How Regular Salt Helps Normalize Blood Pressure. We've Collected Proven Tips From a Doctor

Sometimes heavy rain, sometimes heat - this summer is not distinguished by its consistent weather, and people with arterial hypertension feel it more than others. In order not to suffer from blood pressure, they are forced to constantly take pills, but cardiologist Olga Marchenko is sure that this ailment can be dealt with without medication. We will tell you how.

Replacing SALT

How serious the problem of high blood pressure really is for a person is evidenced by the fact that it is the main culprit in the growth of not only cardiovascular diseases, but also mortality in the modern world.

- To prolong the life of patients, it is necessary to adjust the lifestyle and all risk factors, as well as reduce blood pressure to target levels. I would like to note that these levels are not the same for everyone. In patients whose history of arterial hypertension is combined with diabetes or kidney damage, this figure is below 130/80 mm Hg. For the rest - below 140/90 mm Hg. - notes Olga Marchenko, a cardiologist at the 11th City Clinical Hospital in MINSK.

The optimal target level of blood pressure can be achieved using non-drug treatment methods. And the first rule here is to limit salt intake to 5 grams per day, or better yet, even less.

- Most people consume too much of it. On average, this figure reaches 12 g / day, which is twice the recommended maximum. What happens to the body? The standard intake of sodium is regulated by the brain, which is able to neutralize its excess. But if a person likes to add salt to food, while his menu constantly includes pickles, sausages and other products with a high sodium content, the body cannot cope with the removal of this element. As a result, it accumulates, causing fluid retention and high blood pressure, - explains the cardiologist.

She specifies that about 20% of sodium enters our body precisely when adding salt during food and its preparation, the rest we get from catering dishes or packaged products. And if it is useless to fight the latter, then you can adjust your home menu recipes

yourself. - It is not necessary to give up salt completely, it is enough to reduce its consumption to 5 g per day. This alone will help reduce blood pressure by 4-5 mm Hg, - explains Olga Mikhailovna.

She recommends starting the path to reducing salt consumption with the simplest thing: already in the store, choose products with a low sodium content, which is indicated on the label. At home, try to add less salt to dishes when preparing them. To enhance the taste, use spices, herbs, garlic, onions instead of sodium,lemon and ginger. In extreme cases, add salt substitutes: instead of NaСI, they contain KCl.

- And, of course, try not to eat semi-finished products and processed foods. Refuse or minimize in your diet ready-made dishes, smoked meats, pickles, chips and the like, - the cardiologist suggests.

Control your weight

It is very important for those suffering from arterial hypertension to control their body weight - so that obesity does not develop. For orientation, you can use the simplest method - measure the waist circumference. For men, it should not exceed 102 cm, for women - 88.

- There is such a thing as ideal body weight. It is 20-25 kg / m2. If we take into account such a parameter as waist circumference, then ideally it should be less than 94 cm for men, and up to 80 cm for women. Those who are overweight should strive to reduce it by at least 1 kg, because with each extra kilogram, approximately 1 mm Hg of high blood pressure is lost, - notes Olga Mikhailovna.

The so-called DASN diet will help you lose weight. Its principle is aimed at improving metabolic indicators and is based on increasing the consumption of vegetables (except potatoes), fresh fruits, fish, legumes, nuts and unsaturated fatty acids (olive oil ), low-fat dairy products, and lean poultry.

- At the same time, it is important to reduce the consumption of animal fats, red MEAT, highly processed meat products: sausages, cold cuts, bacon, as well as table salt, foods and drinks with added SUGAR. This diet limits the intake of saturated and trans fats, while increasing the intake of potassium, magnesium, calcium, protein and fiber. All these substances help control blood pressure, says Olga Marchenko.

We removebad habits

The cardiologist notes that those who abuse ALCOHOL are more likely to have hypertension and weight gain, which makes it difficult to control blood pressure. The DOCTOR recommends eliminating alcohol altogether or at least limiting it to 500 ml of beer, 200 ml of wine or 60 ml of strong drinks at a time for men and exactly half of this volume for women.

- At the same time, remember that there are no safe doses of daily alcohol consumption! - Olga Mikhailovna warns.

Another thing that slows down the process of lowering blood pressure is smoking. Even if you occasionally smoke, blood vessels are damaged, and cardiovascular diseases are gaining momentum.

- Smokers are five times more likely to develop arterial hypertension and its progression than non-smokers. Nicotine activates the adrenal glands and releases adrenaline, a stress hormone, which causes vascular spasm and an increase in heart rate. The blood of smokers clots faster, so the risk of blood clots increases, - explains the cardiologist.

She emphasizes that this applies not only to traditional cigarettes, but also to the now popular electronic cigarettes, vapes, hookahs and other tobacco heating systems:

- Many mixtures for electronic cigarettes contain nicotine, which affects the cardiovascular system. Some argue in defense of these smoking devices that the concentration of toxic substances in them is lower. Yes, this is true. But electronic cigarettes, vapes and hookahs are usually smoked longer than regular cigarettes, so they still have a negative effect on the human body. Accordingly, by switching from regular cigarettes to electronic ones, you continue to poison yourself, - emphasizes the doctor .

Lead an active lifestyle

Olga Marchenko explains that adjusting your menu, giving up bad habits and controlling your weight is not enough to seriously combat high blood pressure. It is also necessary to increase physical activity.

- By the way, it helps not only to control high blood pressure, but also to reduce weight, cholesterol levels, and strengthen the heart. Therefore, I recommend all patients with arterial hypertension to take up walking, including Nordic walking, fitness, dancing, jogging, walking, cycling regularly, and swimming. At the same time, during physical exercise, it is important to focus on the pulse rate. It is individual for everyone and depends on age. The optimal rate during training is about 70% of the maximum frequency, which you can determine using the formula 220 minus age. In this case, physical activity will be most effective and safe, - the cardiologist clarifies.

It is important not to overdo it in training. It is better to focus not on quantity, but on quality, and also on regularity. Physical activity 3-5 times a week is enough to improve well-being, normalize heart function and reduce blood pressure.

- As for the duration of training, the weekly minimum is 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 - active, - Olga Mikhailovna clarifies.

She notes that it is very important for those suffering from high blood pressure to get enough sleep. It is optimal to allocate 7-8 hours for such rest, no more.

- There is an interesting study that concluded that excessive sleep is not harmless. Arterial hypertension is observed more often in those who sleep more than 9 hours, compared to those who sleep 7-8 hours a day, - the doctor says. It

is equally important in the fight against arterial hypertension to avoid stress accumulation. To do this, try to take things easier, think positively, switch your focus from the situation that worries you to something simpler, relax, laugh more and, if possible, go on a trip. Even if it is limited to visiting a neighboring city - it is very useful to change the picture periodically.

Elena IVASHKO,
newspaper "7 days".