FitSugar

Study Shows Purple Potatoes Combat High Blood Pressure

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 09:43:42 PDT

I'm a huge fan of those adorable little purple potatoes, and now I have a reason to eat them. A small recent study shows that eating these plum-colored root veggies can lower your blood pressure. When participants added six to eight small purple potatoes (golf-ball size) twice a day to their regular diet, after four weeks their diastolic (the bottom number) blood pressure lowered by an average of 4.3 percent and their systolic (the top number) by 3.5 percent. The scientists said purple potatoes have almost the same blood pressure lowering abilities as oatmeal.

Of course, fried and smothered in butter doesn't count - the taters in this study were microwaved and enjoyed plain (with the skins). Potatoes are naturally high in antioxidants, which protect your body from damaging free radicals, but frying destroys those healthy substances. If eaten sans butter, margarine, or sour cream, a half-cup serving of purple potatoes is only 70 calories, so they're not fattening when enjoyed just as nature intended.

Hopefully this research will help make potatoes of all colors popular again and clear them of their unhealthy reputation. Knowing all varieties contain healthy phytochemicals on similar levels to broccoli, spinach, and brussels sprouts definitely inspires me to eat them.

Source: Flickr User g.p.macklin

DrSugar Schools Us on High Blood Pressure

DrSugar — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:26:30 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's schooling us on hypertension.

A recent study from the University of North Carolina found that about one in five young adults, between the ages 24 and 32, has high blood pressure, referred to as hypertension in medical terminology. The concerning part about this rise is that many of those at risk are unaware of this health issue, making this statistic extremely scary since hypertension is a medical condition that can have serious consequences. To learn more about hypertension and its medical consequences and how you can prevent hypertension, keep reading!

Even Vegans Aren't Immune to Heart Disease

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 11:50:30 PST

Being that February is heart health month, it's a good time to review how to keep your ticker ticking properly. Ditching artery-clogging meat and dairy products, which increase risk for heart disease, sounds like a step in the right direction, but unfortunately going vegan like Alicia Silverstone doesn't automatically put you on the safe list. According to research, vegans may not be getting enough iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids from their diets, which are all essential for a healthy cardiovascular system.

On the plus side, vegans do tend to have lower BMIs (body mass index) and cholesterol levels. But to do their hearts good, vegans need to make sure to get their fill of the heart-healthy essential vitamins and nutrients mostly found in meat and dairy products. Learn where to find those nutrients in a plant-based diet.

Speak Up: What Diseases Run in Your Family?

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:00:38 PDT

I grew up in a household that never kept a salt shaker on the dinner table, because high blood pressure runs rampant in my family. Even I suffered from it in high school and all the way through college. My parents and grandparents succumbed to popping prescription pills, but I didn't want to be medicated for my entire life. To get my numbers under control, I started eating healthier and exercising regularly (something my parents didn't do or encourage). I'm happy to say my blood pressure is at a normal level, and I'm trying to motivate my parents to move more so they can stop taking pills.

It's important to know what conditions and diseases run in your family, because some can be avoided with a healthy lifestyle. Tell me, what diseases run in your family, and how are you living your life to prevent what you may be predisposed to?

Salt "Is Like Cocaine" to Your Taste Buds

FitSugar — Thu, 13 May 2010 03:00:36 PDT

Salty cravings run rampant in my house, so I can understand people's obsession with using this white stuff. The problem is, between overly salted processed foods and excessive ~~dumping~~ sprinkling, most Americans end up eating over a teaspoon and a half a day, which Time magazine reports as "more than double the 1,500 mg our bodies need." This line from the article just about sums up our salt obsession: "Like attention, praise and porn, salt is one of those instant gratifiers that are easy to get too much of and hard to get by without."

Salt is the ultimate spice since it enhances a food's flavor, and opens up our taste buds, which makes everything taste better. The reason so much salt is used is because there's no healthy and comparable salt substitute, like there is for sugar. But excessive sodium in the diet raises blood pressure, which puts a person at risk for heart attacks and stroke. Not to mention, consuming a lot of salt also taxes your kidneys, which increases your risk of kidney disease and stomach cancer.

Since only about 11 percent of a person's salt intake comes from a salt shaker that means we down the rest of our sodium from food that already contains it like the takeout we ordered from down the street and packaged foods from the grocery store. Many people just don't realize how high the sodium content is in common foods. Two slices of pepperoni pizza contain 1365 mg!

In April, a report by the Institute of Medicine called for "federal limits on sodium content in packaged and restaurant food." The FDA has yet to make any specific rules, but I'm wondering, does it make you feel better to know that mandatory sodium reduction could be on the horizon, or should food be left as is so people can make their own decisions about how much salt they consume?

