• First, how do you know if you have high blood pressure?

BLOOD PRESSURE CLASSIFICATION

  • Normal =  <120 over 80
  • Prehypertension =  120 - 130 over 80 - 89
  • Stage 1 hypertension =  140 - 150 over 90 - 99
  • Stage 2 hypertension =  160+ over 100

What is the new research in food plans and physical activity for putting the pressure on high blood pressure?

Both reduction of sodium intake and weight loss are the focus of dietary management of blood pressure.  New guidelines make three recommendations regarding sodium intake (Dietary Guidelines for Americans; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2005). 

  • Consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day
  • Choose and prepare foods with little salt.  At the same time, consume potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables
  • Individuals with hypertension, African Americans and middle-aged and older adults should aim to consume less than 1,500 mg of sodium daily and meet the potassium recommendation of 4,700 mg with food.

Most of our sodium intake (77%) comes from processed foods ( sodium content increases when cheese is made from milk or when fresh vegetables are canned or frozen).  Snack foods such as crackers, pretzels and chips contain more sodium than the products they are made from, wheat flours and potatoes.  Low-sodium foods include those that list sodium content of less than 140 mg per serving on label.

Dietary potassium may help counteract the negative effects of sodium on blood pressure.  Potassium is found in fruits and vegetable, such as baked white or sweet potatoes, cooked greens, winter squash, bananas, oranges, melons, beans and tomato products.

Recommendations for Food Groups

  • Consume 2 cups of fruits and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables per day for a 2,000 calorie daily intake
  • Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day; select from all 5 subgroups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables several times a week.

The DASH Eating Plan was revised in 2006 to reflect the most recent dietary recommendations.  This plan is rich in fruits, vegetables, low fat or fat-free dairy products and inlcudes whole-grain foods, fish, pultry and nuts.  It limits saturated fat, cholesterol, total fat and sweets and added sugars.  The DASH Plan defines serving sizes and daily servings suited for individual's different daily calorie needs; such as 1600, 2,000, 2,600 and 3,100 requirements.  DASH is not diet.  DASH is an eating plan for a change in lifestyle.  (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/index.htm)

How else can we put the pressure on high blood pressure?

Exercise.  I have two proofs for you.  The first example is my client Joe, a real cool guy.  When Joe hired me to train him, he was already over 50 years young, on blood pressure meds and had never even set foot on a treadmill.  I introduced him to the treadmill, designed him an interval training program with cardio and weights and Joe introduced himself to local 5K runs and reduced blood pressure medication.  Very awesome.  Joe's story made it in the "Memphis Magazine" upon the editor hearing about Joe's achievements with having a Personal Trainer.

Second example is a female physician, in her 50's, diagnosed with high blood pressure which all of her family gets hit with after the age of 50.  This client has already been resistence training twice weekly and pilates twice weekly for several years, however, her weekly cardio activities were minimal.  This past summer, she decided to learn how to run and signed up for a walking into jogging course.  Within several weeks of increased cardio and reduced weight, her blood pressure medicine had to be adjusted for decreased blood pressure.  Very awesome. 

2004 UPDATE ON EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

  • endurance physical activity supplemented by weight training
  • frequency - most, if not all, days of the week
  • duration - >30 minutes, continuous or accumulated
  • intensity - 60% - 70% of your MAHR (maximal attainable heart rate)

Example of calculating 50 year of age cardiovascular activity heart rate level to exercise at:

220 - 50(age) = 170 bpm (beats per min);  170 x 60% = 102 bpm to exercise at for a beginner

See Dangerous Curves AAA - Awesome Ab Aerobics Video for ideas on cardio training and the usefullness of a heart rate monitor. 

 Research supports that exercise along reduces systolic blood pressure  (top number) by 4 to 9 mmHG and the DASH Eating Plan should decrease systolic blood pressure by 12 to 23 mmHG.  So combining 5 - 7 days of exercise with healthy eating is the ammunition you need to fight back on high blood pressure.  You can do it - small changes add up.

In strength,

Dangerous Donna