Lowering Your Blood Pressure

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Lowering Your Blood Pressure

Sat, 05/28/2022 - 01:43
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Body

A few healthy lifestyle changes can make a big difference in your blood pressure numbers, according to a study of 14,000 Chinese individuals. Researchers followed the individuals for up to 10 years and found that those who made healthy changes in their lifestyle had a significantly lower risk of death.

Just what are those healthy lifestyle factors to adopt? Being at the right weight, not smoking, eating a healthy diet, working out daily and getting enough sleep.

Participants who were overweight, smoked, had poor dietary habits, were sedentary and had poor sleep habits didn’t see a reduction in mortality rates even if they were taking blood pressure medication.

Those who took blood pressure medication and improved their lifestyle had the lowest risk of death from any cause, including heart attack, stroke and cancer.

To make a difference, the researchers found you need at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week (30 minutes per weekday), 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night and to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and lean dairy.

That’s the same findings that a study by the National Institutes of Health’s National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute found earlier. Researchers studied 810 men and women with mild hypertension or prehypertension who were not taking medication to control their blood pressure. Participants were divided into three groups -- two behavioral intervention groups counseled and given goals for weight loss, physical activity and sodium and alcohol intake. One of those groups also received guidance on the DASH diet, an eating plan boosting fruits and vegetables and limiting salt. The third was a control group.

Goals included a 15-pound weight loss, 3 hours per week of moderate physical activity, daily sodium intakes of no more than 2,300 milligrams and limits of one alcoholic drink per day for women and two per day for men. Those following the DASH diet aimed to eat 9-12 servings of fruits and vegetables per day and 2-3 servings of low-fat dairy products and to keep their total fat to no more than 25% of total daily calories. To keep track, participants kept food diaries, counted calories and sodium intakes and recorded their physical activity.

Both behavioral intervention groups significantly reduced their weight, fat intake and sodium intake. And the DASH group increased their fruit, vegetable, dairy, fiber and mineral intakes.

The results of this study were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. While about 37% of the participants had high blood pressure at the study’s start, by the end that fell to 32% in the control group, 24% in the intervention group without DASH and 22% in the group following DASH.

The bottom line? Your lifestyle matters when it comes to controlling your blood pressure. Eat healthy, exercise regularly.

Q and A

Q: What is erythritol? I’ve seen it on food labels.

A: Erythritol is a type of carbohydrate called a sugar alcohol that is used as a sugar substitute. Erythritol is found naturally in some foods. It’s also made when foods like wine, beer and cheese ferment. Besides its natural form, erythritol has also been a man-made sweetener since 1990. It’s also sold in bulk to companies that use it to sweeten or thicken products like reduced-calorie and sugar-free foods and drinks. You’ll often find it mixed with popular sugar substitutes like aspartame and stevia to make them sweeter. Researchers have done several studies of erythritol in animals and humans. The World Health Organization approved erythritol in 1999 and the Food and Drug Administration did the same in 2001. Both declared it safe. Erythritol doesn’t affect glucose or insulin levels and is used as a safe sugar substitute for those with diabetes. Foods that contain erythritol may still contain varying amounts of carbohydrates, calories and fat, so it’s important to check the label. You can use erythritol the same way as sugar.

RECIPE

I seriously miss Cooking Light and Eating Well magazines, which are no longer being published. Fortunately, their recipes are still online. Here’s a perfect side dish for the Memorial Day weekend from Eating Well online.

LOADED BROCCOLI SALAD

Servings: 6

3 slices bacon

1/4 cup light sour cream

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

4 teaspoons rice vinegar or cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

4 cups finely chopped broccoli florets (11 ounces)

1/2 cup sliced scallions

1/2 cup shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon fat. Chop the bacon when cool enough to handle. Whisk sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, pepper and the reserved bacon fat together in a large bowl. Add broccoli, scallions, cheese and the chopped bacon. Stir to coat with dressing. Serves 6 (serving size: 3/4 cup)

Per serving: 191 calories; 6 grams protein; 4 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams fat (6 grams saturated); 27 milligrams cholesterol; 1 gram fiber; 1 gram sugar; 229 milligrams sodium.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with SIU Med School in Springfield, Illinois. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol. com or follow her on Twitter @ NutritionRD. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators website at www.creators.com.