Health question #3

Question

What helps high blood pressure in the long term?
A. high protein diet
B. high vegetable diet
C. regular exercise program
D. regular physical checkups

Answer 1

Hypertension or high blood pressure can be hereditary or it can be related to life-style (such as poor diet with high salt and fat, lack of exercise and sedentary life-style, stress and additional factors). A physician can look at various factors to determine the cause of hypertension and prescribe appropriate therapy of modified diet and life-style, exercise and therapeutic drugs.

 

DASH (dietary approach to stop hypertension) dietary approach does help in preventing hypertension by reducing dietary sodium and fat, increasing whole grains, fruits and vegetables in the diet and with regular regiment of low to moderate exercise.

 

A. Lowering and eliminating  processed foods with preservatives and sodium helps in controlling high blood pressure, however, I am not sure if high protein diet alone would do so. I have not seen such specific scientific evidence in that regard.

 

B. High vegetable diet without salt and processing definitely helps; it has been included in American Heart Association guidelines.

 

C. Regular exercise is very helpful, it has also been included in American Heart Association guidelines.

 

D. Despite following all the necessary guidelines, it is important to have regular physical check up because only a qualified physician can evaluate the cause of hypertension and find out if it is genetic; if that is the case then a different kind of intervention and therapy become necessary. Therefore, regular physical checkups are important and help in long term.

 

Hope this helps.