Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
5/23/03
For immediate release
Contacts:
Ruth Litchfield, Human Nutrition and Food Science, (515) 294-9484, litch@iastate.edu
Diane Nelson, Continuing Education and Communication Services, (515) 294-3178,
dinelson@iastate.edu
Your Actions Can Lower Your Blood Pressure
AMES, Iowa -- Recently revised blood pressure guidelines put 45 million Americans in a new 'prehypertension' category of risk. Medical experts now say a systolic measurement of 120-139 and a diastolic measure of 80-89 is considered a warning sign to individuals.
"Researchers have found that artery damage begins earlier than previously thought," said Ruth Litchfield, Iowa State University Extension nutritionist. "But they've also found that a few simple actions can help individuals reduce their blood pressure before it gets high enough to require medication."
Litchfield recommends five lifestyle modifications that can help decrease your risk of hypertension and its related complications.
* DASH your diet
Developed specifically to reduce hypertension, the DASH daily eating plan
suggests 4 to 5 servings of fruits, 4 to 5 servings of vegetables, 7 to
8 servings of grains, 2 to 3 servings of lowfat dairy products, and up
to 2 servings of meats, poultry and fish. In addition, 4 to 5 servings
of nuts, seeds and dry beans are recommended per week. For more information,
see http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/.
* Move your muscles
Sitting may be relaxing, but walking is more beneficial. Monitor your
progress by tracking the number of minutes you walk daily, or invest in
a simple pedometer that measures the number of steps you take. Check your
average over several days of normal activity, then try to do a little
bit more each day.
* Allocate your alcohol
Unlike fruit juices and water, alcoholic beverages provide mostly calories.
For better health, most men are advised to limit themselves to two drinks
per day, and women to one a day. One drink is defined as 12 ounces of
beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1 1/2 ounces of 80-proof liquor.
* Wage war on your weight
Most people gain pounds as a consequence of aging because metabolism slows
down faster than appetite. Other common factors in weight gain are snacking
habits and increased portion sizes, especially at fast food restaurants.
Pay attention to how often you continue to eat, even though you're no
longer hungry. Tired of counting calories and pounds? Figure your body
mass index and use that as a guide to what your weight should be. See
http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/.
* Profile your use of processed foods
Convenience is a powerful marketing tool but your health may depend on
how carefully you consider the tradeoffs. For example, processed foods
account for most of the salt and sodium Americans consume. Check labels
on all products and look for those with the lowest sodium content. If
you haven't been a label reader, be prepared to be surprised at the amount
of sodium in various products.
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