How to manage your blood pressure and save your heart

The number one cause of death associated with high blood pressure is hypertensive heart disease. Your heart has to work extra hard to pump blood with every extra kg that you are overweight.

This causes the heart to become thicker and stiff, making it less able to do its job properly, which could result in heart failure. Heart failure does not mean that the heart has stopped working. However, it is a serious health condition. With heart failure, the heart’s pumping power becomes weaker. The pressure in the heart increases which makes it harder for your heart to deliver nutrients and oxygen to your body. The more weight you lose, the lower your blood pressure.

Heart failure include: Bloating. More need to urinate at night. Nausea. An irregular pulse. Swelling in the abdomen, feet and ankles. Shortness of breath. Fatigue. Difficulty in sleeping flat. symptoms

Gert Coetzee, pharmacist and diet pioneer who founded The Diet Everyone Talks About, gives advice on how you can control your blood pressure so that you don’t become a victim of heart failure.

A diet rich in vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and unsaturated fats is recommended. Eating a lot of potassium can also decrease the effects of sodium on blood pressure. You can eat salmon, spinach, broccoli and pomegranate seeds for some potassium. Stick to your healthy eating plan when you dine out and read food labels when you do grocery shopping.

Thirty minutes of exercise – broken into six sessions of five minutes a day can help lower your blood pressure. The exercises you can do include swimming, walking, jogging, strength training, as well as cycling. Any movement is better than none.

Smoking raises your blood pressure and heart rate which can set you up for a heart attack or a stroke. Eating too much salt causes the body to hold water that washes away the salt from your body.

The added water puts stress on your blood vessels, as well as your heart. Drinking a lot of alcohol can raise your blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, drink alcohol in moderation or avoid it completely.

For more information about The Diet Everyone Talks About, and where it is offered in your area: send an e-mail to diet-info@ the-diet.co.za or visit the website at http://www.the-diet.co.za.