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
What is High Blood Pressure? |
"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."
You Can Lower Your Blood Pressure |
"If it is high, can you really lower it?"
"Yes. That is the good news. The doctor told me to:
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."
Lose Weight |
"First I need to lose weight. Here is what I need to do:
My blood pressure will probably go down when I lose weight."
Foods High in Fat |
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Be More Active |
"Next, I need to be more active. Being more active also will help me to lose weight and help my blood pressure go down."
To Be More Active Everyday |
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"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."
Fix Foods The Low-Sodium Way |
"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:
Shake On The Herbs and Spices |
|
"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."
Snack On... | Instead of... |
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"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."
Menu Ideas |
Breakfast Lunch Snack Dinner Snack |
Recipe |
Spaghetti with Turkey Meat Sauce 1 teaspoon olive oil Heat oil in a large skillet. Add turkey; cook for 5 minutes, stir a few times. Drain fat. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, green pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, and pepper. Boil; turn down heat. Put lid on pan and let cook on low heat for 15 minutes. Stir a few times. Take off cover; cook on low heat for 15 minutes more. In another pot, cook spaghetti in boiling water for 15 minutes. Do not add salt. Drain well. Serve sauce over spaghetti. |
"These meals sound like
something I would like to
eat."
"They do sound pretty good."
Buy Foods Low in Sodium |
"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."
Ingredients: wheat flour,"salt," "sodium" sulfate, malt |
"Also, the amount of sodium is listed on the label."
Nutrition Information serving size... calories... fat... sodium... 50 mg |
"Foods marked 'no salt added,' 'low sodium' or 'reduced sodium' are good to buy."
Buy More Often... | Buy Less Often... |
Chicken and turkey (take off skin) Fish Lean cuts of meat Skim or 1% milk, evaporated skim milk Cheeses lower in fat and sodium (like low-fat cheddar, part-skim mozzarella) Low-fat or nonfat yogurt Margarine, vegetable oils, vinegar Fresh, frozen, or canned fruit Fresh, frozen, or no salt added canned vegetables Plain rice and pasta English muffins, bagels, loaf bread, tortillas, pita Cold (ready-to-eat) cereal and cereals cooked on the stove Spices and herbs |
Fatty cuts of meat Smoked foods Lunch meats, bacon, and sausage Buttermilk Most cheese spreads and cheeses Most salad dressings Fat back, salt pork Toppings and sauces (like ketchup, mustard, butter, gravy, and barbeque, soy, and cheese sauces) Regular canned soups, instant soups Regular canned vegetables Instant hot cereals Pickles and olives Salty crackers and salty snack foods Garlic salt, celery salt, and onion salts |
Cut Back On Alcohol |
"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."
You May Need Medicine |
"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."
Speak Up and Ask |
When the doctor gives any medicine for high blood pressure, ask about:
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Expect Your Blood Pressure To Be Lower |
"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."
Get More Help |
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
Foods To Choose When You Shop |
Choose these foods more often. Meat, Poultry,Fish,and Shellfish Dairy Products Fats and Oils (Use only small amounts) Sweets and Snacks (Don't choose these too often, if
you are watching your weight.
Some may be high in calories) Fruits and Vegetables Breads, Cereals, Pasta, Rice, Dry Peas and Beans |
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health
October 1995