Hypertension or high blood pressure is a potential risk factor for other major health concerns like heart disease or stroke. Present day researches suggest that hypertension is on the rise in most of the developed countries. Also, in most of the cases hypertension is striking people at a very young age. Being overweight increases your risk of having a high blood pressure. It is therefore essential that you lose weight and lower your blood pressure in order to maintain your health.
Dietary measures to control your blood pressure and to lose weight go hand in hand. The American Heart Association recommends the DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
By incorporating the DASH diet in your weight loss diet plan, here is a list of food groups and suggested serving amounts for you to follow:
- Grains: 4-5 servings a day.
- Vegetables: 4-5 servings a day.
- Fruits: 2-4 servings a day.
- Fat-free dairy products: 1 or 2 servings a day.
- Lean meat and fish: 1 or 2 servings a day.
- Nuts, seeds, and dry beans: 4-5 servings per week.
Food to avoid
Along with the goodness of the above foods, it is also important that your refrain yourself for taking certain foods.
- Avoid highly processed and preserved foods, like soups, sauces, pickles and canned vegetables as they contain high amounts of salt. Do not use additional salt at the table.
- While shopping, read labels to find products that are low in sodium and choose unsalted products.
- Use low fat dairy products. Cut down on all fat rich products. Avoid fried food and additional use of oil, butter or cheese.
- Avoid simple carbohydrates like cakes, cookies, white bread etc. and replace them with whole grain products.
Sample meal plan
Breakfast:
- 2 egg whites
- 1 slice of multigrain bread
- 1 pear
In between:
- 1-2 almonds
Lunch:
- 1 fish steamed with brown rice
- 1 bowl sprouts with vegetable salad
- 1 bowl mix fruit salad
In between: 1 cup plain yoghurt
Dinner:
- 1/2 bowl fresh plain chicken soup
- 1 bowl of whole grain pasta cooked with veggies
- 1 bowl mix cabbage, peas, onion salad.
Healthy Lifestyle
To control your weight and your blood pressure, you need to adopt a healthy lifestyle in your routine. It encompasses following a healthy diet plan, a regular exercise routine, a relaxed approach and some stress management techniques if required.
Exercise: Regular exercise is important in addition to any weight loss plan. It will also keep your stress levels low and help you control your blood pressure. You can go for walking, cycling or swimming at least 45 minutes daily.
Weight loss tips
Some of the key points that you need to remember while following the diet plan are:
- Be realistic and practical about losing weight. Remember that you need to reduce your blood pressure and also maintain your health and nutrition.
- Choose healthy alternatives as against attractive looking junk food.
- Take your physician’s advice regarding your health status.
