THE blood pressure has to do with the blood flows through the arteries. The problem arises when it flows at very high speed, putting pressure on the artery walls. Over time, arteries can be damaged And increase the risk of having a heart attack myocardium or stroke.
This can be measured in two ways. The first is the systolic pressurewhich is the force with which blood leaves the heart and reaches the arteries. The second is the diastolic pressure, which measures the force that the blood exerts on the walls of the arteries while the heart rests between beats.
Values are expressed in millimeters of mercury (mm HG). Healthy blood pressure is below 120 systolic and 80 diastolic. Those above 130 systolic and 80 diastolic are considered high or hypertensive.
If you suffer hypertension or high blood pressure There is one habit that must be abandoned, and that is eating foods with high in sodium and saturated fatlike restaurant food or ultra-processed foods.
Ultra-processed foods, a problem for hypertension
THE ultra-processed (like chips, cookies, candy, packaged baked goods, or soft drinks) usually have a high in sodium, added sugars, saturated fats and preservatives which extend their useful life.
“THE ultra-processed foods They contain ingredients that home cooks would never, or almost never, use, including flavorings, colors, texturizers and emulsifiers,” says David L. Katz, an internal medicine and preventative medicine specialist specializing in nutrition. These are not spinach leaves. rinsed and bagged lentils, nor dried and bagged, nor pressed, rolled and packaged oats.”
It’s not bad to eat these foods once in a whilethe problem lies in the quantity ingested. More than 58% of the total daily calories consumed by Americans come from ultra-processed foods.
These Foods are harmful to blood pressure due to their high sodium content. “Sodium is one of the biggest preventable factors in blood pressure variation,” says Katz. In addition to sodium, ultra-processed foods They generally contain more sugar and saturated fat which can increase the risk to heart health.
How to improve blood pressure
For improve blood pressure There are some tips.
- Cook more at home. Eating out is associated with higher sodium levels. One study found that men who ate just one meal a day prepared outside the home consumed 7% more sodium. Preparing meals at home helps control other ingredients that can be problematic for your heart, like added sugar or saturated fat.
- Get physical activity. Any type of movement is good and can help control blood pressure. Any physical activity can have a positive effect on blood pressure.
- De-stress. According to some research, people who feel chronically stressed are 61% more likely to have high blood pressure than those who report low levels of stress.
