high blood pressure, need a low sodium diet?

sodium isnt necessarily bad for you as long as you dont over due it, unfortunately food from the latin culture does contain alot of sodium (BUT IT IS SOOO GOOD!) drinking lots and lots of water can help, also using different spices, some of the "Mrs Dash" seasoning (that you can buy at the grocery store) taste super salty, but contain no sodium or very little. high blood pressure is actually very scary, most of the time people dont know they have it until it is too late

here is a good site that gives you tips on how to lower your blood pressure naturally without medication

http://www.book-of-cures.com/

remember to drinks lots of water, it will help

The American Heart Association has a Low Sodium Cook Book, that has wealth of info on nutrition as well. Take the salt shaker out of the house. Try using Mrs. Dash seasonings, lemon or lime juices,and flavored vinegars. There is another approach to help lower the blood pressure by, eating more fresh fruits and veggies, more whole grains, fish,poultry, low fat or non fat diary products and less meat called the D.A.S.H. diet, Dietary Approaches to Stopping High blood pressure.

Stay away from canned or processed foods which are high in sodium/salt. I've been a lower sodium/salt diet for the past 10 yrs. I'm allowed 4% of sodium/salt in food. Some baked goods have hidden sodium.

So READ your labels.

I have high blood pressure too. and I am very salt sensitive so I really have to watch my sodium

it's usually not too hard if you're cooking your own food and not eating a lot of processed foods or eating at restaurants all the time.

When you are cooing try and use less cheeses and things like that because they have a lot of sodium. Some grocery stores have certain products that are low sodium or with no added salt. Look for these especially with canned foods.

gradually use less and less salt in your cooking, your taste buds will adapt.

it's good to add more potassium to your diet, I've heard that this can lower blood pressure. so fruits and vegetables are wonderful sources of potassium.

if you're not exercising already, start! that lowers your bp too.

Sodium is very important in our diet for water balance among other very important electro-chemical functions. Like everything else sodium should be used in moderation. Low sodium diet do carries its share of health problems.

If you are suspecting having high blood pressure, you should get your pressure checked. This is because an escalating unchecked blood pressure is fatal. On the other hand, it is possible that what you do have is low blood pressure. Most if not all the symptoms are alike. While high blood pressure in most cases requires use of both diet and prescribed medication to regulate it, low blood pressure is corrected with the use of just diet.

You do not necessarily need to eliminate anything from your diet. You just need to eat mainly natural foods - mostly raw foods - and eat them in proper balance. The recommended food ratio for good health is 60% vegetables, of which 50% is eaten raw. 20% fresh raw fruits. 10% starchy carbohydrate and 10% proteins. It is important that you eat a very wide variety of foods and vary your diet (i.e. do not repeat the same kind of foods every day). Use mainly allium foods for the flavoring of meats etc. They are excellent for regulating your blood pressure, especially if it is high.

For more detailed information, pay special attention to the links attached to the best answer of that below and their attached links. They will highlight the benefit of moderate use of sodium and elaborate more on the food ratio as well as highlight the allium foods.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArnMv...

3 years ago, I was diagnosed - hypertension with a reading of 160/100. I used to feel dizzy a lot, my legs had awful cramps, and levels were very low in my potassium, causing my fingers and toes to always cramp together. One day I started to feel really faint while I was driving with my daughter in the back seat and I passed out, hitting 3 cars and ending up in a ditch. That moment,I knew I had to do something because my meds weren't working. I heard about this diet from a friend and thought I'd give it a shot. The results have been remarkable. In just 21 days, I honestly can't remember feeling this good, my blood pressure went from 175/110 to 125/70.

Well I am assuming you were taking it yourself? You were probably much calmer than when you went to your doctor's office. Even though you may not have been nervous while at the doctor's, it sounds like you knew your BP was high and the high BP conversation was going to come up and you were anticipating it. That may have affected your blood pressure that day. Your blood pressures that you took on Tue and Wed are still high. There isn't much difference in them really. Your diastolic number has pretty much remained the same. But keep up the diet and you should see results. I think the american heart association has some useful information. You can track your blood pressure and stuff on their website.

The Dash Diet is the most recognized low sodium diet, but it also addresses other problems associated with high blood pressure.

It is difficult at first to give up salt, however, after a very short amount of time, without adding any salt you will start noticing how salty foods are without it. You'll also start noticing the true flavor of the foods you are eating.

Give this one a shot and hopefully, you will live much longer than your grand-dad.

Here's the link.

http://dashdiet.org/dash_diet_book.asp?OVRAW=The%2...

You will be very surprised when you cut salt! After you way lower your salt intake you will be so sensitive to salt and will not be able to tolerate allot of salt again! That happened to me, as I journaled sodium. Also you have to eat fresh fruit and veges (roast them with a little olive oil) check Ina Garten recipes or cook bk. Watch fit tv and on there web site recipes (Sam can cook!) by cutting fat and losing weight my brother is off high b/p meds. I am still working on it but getting healthier. Really cut out soda + restaurants. It says biblically to not eat choice foods because not every food is good for every body, That greatly inspired me, while reading scripture1

Yep, it is hard to "quit" the salt intake....(I am trying everyday). For me I am conscious about it, so I make sure that I add less amt of salt to the foods I am preparing, and I have done the following and I hope it helps.

1. Reduce the amt of take out food, and tried making food at home

2. Making sure I put less salt on my food and adding other natural flavours such as coriander, lemon,..etc.

3. Tried eating bread with flax or whole wheat. (helps to lower cholesterol another factor in High blood pressure)

4. Tried to eat less starch and trying to eat salads.

5. Bake instead of frying- chicken, fries,

6. Trying to drink more water

7. Trying to exercise, or walking (as exercise lowers BP)

8.When I buy canned foods, I read the salt amt of them and buy the lower salt content. (things preserved in brine)

9. I can't change my genes, so I tend to live with it and not worry too much about it.

10 Reduce my stress levels, which i am still trying to do,....:)).

High blood pressure may be inherited from forefathers to off spring. Genetic factors regulate important physiologic processes and interact with environmental influences to produce essential hypertension or high blood pressure. High blood pressure can develop over many years with no noticeable symptoms. It only produces symptoms when it is severe.

Below are some suggestions for you to prevent yourself from high blood pressure

• The foremost prevention is to reduce salt intake in your daily diet, salt promotes retention of fluids and increases blood pressure.

• Don’t drink soft water; avoid smoked or aged cheeses and meats, chocolates, animal fats, gravies, broths and processed food.

• Avoid caffeine as it can temporarily elevate blood pressure.

Use of below mentioned food is also recommended;

• The incidence of high blood pressure is lower in vegetarians, so eat plenty of oat bran, pectin fruits (such as bananas, apples and melons), vegetables like celery broccoli, cabbage, green leafy vegetables, peas, prunes, beets, carrots and spinach.

• Coldwater fish and lean white meats are also recommended.

• Use olive and flaxseed oil.

• Garlic is very effective in lowering high blood pressure. It decreases cholesterol and triglyceride levels in blood and hence good for blood pressure. Onion can also be as effective as garlic.