The heart is one of the most important organs in the body. It is a hollow, cone-shaped muscle located between the lungs and behind the sternum that pumps blood in and out continuously throughout life. The circulating blood supplies oxygen and other nutrients to all organs and tissues, including the heart itself. It also picks up waste products from the cells of the body to be eliminated through kidneys or lungs. When blood flow is interrupted, these functions are affected.
Disease condition develops when there is abnormal functioning in the heart, and one symptom of it is high blood pressure. Blood pressure is created by the force of blood pushing against the walls of the blood vessels. Normal blood pressure among adults is less than 120/80 mmHg. If your blood pressure readings are 140 over 90 mm Hg or above on two different days, then you have to consult your physician.
According to the World Health Organization, blood pressure readings of 140 over 90 mm Hg or above is suspected to have hypertension. High or raised blood pressure is another term for hypertension, a condition in which the blood vessels have persistently raised pressure. Others consider it to be a “silent killer” responsible to 14 thousand deaths and many people go undiagnosed.
Your risk to COVID-19 infection and complications is also higher if you have elevated blood pressure.
People should know the risk factors to prevent hypertension. These are consumption of too much salt, low intake of fruits and vegetables, high consumption of saturated fats (i.e., fast food) and trans fat, being overweight and obese, harmful use of alcohol and tobacco, having a sedentary lifestyle and genetics. Individuals who are not aware of these risk factors will continue to succumb to these habits and will experience headache, dizziness, fatigue, dyspnea upon exertion, failing vision and sometimes insomnia. However, most hypertensive people have no symptoms at all, if left untreated, it can lead to many consequences such as heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and even death.
It’s not too late at all, lifestyle change can prevent high blood pressure. Knowing your numbers is the first step to keep in check the chances of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Here are nutrition tips for better heart health:
- Reduce salt consumption to less than 5 grams daily. Limit intake of processed and instant foods.
- Eat a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables regularly by eating five servings of fruit and vegetables a day. Use Pinggang Pinoy as a food guide to have balanced meals and right amount of nutrients needed in the body.
- Limit intake of saturated foods such as processed foods, fast food, animal fats, and pastries. And avoid foods with trans fats. Be sure to check and read the label properly when buying groceries. Substitute saturated fats with unsaturated oils. Use of foods high in omega-3 fatty acids (mackerel, salmon, sardines and tuna) is encouraged.
- Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day to flush waste in the body.
- Avoid tobacco use and reduce alcohol consumption. Nicotine in cigarettes causes the small blood vessels to become even narrower causing the blood pressure to rise as the heart works harder to force blood through narrow passages.
- Have physical activity at least 30 minutes a day. Exercising helps lower blood pressure and keep normal body weight.
- Taking good care of mental health will lower the risk of having hypertension. Give time for self-care, and learn to appreciate the beauty outside the social world.
- Practice minimum health standards and follow health protocols at all times.
- If you are overweight or obese, consult your doctor or a Registered Nutritionist-Dietitian for weight management.
Individuals who already have hypertension can actively participate in managing their condition by adopting the healthy behaviors above mentioned, monitoring blood pressure, following medical advice and regularly taking prescribed maintenance medications for lowering blood pressure. It is also advisable to be cautious and stay at home during this time of the pandemic.
Changing of habits needs conscious effort on our part. It is our choice to do what’s best for us. The challenge is to choose the healthier way with discipline or choosing the easier way which causes you to suffer later. So know your blood pressure and start acting now! (NO I Vazamija Therese A. Villasi, RND).
References:
Pan American Health Organization. (n.d). Hypertension. Retrieved on 3 May 2021 from https://www.paho.org/en/topics/hypertension
Ruiz, A.J., Claudio, V.S., & De Castro, E.E. (2011). Medical nutrition therapy for Filipinos. 6th edition. Merriam & Webster Bookstore Inc.,
World Health Organization. (n.d). Hypertension. Retrieved on 3 May 2021 from https://www.who.int/health-topics/hypertension/#tab=tab_1
World Health Organization. (2003). A global brief on hypertension: silent killer, global public health crisis. WHO Press
World Health Organization. (2018). HEARTS Technical Package. Retrieved on 3 May 2021 from https://www.who.int/cardiovascular_diseases/hearts/en/
