Posts Tagged ‘High Blood Pressure’

30
Apr

Nutrition Knowledge Test – A for Apple

   Posted by: Lita    in Nutrition

Try this nutrition knowledge test.  The nutrition knowledge test has 10 questions that you can answer either true or false.  

The nutrition knowledge test answers are listed below.

QUESTIONS

True or False:

  1. There is more iron in 1 lean hamburger than one cup of prune juice?
  2. The presence of histamine in wine has been blamed for headaches?
  3. A fruitarian is a person who grows fruit?
  4. Vitamins provide energy? 
  5. The DASH diet refers to a diet used by athletes who run in marathons?
  6. There is 1930 mg of sodium in a 4 1/2 oz dill pickle?
  7. A 12 oz can of pop contains about 1 tablespoon of sugar?
  8. Freezing kills bacteria in food?
  9. A teaspoon of butter is higher in calories than a teaspoon of margarine?
  10. A snickers chocolate bar has 13 grams of fat while 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds has 17 grams of fat?

ANSWERS

  1. False:  Iron is found in small amounts in many foods but only a few foods, such as liver, beef and prune juice provide a rich source.  1 cup of prune juice = 9.0 mg of iron/1 3oz lean hamburger = 3.0 mg of iron.
  2. True:  If you have an intolerance to histamine your body is unable to break down histamine during digestion.  It then accumulates in your bloodstream and causes headaches.
  3. False:  Fruitarian refers to a person following a form of vegetarian diet where fruit is the major food source.  Be wary of diets that provide inadequate amounts of a variety of nutrients.
  4. False:  Carbohydrates, fats and proteins provide energy to your diet.  However, your body does need vitamins to convert the energy in the food you eat into energy that your body can use.
  5. False:  The DASH (Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension) diet focuses on lowering your blood control and keeping it under control.
  6. True:  Restricting your intake of foods where salt has been added during processing is an effective way for you to lower your salt intake.  Other high salt, processed foods include salad dressings, canned soups, corned beef, sausages and other luncheon meats as well as snack foods like potato chips and cheesies.
  7. False:  A 12 oz can of pop contains about 3 TABLESPOONS of sugar.
  8. False:  Freezing will cause most bacteria to stop multiplying but it does not kill them.  If the food is contaminated with bacteria before being frozen then the bacteria will still be present when you thaw it.
  9. False:  Butter and margarine contain the same amount of fat, therefore, they provide the same number of calories which is 35 per teaspoon.
  10. True:  Almost 90% of the fat in sunflowers comes from good, unsaturated fat while a snickers bar contains saturated fat which can be unhealthy.

Did any of the questions and answers on this nutrition knowledge test surprise you?  If you think you could benefit from nutritional changes to your diet, but you feel overwhelmed, then identify changes in eating that will have staying power; first list the weak points in your diet.  For example, in the nutrition knowledge test you learned about restricting your salt intake.  If you are concerned about high blood pressure or diabetes then first eliminate luncheon meats from your diet.  Instead, try cooking a small fryer chicken and using the meat for sandwiches.  This will give you several days of good lunches.  Next try salmon or tuna or avocada, cucumber and tomatoes in your sandwich instead of luncheon meat.  Even peanut butter (unsalted) and honey is a good alternative. 

Give yourself a regular nutrition knowledge test and make small but significant changes that will last for your better health.

 

 

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15
Apr

About High Blood Pressure – Give Your Heart A Rest

   Posted by: Fernanda    in Heart Disease

Most of the time, when you visit a doctor or other health professional, they will take your blood pressure. Have you ever wondered why blood pressure measurements are so important? What does it mean if your blood pressure is high? What should you know about high blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the measure of the pressure or force of blood against your blood vessels which are called arteries. This force is created by the heart as it pumps blood into your arteries and through the circulatory system. Blood pressure numbers are usually written with the systolic number above the diastolic, such as 120/80 mmHg. The top number represents the pressure when your heart contracts and pushes blood out (systolic) and the bottom number is the lowest pressure when the heart relaxes between beats (diastolic). The mmHg is millimeters of mercury- the units used to measure blood pressure.

