Hypertension: Diet

Hey dear people,

This is the second in a series of posts in awareness of hypertension (High blood pressure).

In a previous post we understood that our blood pressure rises when our arteries become calcified and full of plaque (that’s the deposit on their walls), when our blood becomes thicker, or when we are stressed.

Today I wanted to talk to you about the underlying reasons which cause the arteries to calcify and become narrower, and our blood to become thicker.

Our blood pressure is affected by our lifestyle. That includes everything that we eat/drink/smoke, how physically active we are, and how much stress we experience. By making lifestyle changes, it is simple and easy to affect blood pressure.

Let’s talk for a minute about what we choose to put into our body, and why it even makes a difference.

Everything that enters our body, be it by inhaling or swallowing, has a widespread effect on it.

Anything we inhale is absorbed into the blood stream through the lungs. The body knows how to cope with clean air, but it does not know how to deal with chemically polluted air. When chemicals are inhaled, toxins pass into the bloodstream. One of the damages that those toxins create, is causing the cholesterol and other fats in the blood to sink on the walls of the arteries at a much faster rate. They also affect the nervous system—creating stress responses in the body, thus making it raise the blood pressure instantly. Particularly notorious are cigarette smoke and factory fumes.

Everything we swallow goes through our digestive system and is broken down into tiny particles that are absorbed through the intestines into our bloodstream. The body sifts through those particles and uses what it needs to build itself and function. Anything that is not used for those purposes is then considered as toxic waste that needs to be excreted as fast as possible. If we consume too much food, foods that are too rich, or low-quality foods, much of it is going to turn into toxic waste. Medications also are substances which the body is not designed to consume. They are chemical substances that are toxic to the liver. Toxins and waste will flow in the blood until the body manages to get rid of them.

The organs that filter our blood are the liver and the kidneys. The kidneys are responsible for excreting the toxic waste from the blood through the urine and out of the body. If either of those filters are incapable of doing their job correctly—we are in a bind! That means that waste and toxins continue to flow through the blood, causing it to become denser, thicker, and more viscous. Thus, more difficult to flow. Not such great news. Toxins tend to chemically alter the structure of fat molecules, rendering them heavier and more prone to sink and create plaque on the blood vessel’s walls. And as we already know – that causes blood pressure to rise.

So, which foods are the most notorious when it comes to blood pressure?

Animal proteins: Those are too rich in protein (and saturated fats). Most of the population in the modern world tends to consume too many animal-based products; be it beef, chicken, pork, poultry, fish, or dairy products. Protein powders, which are a popular trend, also fall under this category.

The optimal amount of protein is 0.5-0.7g of protein per kilogram. For example, a person who weighs 70 kilograms should consume 35-50g of protein per day. Now compare this with an average diet: Toast with cheese and an omelet for breakfast, chicken/fish/meat for lunch, and pizza for dinner. The calculated amount here reaches a hefty 80-100g of protein which overloads the kidneys.

Trans fats and saturated fats: Those are easy to identify as they become liquid when heated and solid at room temperature. They have a much higher tendency to sink because of their spatial structure.

Saturated fats are found mainly in animal products, industrialized pastries, and baked goods. They are also found in fried food, ice cream, coconut oil, and palm oil.

Trans fats, also called trans fatty acids or partially hydrogenated fats, are found in a long list of industrialized items. Amongst them are morning cereals, baked products, frozen dough and pastries, popcorn, and margarine.

A diet rich in empty carbs and sugars: Excess of carbs and sugars are metabolized into fat in the liver. This fat flows in the blood, enhances its viscosity and its potential to sink and form plaque on the walls of the arteries.

Part of that fat is stored in fat cells. This is how we gain weight. The more we weigh, the harder the heart must work.

Sweetened beverages: Those are loaded with sugar or its substitutes (artificial or syrups). In a series of internal metabolic processes, they negatively affect blood pressure and instigate the formation of many health conditions.

A diet rich in table salt: Excess salt causes fluid retention. An increased amount of fluid in the blood creates more pressure against the blood vessels. It makes the kidneys work much harder as they desperately, and unsuccessfully, attempt to remove the excess. Consequently, there is an increased pressure on the heart and blood vessels.

What is the recommended diet for those who suffer from hypertension?

In general, a whole food plant-based diet. However, healing is a process. It took a while for your body to develop the imbalance, and it takes time for the body to reverse it.

Each person is unique in their general condition, medical history, toxicity level and what they had to endure in life. Therefore, each one needs their own specific recommendations. The path to healing involves the whole person, and not just their blood pressure. For that reason, I recommend professional guidance with a natural health consultant who can guide and accompany you on your individual path to healing.

In an upcoming post: The correlation between how physically active we are and our blood pressure.