body, which can only worsen the course of the disease. It is important to eat fully, but as correctly as possible.

Diet for hypertension

With high blood pressure, it is important to eat foods that are good for the heart (rich in magnesium, potassium, lowering cholesterol, etc.), but it is equally important that the diet promotes weight loss, since extra pounds have a very negative effect on the state of the cardiovascular systems, aggravating the condition of hypertensive patients.

According to research, each extra pound increases blood pressure by 1 mm Hg.

Caloric intake should be reduced by reducing fats (they should be no more than 30% of the entire diet), increasing useful carbohydrates (up to 60% of the diet). At the same time, it is important that the diet is complete, fasting in this situation is prohibited.

List of approved products

• Lean meat (poultry, veal, rabbit)
• Lean fish (cod, sea bass)
• Dairy products, low-fat cheese , low-fat cottage cheese
• Porridge (buckwheat, millet, oatmeal)
• Soups: vegetable, dairy, fruit. Meat can be eaten a maximum of twice a week
• Fresh vegetables, fruits
• Foods with magnesium and potassium (bananas, apples, apricots, nuts, spinach)
• Vegetable oil
• Herbal decoctions or teas: from chamomile, mountain ash, rose hips, viburnum, hawthorn.

What not to eat with hypertension

It is recommended to limit

• Salt (up to 3-5 g per day, including products with its content). With an exacerbation of the disease, it is worth excluding salt completely.
• Animal fats (butter, fatty dairy products).
• Legumes (only available in very limited quantities)
• Large amount of liquid. It should be no more than 1 liter per day, this volume includes not only water and all drinks, but also soups
• "Fast" carbohydrates (sugar, jam, honey, compotes, jelly)

It is recommended to exclude completely (at least for the duration of the course of treatment)

• Fatty meat (including broths on it), offal (liver, kidneys, brains)
• Rich pastries, cakes and pastries with butter cream
• Spicy, salty, smoked, spicy
• Canned food
• Strong coffee, tea and all caffeinated products
• Alcohol (no more than 40 g of red wine per day is allowed, strong should be prohibited)

The degree of restriction depends on the stage of the disease. If it is initial, you can give yourself indulgences, at more serious stages there should be more restrictions, it is important to monitor the diet strictly.

Sample menu for the day

Breakfast

Vinaigrette, 50 g of boiled meat, tea with milk.

Snack

150 g cabbage and apple salad

Dinner

250 g of vegetarian cabbage soup (with sour cream), 200 g of boiled potatoes with meat, orange juice.

Afternoon snack

150 g of fresh fruits or berries, rosehip decoction.

Dinner

200 g of low-fat pilaf, 85 g of baked fish, tea with milk.

Before bedtime

A glass of kefir

Products for the prevention of hypertension

To reduce the risk of arterial hypertension, include healthy foods in your diet:

1. fresh vegetables and fruits;
2. seafood;
3. lean meat and fish;
4. nuts (walnuts, almonds);
5. unsalted cereals, cereals (rice, oatmeal, buckwheat, millet);
6. foods rich in potassium (banana, peach, raisins, prunes, cabbage, eggplant, rose hips);
7. foods rich in ascorbic acid (kiwi, black currant, apples, strawberries, gooseberries, citrus fruits, bell peppers);
8. food rich in B vitamins (durum wheat bread, seafood).