Blood pressure tends to go up and down, even in people who have normal blood pressure. So, if you have a high blood pressure reading it is important to have your blood pressure monitored closely (have your blood pressure taken two to three times daily for 1 week and record all readings). Consistent blood pressure readings over 140/90 mmHg are considered high, but if you have diabetes, 130/80 mmHg is high. Normal blood pressure readings are below 120/80 mmHg.

Being informed about high blood pressure is important. High blood pressure also known as hypertension, is referred to as the silent disease because there are no symptoms for months or years. However, high blood pressure is a serious condition that can lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure and other health problems. High blood pressure affects one in five Canadians, yet 42% of Canadians with high blood pressure are unaware they have it. Left untreated high blood pressure can damage blood vessel walls causing scarring and the build-up of plaque which eventually narrows and blocks arteries. It also makes the heart work extra hard leading to straining and weakening of the heart.

An Important fact about high blood pressure; it is the number one risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor for heart disease, therefore, it is very important that it is properly controlled.

Have your blood pressure checked regularly. If you are told that you have pre-high blood pressure or pre-hypertension, this means your blood pressure is in the range 120/80 – 139/89, and you are a high risk candidate for developing hypertension. It is crucial to make healthy lifestyle choices to reduce your risk. Inform yourself about high blood pressure and important choices to prevent developing hypertension.

The first steps to take are:

  • Eat a balanced diet
  • Be physically active
  • Quit smoking
  • Reduce your salt and alcohol intake.
  • If you are overweight, achieve and maintain a healthy weight which can dramatically reduce your chances of having a stroke or heart attack.

Learn more about high blood pressure treatment in my next article. This is particularly important if you are per-hypertensive and want non-medical healthier lifestyle choices to improve your blood pressure.

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24
Feb

How Do We Define High Blood Pressure?

   Posted by: author1    in Aerobics Cardio, Health and Fitness

An all too common problem with high blood pressure nowadays is that it is so common and so often talked about that far too many people do not appear to treat it with the respect it deserves. The simple fact is high blood pressure, or hypertension (to give it its medical name), is a killer disease and has to be treated as such.

A lot of scientists and doctors have spent a great deal of time and money trying to describe precisely what the true definition of high blood pressure is.

Over the years there have been a large number of studies carried out on this subject which have given the researchers and doctors a wide range of blood pressure values to work with. The results however are often skewed and differ from one country to the next and even from district to district within a specific country. It has been concluded therefore that the true definition of high blood pressure can only be arrived at through continuous observation and experiment.

Normal blood pressure is seen today much like normal body weight in that the defining level is that which is associated with the greatest chance of life expectancy. This is the level at which the heart along with other important elements of the body such as the circulatory system are able to function under optimum conditions without running the risk of heart disease and other related disorders.

There are a number of other considerations that have to be taken into account when defining hypertension and some of these have to be excluded. For instance, If a healthy person becomes their systolic (or pumping) blood pressure can be expected to rise by possibly as much as fifty percent as their blood flow rises in response to emotional excitement or any form of energetic activity. But it will not remain high for very long and as soon as the level of excitement has gone down your blood pressure also returns to normal.

As well as your systolic (pumping) pressure you also have a diastolic (resting) pressure which is the more important and is an excellent guide in ascertaining whether a high blood pressure reading is a false positive. Diastolic pressure is important because it points to the state of your arteries and if you have a high reading it may show that the arteries are constricted and not permitting the free flow of blood.

It is very important to understand that hypertension is not in itself a disease but is a key criterion by which doctors can predict other conditions.

Lastly, it is also necessary to understand that hypertension cannot be cured although it can be very well controlled with the right treatment.

TheBloodPressureCenter.com provides information on many different aspects of blood pressure including what causes high blood pressure and finding the best home blood pressure monitors

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