Brown Rice Tied to Better Heart Health

FitSugar — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:30:56 PDT

A recent study has linked brown rice to better heart health. Researchers found that two kinds of rice, brown rice and half-milled rice, may reduce the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. An ingredient in these types of rice interferes with angiotensin II, a protein linked to both high blood pressure and clogged arteries.

This special ingredient is found in the brown layer of the rice grain - the layer that is scraped away during the production of white rice. Since they're less refined, both brown and half-milled rice are able to preserve this layer. These results are just another reason to eat more whole grains; besides being linked to lowered risk of certain kinds of cancer, brown rice also contains more protein and fiber than processed white, so you'll feel fuller longer. Plus, whole grains are delicious and surprisingly easy to incorporate into your diet.

Do You Have High Blood Pressure?

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 03:47:32 PDT

When I was growing up, my parents had high blood pressure, so there was no salt next to our pepper shaker, and both mom and dad were always popping pills to lower their numbers. I always thought high blood pressure was something old folks had to worry about, so I was shocked to learn mine was high when I was in college. Of course, I was packing on about 20 extra pounds from all the candy, pizza, and ~~beer~~ soda I was downing, and I was also super stressed out from all the schoolwork. Since then I've lost the weight, been exercising regularly, and am happy to say my blood pressure has been at a healthy level for at least five years. What about you . . .

High Blood Pressure, a Hidden Killer

FitSugar — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 07:00:11 PST

With American Heart Month coming to an end, I'd like to urge you to get your blood pressure checked. According to a new report from the Institute of Medicine, hypertension - aka high blood pressure - is becoming a neglected disease. When the doctor slips the Velcro cuff on and off of our arm, it's easy to zone out, but consider this: one in three American adults has hypertension and one in six will die from hypertension-related complications like a stroke or heart disease.

Although the exact cause of high blood pressure is unknown, there are many contributing factors to the condition. Here are a few things you can do to avoid becoming part of the deadly statistic.

Lay off the salt. Ninety percent of American adults consume more than the RDA of sodium of one teaspoon per day. Not entirely shocking when you consider the salt content in most processed or restaurant-made foods is through the roof. To keep your salt intake in check, make an effort to check the sodium content of the foods you buy at the grocery store, ask that your food be prepared with less salt when dining out, and go homemade whenever you can.
Relax. Stress is a contributing factor to high blood pressure. Make sure you have a way to decompress from all of life's little knots that can get tied up in you. Exercise, massage, sex, getting enough sleep, and meditation are great starts to a calmer you.

To find out four other ways you can prevent high blood pressure,

Control your vices. If you're smoking, quit. If you're a drinker, keep it to one drink a day. Smoking and hitting the bottle too often are associated with a wave of health problems - hypertension is just one of them.
Get moving. Research has found that individuals who are overweight are prone to hypertension. But just because you're thin, doesn't mean you're off the hook - sedentary individuals are also are prime candidates for the condition. Whatever your weight, make sure you're physically active.
Eat the right thing. Certain foods like whole grains, potassium-rich foods, and fat-free milk products have all been linked to reducing the risk of hypertension.
Get checked out. As I mentioned in the beginning, it's important to regularly get your blood pressure checked. If you don't have insurance or can't afford a doctor's visit, many supermarkets, fire stations, and pharmacies have blood pressure monitors that you can use for a nominal fee. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 (systolic/diastolic) or less. When both numbers start to go way up, you've got high blood pressure.

High-Fructose Corn Syrup Linked to High Blood Pressure

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST

No matter how much the Corn Refiners Association tries to convince us that high-fructose corn syrup is healthy, I'm not buying it. Now I have another reason to avoid it: new findings have linked high-fructose corn syrup to high blood pressure, aka hypertension.

In the past 20 years alone, Americans have increased fructose intake by 30 percent, and that increase tracks closely to the rise in obesity. But it may also be contributing to high blood pressure. A team of doctors at the University of Colorado Denver studied more than 4,500 adults with no prior history of hypertension and tracked their fructose intake with a dietary survey. The results are pretty persuasive, so read all about it.

Worried About High Blood Pressure? Eat Whole Grains

FitSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:00:31 PDT

High blood pressure (hypertension) isn't something only older people have to worry about. It can happen at any age and since it can lead to serious heart problems, you want to get yours checked and do all you can to keep it at a healthy level. Aside from exercising regularly and limiting your salt intake, there's something else you can do to ward off high blood pressure. A new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says loading up on whole grains can help. In the study, men with the highest whole grain intake were 19 percent less likely to develop high blood pressure.

So start consuming whole grains regularly such as farro, millet, quinoa, barley, and bulgar. Add oats to your yogurt or cookie recipes, eat rice with your beans, enjoy popcorn with your movie, and opt for breads, pastas, and cereals that are made with whole grains. It's recommended to eat at least three ounces (85 grams) of whole grains a day. Do you get that much?