Eight reasons for quietly increasing blood pressure What should hypertensive patients eat?

Hypertension is one of the most common chronic diseases and the main risk factor for various cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. So, what are the reasons in life that can cause your blood pressure to rise quietly? What fruits can patients with hypertension eat? What vegetables can help lower blood pressure?

Eight reasons for high blood pressure

The website of the American magazine "Prevention" summarizes 8 reasons that may cause high blood pressure in life.

1. Too dependent on convenient processed foods. The survey found that in Europe and the United States, the average person ingests 80% of the total salt intake from processed foods. As the pace of life accelerates, people eat more and more processed foods. Instant noodles, ham, bread, breakfast cereals, potato chips, pizza, canned foods, pasta sauce, etc. are all high in salt. Excessive salt intake directly affects blood pressure and increases the burden on the heart. So, don't eat processed foods often just to save trouble. Generally speaking, healthy people should not consume more than 6 grams of salt per day, diabetic non-hypertensive patients should consume less than 5 grams per day, and hypertensive patients and diabetic nephropathy patients should not exceed 3 grams. If the condition worsens, the control should be stricter, and the daily salt intake should not exceed 1 gram.

2. Drinking too much every day. For people who have a drinking habit, moderate drinking (one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men) tends not to cause big problems. Studies show that moderate drinking can even help prevent heart disease. But frequent binge drinking can lead to long-term high blood pressure and increase the risk of atherosclerosis, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

3. Lack of exercise. A large number of studies have confirmed that lack of exercise and long-term sitting are closely related to the occurrence of various chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, etc. Moreover, it will accelerate arteriosclerosis and force the heart and blood vessels to work harder.

4. Long-term stress. Nowadays, heavy work, full schedules, and challenging interpersonal relationships put people under long-term stress. The human body will secrete hormones, causing blood vessels to contract, resulting in increased resistance during blood discharge and increased blood pressure, which will then cause a series of changes in the human body.

5. Feeling lonely or socially isolated. You may not necessarily feel stressed when you feel lonely or isolated, but when these feelings persist, they can trigger the release of dangerous stress hormones, which can increase blood pressure.

6. Sleep apnea. If your partner often complains about your snoring, it's time to pay attention. Generally speaking, lack of sleep can lead to weight gain and increase blood pressure by increasing the release of stress hormones or increasing your cravings for junk food. The main cause of sleep-related high blood pressure is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This disease causes interrupted sleep and reduced oxygen levels in the body, and the body responds by increasing blood pressure.

7. Have other health problems or take certain medications. Some diseases can collude with high blood pressure, such as thyroid disease, renal vascular disease and hypercortisolism, which can further increase blood pressure. In addition, some common medications can also increase blood pressure, such as antidepressants, decongestants, oral contraceptives, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and prednisone.

8. Have a family history. Genes play a role in the development of hypertension, which is why seemingly healthy young people can still be diagnosed with hypertension. Moreover, people with a family history of hypertension often share a common living environment and habits, which increases the risk of disease in high-risk groups.

Dietary adjustment can help control blood pressure

Niu Hongyu, deputy chief physician of the General Department of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital: For patients with hypertension, dietary adjustment can help them control their blood pressure.

What fruits can patients with high blood pressure eat?

Apples are rich in potassium salts, which can combine with sodium salts in the body and excrete them out of the body. In addition, apples can prevent the increase of cholesterol in the blood and reduce the sugar content in the blood.

Kiwi juice can treat hypertension, angina pectoris, arrhythmia, and prevent ischemic cerebrovascular disease and cerebral arteriosclerosis.

Watermelon juice is rich in VA, B, C and protein, glucose, fructose, sucrase, glutamic acid, citrulline, arginine, malic acid, lycopene, phosphate, calcium, iron, crude fiber, etc., and has a good effect on high blood pressure.

Papaya contains more than seventeen kinds of amino acids and a variety of nutrients, which can soften blood vessels.

Persimmons contain more vitamins than ordinary fruits, which are very beneficial for heart disease, myocardial infarction and stroke. They contain a phenolic compound that can prevent arteriosclerosis and reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease.

Which vegetables have the effect of lowering blood pressure?

Leek: Leek is rich in protein, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and vitamin C. It has the functions of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, regulating qi and lowering adverse reactions, warming the kidney and strengthening yang, detoxifying, and stopping bleeding, and it also has a certain effect on lowering blood pressure.

Celery: Celery can clear away heat and relieve restlessness, soothe the liver, promote diuresis and reduce swelling, cool blood and stop bleeding. It is mainly used to treat high blood pressure, headache and dizziness.

Black fungus: Black fungus can be used for qi deficiency and blood deficiency, convulsions of the limbs, lung deficiency cough, hemoptysis, hematemesis, epistaxis, metrorrhagia, and hypertension.

Chinese cabbage: Cabbage leaves contain more vitamin C. Regular consumption is very beneficial for preventing atherosclerosis or certain cardiovascular diseases.

Tomatoes: For patients with hypertension and retinal hemorrhage, eating 1-2 fresh tomatoes every morning can also have the effect of lowering blood pressure and stopping bleeding.

Eggplant: Purple eggplant is rich in vitamin P and saponin. Eating eggplant regularly can prevent the cholesterol level in the blood from increasing, thus playing a role in lowering blood pressure.

Bamboo shoots: Bamboo shoots are low in fat, low in sugar and high in fiber, making them a suitable food for patients with hypertension.

Cucumber: The fiber contained in cucumbers has a certain effect on lowering cholesterol.

Winter melon: Winter melon contains low sodium, so it is an ideal vegetable for patients with kidney disease, edema and hypertension.

Kelp: The alginate in kelp has the effect of lowering blood pressure, and starch is a polysaccharide that has the effect of lowering blood lipids.

Niu Hongyu, deputy chief physician of the General Department of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, reminds us that hypertension is a chronic disease syndrome that is extremely harmful to human health, and its treatment and control also require long-term comprehensive persistence and observation and adjustment. Diet adjustment only accounts for a small part of its treatment methods and cannot replace drug treatment and follow-up monitoring to prevent complications and damage to important target organs.

(Source: Beijing Chaoyang Hospital WeChat Official Account, Life Times)