What you eat has a direct impact on your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol.
These things contribute to your risk of heart disease and stroke.
If I make an effort to change my diet, will I see a difference in my blood pressure?
Yes! Diet changes can have almost as much effect as medications!
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Losing 10 pounds → lowers your top number up to 7, and lowers your bottom number up to 6
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Reducing salt intake → lowers your top number up to 11, and lowers your bottom number up to 5
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Compare that to the average drug, which will only lower your top number up to 6, and your bottom number up to 3!!!
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Also, if you also complete 30-40 minutes of exercise 4 days a week → lowers your top number up to 10, and lowers your bottom number up to 7
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See the exercise section for more details:
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Are there any other benefits to making these changes?
Yes! You will not be able to feel your lower blood pressure, but you will likely notice some of the following:
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Weight loss
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More energy
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Less ankle swelling
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Improved mood
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More strength
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Need for fewer medications
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Lower blood sugar (if you have diabetes)
You will also experience a lower risk of:
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Heart attack
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Heart failure
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Stroke
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Diabetes
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Some cancers
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Osteoporosis
It sounds like a lot of work…
Sometimes. Initially, it can be difficult to change your diet. If you stick with it you will feel better and even begin to enjoy it. It will, with time, become a natural pattern for you. Make this a family project, your loved ones will benefit too, even if they don’t have high blood pressure.
INTRODUCTION
SALT
Everything is better in moderation.
When your doctor talks about reducing your salt intake to help lower your blood pressure, they want you to decrease the amount of sodium in your diet (this is what you will see on the nutritional facts label).
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Interesting fact: salt (or sodium chloride) is a crystal-like compound which is abundant in nature. Sodium is a mineral, and one of the chemical elements found in salt.
For people with high blood pressure, sodium reduction may be more important than any other diet change. Most people in North America eat 4-5 grams of sodium per day.
Your goal is to eat less than 2 grams (one teaspoon, or 2000 mg) of sodium a day!
How can I do it?
Step 1: Lower Obvious Salt In Your Diet
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Remove the salt shaker from the table.
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Gradually decrease the salt added when you cook. Most foods can be cooked with no salt at all.
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Use substitutes like lemon, Mrs. Dash, hot peppers, herbs, to spice your food at the table.
Step 2: Lower Hidden Salt In Your Diet
Most of the sodium (over 70%) we consume is actually hidden in processed and packaged foods we buy.
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Record the amount of sodium in each food you eat (found on the Nutritional Facts label on containers). You want your total intake to be less than 2 grams (2000 milligrams)
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Check serving sizes. You would be surprised how little soup is considered a serving).
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Eat fewer processed and packaged foods.
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Find snack foods that are low, or no salt. Fruits and vegetables are perfect.
Track the sodium in your diet.
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Take a look at the nutrition facts on the back of any packaged product.
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Check what the serving size is. If you consume less or more than the standard serving size, you will have to calculate the sodium in the food you ate. For example:
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If you ate ¼ cup (65g) of the Low-Sodium Canned Diced Tomatoes (half the standard serving) → 10mg X ½ → 5mg of sodium
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If you ate 1 cup (260g) of the Low-Sodium Canned Diced Tomatoes (double the standard serving) → 10mg x 2 → 20mg of sodium
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Record the amount of sodium in each item with a sodium tracker. You can do this a few ways, depending on what works for you:
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Print out the sodium tracker by the American Heart Association
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Use an iPhone App
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Use a Google Play App
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Estimate your daily sodium intake.
To find out a rough estimate of what your daily intake of sodium intake is, use this Sodium Calculator by Project Big Life:
TIPS & TRICKS
Ways to control your sodium.
HIGH SALT FOODS
A list of foods to avoid.
Listed here are some high salt foods we suggest you avoid to be able to meet your target of 2000mg of sodium per day. You can always look for no-salt, or low-salt alternatives to your favourite items.
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Canned soup - approximately 700mg per can
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Dried soup mix
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Microwave dinners - approximately 1000mg per dinner
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Bacon, hot dogs, sausages
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Instant pouches, flavoured rice
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Prepared or flavoured noods (e.g., Sidekicks or Mr. Noodles)
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Tomato or vegetable juice - unless salt free
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Garlic salt, onion salt, sea salt, MSG, soya sauce
SALT-ERNATIVES
Seasoning without salt.
Instead of reaching for the salt to season food the next time you are cooking, try some of these alternatives:
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Basil
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Cilantro/Coriander
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Paprika
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Mint
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Rosemary
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Parsley
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Tumeric
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Cumin
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Chives
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Cinnamon
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Oregano
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Chilli
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Dill
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Nutmeg
LOW-SALT RECIPES
Make your own cookbook!
If you are looking for some heart-healthy and low-salt cooking inspiration, the Heart Foundation of Australia has a great collection of recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides, salads, snacks, soups, dressings and condiments, desserts, and baking. Take a look here:
DINING OUT?
Restaurant dining tips.
The Cleveland Clinic has some good tips on eating out while on a sodium-controlled diet. We have provided a brief summary below, but check out their page for full details.
Before the meal:
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Choose a restaurant that will prepare items to your request and substitute items.
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Avoid restaurants that do not allow for special food preparation, such as buffet-style restaurants, diners, or fast food chains.
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Order food a la carte or individually to get only the foods you want.
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Plan ahead by reducing your serving sizes of foods high in sodium.
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Most restaurants will have an online menu and detailed nutritional facts for each item that you can look at in advance and plan what you will order.
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Track the sodium in your meals for the rest of the day when you are not eating at a restaurant, and try to keep it as low as possible so even after your meal out you are not going over the 2g (2000mg) sodium a day target.
Appetizers:
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Avoid soups and broths.
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Avoid breaded items.
Salads/Vegetables:
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Avoid pickles, canned or marinated vegetables, olives, cured meats, bacon and bacon bits, seasoned croutons, cheeses, salted seeds, and nuts.
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Order salad dressings on the side and dip your fork in them before taking a bite of the food item.
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Request steamed vegetables.
Main courses:
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Select meat, poultry, fish, or shellfish choices that include the words broiled, baked, grilled, roasted, and without breading.
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Request plain noodles or vegetable dishes.
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Ask for gravies and sauces on the side, or exclude them all together.
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Ask the server about the low-sodium menu choices, and ask how the food is prepared.
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Request food to be cooked without salt.
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Avoid casseroles and mixed dishes.
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Avoid breaded items.
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At fast food restaurants, choose the salad entrees or non-fried and non-breaded entrees, and skip the special sauces, condiments, and cheese.
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Avoid salted condiments and garnishes such as olives, pickles, and relish.
Desserts:
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Select fruit, sherbet, gelatin, and plain cakes.
FAD DIETS
Fad diets don't work!
If we stick with them long enough to lose weight, we often gain the weight right back (with more) when we finish the diet. The healthy approach to weight loss is simply to eat smarter.
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Eat breakfast - cereal in the morning will start your day off better than a donut at 10am
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Eat more fruits and vegetables - especially as snacks throughout the day
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Plan a week of meals in advance to insure you have items on hand to create healthy meals at home
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Follow the Canada Food Guide
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Measure your portions
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Don’t deny yourself any food. Some people give themselves one day each week to eat their favourite treats, others eat a small treat (less than 100 calories) each day. Find your balance.
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Experiment with new recipes and styles of cooking.
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Try different herbs and spices to give your food flavour without using butter and sugar.
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Eat slowly. Take a few minutes to decide if you are really hungry before having a second serving.
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Ask for help from a dietitian, or a registered weight loss agency.
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