Eat Right to Help Lower Your High Blood Pressure

National Institutes of Health
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

National High Blood Pressure Education Program
NHLBI Obesity Education Initiative

"My doctor told me I have high blood pressure."
"What is high blood pressure?"

"It means that my heart has to pump harder than it should to get blood to all the parts of my body. This raises my chances for a stroke, and heart and kidney problems."

"Does that mean you could have a stroke, heart attack or kidney failure?"

"Yes. But if I lower my pressure, I will lower my chances. You should ask about your blood pressure too."

"That is a good idea. I will go and get my pressure checked."

"If it is high, can you really lower it?"

"Yes. That is the good news. The doctor told me to:

• lose weight, since I weigh too much.
• be more active.
• eat fewer foods high in salt and sodium.
• cut back on alcohol.

The doctor told me what foods to eat and gave me a booklet. This will remind me what to do - to eat some foods more often and others less often."
"I feel better knowing that you can lower your blood pressure."

"First I need to lose weight. Here is what I need to do:

• eat less fat and calories. This is a good first step.
• cut back on foods high in sugar like soda and candy.
• eat smaller amounts of foods at meals.
• eat fewer snacks during the day.

My blood pressure will probably go down when I lose weight."

"Next, I need to be more active. Being more active also will help me to lose weight and help my blood pressure go down."

"These are things that would make me feel better too."
"For sure. Doing them with a friend will help me to do them. We can start today. How about taking a walk with me after dinner."

"I need to cut down on salt and salty foods. Eating less salt and sodium also can help my blood pressure go down."
"I know about salt. But what is sodium? I see it on labels all the time."

"Sodium is a part of salt. It also is a part of mixtures used to flavor and preserve foods."

"How can we fix good tasting foods with less salt and sodium?"

"Listen to these tips:

• Try to cook from 'scratch.' Start with foods low in salt and sodium.
• Use herbs, spices, and fruit juices to season food.
• Do not add salt to your food when cooking or at the table.
• Rinse canned foods like tuna and canned vegetables to remove salty juices."

"Some of these herbs and spices sound good. Tonight, I will bake the chicken with some lemon juice and oregano. And in the rice, I will add lots of parsley instead of salt for flavor. Adding herbs will help us to cut back on sodium. And, the food will still be tasty so we won't miss the salt."
"Fixing foods this way seems easy enough. I bet we can have some pretty good meals."

"This recipe for Hot 'N' Spicy Seasoning also sounds good. Maybe I will try it next week."

"We could start packing our lunches and snacks for work. It is cheaper than buying lunch and this way we get what is good for us. A lot of food you eat out is high in fat, calories, and sodium."

"What about breakfast? I know sausage, bacon, and biscuits are high in sodium and fat."
"We can have some cereals, toast, and fruits for breakfast. They are quick to fix and easy to clean up. We could even have leftovers from dinner for breakfast."

"I like those ideas. We should think about how to put this together."

"These meals sound like something I would like to eat."
"They do sound pretty good."

"Most of the foods in these meals are easy to find in the store. But, we will need to change some of the foods we buy."

"How do you know if foods are high in sodium?"

"Sometimes you can taste it. And sometimes you cannot. Your food will have more sodium if you add salt to it. Also, foods that you buy already made can be higher in sodium, like some TV dinners."

"I know foods like lunch meats and cheese are salty because I get thirsty after I eat them. They are also high in fat."

"When I shop, I always try to buy the food that has the least amount of sodium. I look on the label for the words 'sodium' or 'salt.' The food may be high in sodium if these words are listed first or a couple of times."

"Also, the amount of sodium is listed on the label."

"Foods marked 'no salt added,' 'low sodium' or 'reduced sodium' are good to buy."

"The doctor also said I need to cut back on alcohol."
"How much do you need to cut back?"

"The most I can have is 1 or sometimes 2 drinks a day. A small glass of wine, one can of beer, or a shot of liquor counts as one drink. I really do not mind. Lowering my blood pressure is more important than having a beer."

"What if your blood pressure does not go down?"
"The doctor said I will have to take medicine everyday to help lower my pressure. The medicine will work better if I lose weight, eat right, and be more active."

"I heard that the medicine can make you feel sleepy."

"If the medicine bothers me, the doctor can either change it or change the amount."

"Will the medicine cost a lot?"

"There are many kinds. I can ask the doctor to give me one that works for me and costs the least."

"It seems like you have a really big role in lowering your blood pressure. You can eat foods lower in sodium, lose weight, be more active, cut back on alcohol, and take your medicine."

"And my doctor can help me too. I will have my blood pressure checked again in a few weeks to see how I am doing. I may have to make more changes if it is not low enough. I think I am well on my way to lowering my blood pressure."

Ask your doctor, dietitian, or nurse for more help in choosing foods and fixing meals.

You can also get more information from:
National High Blood Pressure Education Program
P.O. Box 30105
Bethesda, MD 20824-0105

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health
October 1995