So, you’ve found out you have prehypertension and you’re teetering on the border of high blood pressure. Now is a good time to become more concerned about your health.
A typical prehypertension lifestyle change consists of less salt and a modification in your diet. For instance, instead of having thick slab bacon, hash browns and pancakes for breakfast, I’ll have fresh fruit, a plain bagel with grape jelly and orange juice.
As an alternative to a greasy gyro sandwich, fries and a soda from my local hole in the wall restaurant, for lunch I may have a George Foreman grilled chicken sandwich, baked french fries and a strawberry smoothie.
For dinner, Instead of mourning about my beloved T-bone steak, fresh fish is on the menu! Baked salmon, a green salad and steamed broccoli is prepared and it’s flavorful. I never realized that I didn’t have to dump a load of seasoning salt on my food and it could still be appetizing.
A majority of my seasoning consists of Mrs. Dash, garlic powder, fresh garlic and lemon. Keep in mind, there are many tasty, salt free seasonings that you can whip up from scratch. http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blhelp13.htm?terms=salt+free+recipe
If you need daily meal ideas, an excellent resource is the Dash Eating Plan booklet. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf
Adding an exercise regimen to your routine is also very important if you have prehypertension and high blood pressure.
Exercise will get your heart pumping so fresh blood can flow through your arteries. Walking, running or jogging are great exercises to help lower blood pressure. If you’re like me and can’t exercise at home because there are too many distractions, sign up for your local YMCA.
An hour long aerobics class every week and 30-40 minutes each on the stairmaster and treadmill two days a week, really made a difference in my subsequent blood pressure readings.
Along with suggesting diet and fitness changes, your doctor may prescribe diuretics like hydrochlorothiazide. Hydrochlorothiazide is a water pill and it controls prehypertension and blood pressure by causing the kidneys to rid of unwanted water and salt. The water and salt will be be expelled out of your body through urination, so be sure to take your water pill early in the day and not before bed, otherwise you’ll be sprinting to the bathroom all night long.
To verify you’re in good shape, your doctor will monitor your potassium and cholesterol levels. If your doctor advised you to eat a banana everyday, that’s because one of the side effects of hyddrochlorothiazide is that it can cause a potassium deficiency.
Trying to manage prehypertension is exasperating in the beginning, but after a few weeks you’ll see that the lifestyle change isn’t all that awful. Not only will you be healthy, but you’ll feel like doing cartwheels!
References
Dash Eating Plan
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/
http://www.wikipedia/Hydrochlorothiazide
Reference:
- Center for Disease Control www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/hyprtens.htm High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) And African-Americans www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/aahealth/hypertension.cfm Your Guide To Lowering High Blood Pressure www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/
