HYPERTENSION… The silent killer

Today, I lost a friend and sister to hypertension and it is all so sad because I saw her just yesterday and she was looking all healthy and strong. Early this morning, she fainted and never took the breath of life again. I decided to read a bit on hypertension and also share it hoping it someday saves a life or two.

The blood must maintain a certain a certain pressure in the arteries to properly circulate to all tissues, Hypertension is said to exit when either the Systolic (maximum) pressure exceeds 140 mm Hg or when the Diastolic (minimum) pressure exceeds 90 mm Hg.
The bad thing about hypertension is that it produces no symptoms but rather gradually deteriorates the arteries and various organs in the body.

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF HYPERTENSION, ONE MUST

REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE INTAKE OF:

• Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor (contracts the arteries). Because of this, smoking causes an increase in blood pressure that can be detected even after only one cigarette.

• Other things to reduce or eliminate includes: salt, sodium, meat, proteins, alcoholic beverages, saturated fat, coffee, stimulant beverages, pepper, etc.

INCREASE THE INTAKE OF:

• Depurant vegetable broth: This is made by boiling various alkalizing and diuretic vegetables, primarily onions and celery, in abundant water. A small amount of olive oil may be added. This broth is very healthful and contains one of the fundamental ingredients in a cleansing diet. ½ - 1 liter may be taken a day as a beverage.

• Its benefits are:

  • Helps in alkalizing the blood and urine which improves the elimination of waste products e.g. uric acid.
  • Improves kidney function and increases urine output.
  • It supplies a significant amount of minerals and trace elements e.g. potassium (prevents arterial hypertension), magnesium and iron.

• Garlic: This is a vasodilator (dilates arteries) and a hypo-tensor (lowers blood pressure).

Other things to increase its intake includes: Diuretic foods, fruits, leafy green vegetables, legumes, fiber, potassium, calcium, magnesium, fish oil.

...Know your health status... go see your Doctor...

Source: (New Lifestyle... Healthy Foods by George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D.)