Blood Pressure

hdjenkins · February 2010

Any tips on maintaining healthy blood presure/weight loss. Helpful websites?

Cliff_RN · February 2010

Here's a pretty simple website http://www.weighttracker.info/ It's a free site to track weight and Blood pressure

Cliff_RN · February 2010

Having hypertension myself, and being a nurse, I know what I should do, but actually doing is another story. Here is some generlized info for high blood pressure: Cliff P

Controlling High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure (hypertension) is called the silent killer. This is because many people who have it don’t know it. Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80. Know your blood pressure and remember to check it regularly. Doing so can save your life. Here are some things you can do to help control your blood pressure.

Choose heart-healthy foods
Select low-salt, low-fat foods.

Limit canned, dried, cured, packaged, and fast foods. These can contain a lot of salt.

Eat 8–10 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

Choose lean meats, fish, or chicken.

Eat whole-grain pasta, brown rice, and beans.

Eat 2–3 servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy products

Ask your doctor about the DASH eating plan. This plan helps reduce blood pressure.

Maintain a healthy weight
Ask your healthcare provider how many calories to eat a day. Then stick to that number.

Ask your healthcare provider what weight range is healthiest for you. If you are overweight, weight loss of only 10 lbs can help lower blood pressure.

Limit snacks and sweets.

Get regular exercise.

Get up and get active
Choose activities you enjoy. Find ones you can do with friends or family.

Park farther away from building entrances.

Use stairs instead of the elevator.

When you can, walk or bike instead of driving.

Rake leaves, garden, or do household repairs.

Be active for at least 30 minutes a day, most days of the week.

Manage stress
Make time to relax and enjoy life. Find time to laugh.

Visit with family and friends, and keep up with hobbies.

Limit alcohol and quit smoking
Men: Have no more than 2 drinks per day.

Women: Have no more than 1 drink per day.

Talk with your healthcare provider about quitting smoking. Smoking increases your risk for heart disease and stroke. Ask about local or community programs that can help.

Medications
If lifestyle changes aren’t enough, your healthcare provider may prescribe high blood pressure medicine. Take all medications as prescribed.

Cliff_RN · February 2010

Here's another tip about managing weight loss! Cliff P

Weight Management: Healthy Eating
Food is your body’s fuel. You can’t live without it. The key is to give your body enough nutrients and energy without eating too much. Reading food labels can help you make healthy choices. Also, learn new eating habits to manage your weight.

All the values on the label are based on one serving. The serving size is the average portion. Remember to multiply the values on the label by the number of servings you eat.

Eat Less Fat
A gram of fat has almost twice the calories of a gram of protein or carbohydrates. Try to balance your food choices so that 20% to 35% of your calories comes from total fat. This means an average of 2½ to 3½ grams of fat for each 100 calories you eat.

Eat More Fiber
High-fiber foods are digested more slowly than low-fiber foods, so you feel full longer. Try to get 31 grams of fiber each day. Foods high in fiber include:

Vegetables and fruits

Whole-grain or bran breads, pastas, and cereals

Legumes (beans) and peas

As you begin to eat more fiber, be sure to drink plenty of water to keep your digestive system working smoothly.

Tips
Don’t skip meals. This often leads to overeating later on. It’s best to spread your eating throughout the day.

Eat a variety of foods, not just a few favorites.

If you find yourself eating when you’re not hungry, ask yourself why. Many of us eat when we’re bored, stressed, or just to be polite. Listen to your body. If you’re not hungry, get busy doing something else instead of eating.

Eat slower. It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it’s full.

Pay attention to what you eat. Don’t read or watch TV during your meal.

Cliff_RN · February 2010

Okay, this will be my last tip[ for the night! Cliff P
Weight Management: Learning to Eat More Slowly
Why do I need to eat more slowly?
It is a habit for most people to start eating as soon as we see food. This is called an "Automatic Eating Response." When we start to eat right away, we tend to eat much faster than we should. This leads us to eat more food than our body needs. Eating this way is not healthy and can cause weight gain.

How can I change my Automatic Eating Response?
Here are some small changes you can make to slow your eating:

Before the meal
eat a salad or other vegetables.

choose foods with different textures (thick, thin, chewy).

choose foods that take longer to eat. For example, baked potato instead of mashed potatoes; crab legs instead of crab casserole, soups, leafy salads.

cut finger foods into bite size portions.

wait 1-2 minutes after being seated before you start to eat.

As you are eating your meal
use your napkin often.

take smaller bites.

chew your food well.

take sips of water or low-calorie beverages between bites.

put your fork down between bites. Take a bite, put your fork down, chew well, swallow, pick your fork up, pick up more food with your fork and repeat.

do not put more food on your fork until after you have swallowed the food in your mouth.

Other healthy behaviors to try:
Eat at the table, not in front of the TV.

Wait a few minutes in between courses.

Don't eat while you are talking. Conversation is calorie free, so talk more!

Eat with your opposite hand.

Don't feel rushed by others who are eating fast.

Figure out why you are eating so fast. Do you let yourself get too hungry between meals? Are you skipping meals?

hdjenkins · February 2010

Thank u so much for the post! I will enjoy and have enjoyed reading the helpful information!

Blood Pressure

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