FitSugar

High-Fructose Corn Syrup Linked to High Blood Pressure

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:00:00 -0800

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 -0700

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?

Another Reason to Get Your Zs: Reduced Blood Pressure

FitSugar — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:00:00 -0700

If you're stressed out or overworked, it's not uncommon to miss an hour or two of sleep each night. It may be doing more harm than you think. Besides making you cranky in the morning, new research shows that missing sleep regularly can lead to high blood pressure. Adults in the study who missed an average of an hour of sleep each night over a five-year span increased their risk for developing hypertension by 37 percent. High blood pressure can put you at risk for cardiovascular problems such as heart attack and stroke.

Adults typically need between seven and nine hours of sleep, but on average, most only get about six hours. Aside from high blood pressure, not getting your quota of Zs has also been associated with weight gain, an increased risk of heart disease, and a compromised immune system, which means you'll get sick more often. So for your health's sake, not just your sanity, make getting a good night's sleep a priority. How many hours do you typically sleep in a night?

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Fight High Blood Pressure With Hibiscus Tea

FitSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 03:00:00 -0800

Genetics, diet, and stress can cause high blood pressure (hypertension), but a recent study shows there's a way to lower it naturally. Drink three cups of hibiscus tea a day. Look for this tea at your health food store, either solely hibiscus, or ones that are blended with this herb. The ability to lower blood pressure has to do with the actual plant and also the relaxing effects of sipping tea. Although your blood pressure may not decrease dramatically, even a small drop can benefit the body and lower your risk of the health problems associated with hypertension. Most people - 50 percent - are unaware that they even have high blood pressure, so if you haven't had yours checked in a while, see a doctor, or use one of those machines at your pharmacy. If it's on the high side, while you're out, pick up some hibiscus tea.

Got High Blood Pressure? Could Be Potassium Deficiency

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:00:00 -0800

When you go to the doctor and the nurse shakes her head at your high blood pressure (also called hypertension), you may not be able to blame it on your salt bagel cravings or your old Aunt Thelma. New research shows it could be caused by your lack of potassium. Of the over 3,000 women who were tested, the ones with high blood pressure had low levels of potassium in their urine. It turns out these women were also older, heavier, and more likely to be African-American, so those factors play a part too.

While there's an emphasis on losing weight and decreasing sodium intake to help lower blood pressure, this study also proves that there should be an increase in dietary potassium. If you suffer from hypertension, it looks like you better start eating more bananas, avocado, and sweet potatoes.

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It's Never Too Early to Think About Your Blood Pressure

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:00:00 -0700

You probably don't give your blood pressure much thought, except when your doctor wraps that velcro cuff around your arm, and pumps it full of air until you feel like your bicep is about to explode. The the doc will tell you it's low, or normal, or if your blood pressure is high, they'll tell you to keep an eye on it. Then you leave, and don't think about it until the next time you have it checked, right? I am hear to tell you that it is never to early to think about your blood pressure. High blood pressure from your young years 20s, 30s, and 40s can cause a slew of health issues such as heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure later in life. Since you're all such health-conscious folks, here are so simple things you can do to maintain a healthy blood pressure:

Have your blood pressure checked regularly. Your shooting for the top number (Systolic) to be 120 or less, and the lower number (Diastolic) to be 80 or less. Normal blood pressure is read as 120 over 80, but as soon as those numbers start to increase, you're on your way to high blood pressure.
Think about your diet. I'm with you when it comes to craving salty foods, but too much sodium is no good. Shoot for a total of 2,300 mg or less (that's equal to 1 teaspoon of salt). Be on the lookout for pre-packaged foods, soups, sauces, and cheese (they have obnoxiously high amounts of sodium). Instead of sprinkling mountains of salt on your food, add flavor with herbs, spices, lemon juice, garlic, or ginger instead.

Your heart wants to know what else you should do so read more.

Chill out. Stress and anxiety can contribute to your high blood pressure so if you feel wired on a daily basis, take more walks, do Yoga, take baths, light aromatherapy candles, take some time off, or speak with a therapist to help resolve stress.
One drink is enough. I'm all for letting loose with a glass of wine or cocktail, but too much alcohol consumption may also contribute to high blood pressure.
Step on a scale. Not only will being overweight make you feel tired and self-conscious, but you guessed it - it can also lead to high blood pressure. Make sure you maintain a healthy weight.
Thin isn't the same as fit. A slender figure can be good for your health, but make sure you include cardio workouts that get your heart pumping every week. You know what they say, "Use it or lose it."

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High Blood Pressure? Drink Milk

FitSugar — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:00:00 -0800

If you're looking to keep your blood pressure down then you may want to drink your milk - just like your mother always told you.

New research has found that women who drank more fat-free milk and had higher intakes of calcium and vitamin D from foods, and not supplements, tended to have a lower risk for developing hypertension or high blood pressure. Here's more:

When the researchers investigated the benefits of milk specifically, they found women who drank two or more servings of fat-free milk each day reduced their risk for high blood pressure by up to 10 percent compared to those who drank fat-free milk less than once a month. The same was not found for higher fat milk and milk products or calcium and vitamin D supplement users.

Though I'm good for a glass of skim milk a day, many of us despise drinking milk, so keep in mind that the best defenses against hypertension still remain to exercise, reduce salt intake, quit smoking, limit alcohol intake, and lose excess weight.

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Hypertension Linked to Kids TV Time

FitSugar — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 02:00:00 -0700

A lot of us are concerned about having high blood pressure (aka Hypertension), but have you ever thought about your child having high blood pressure?

As it turns out, children who spent two to four hours a day watching TV were 2.5 times more likely to have hypertension than children who watched two or less hours of TV a day. Children who watched four or more hours of TV a day were 3.3 times more likely to have hypertension than those who watched less than two hours a day.

Furthermore, changing a child's TV time alone can lead to weight loss, without any changes in physical activity. I'm thinking if you don't have kids, or even if you do, the two hour rule is something that we can all apply to our own TV viewing schedules in an effort to be more active.

For those of you who are always looking for more information on parenting as much as I am and have been asking for our parenting site, your wait is almost over! LilSugar is launching very soon so get ready for baby news, trends, advice and stories - Sugar style!

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Dark Chocolate Lowers Blood Pressure

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 10:30:00 -0700

I don't know about you, but I really do love chocolate and rarely need an excuse to indulge. Since there is new research suggesting that dark chocolate (my favorite) helps lower blood pressure I might not need to rationalize my small indulgences any longer.

German scientists found that eating a tiny square of dark chocolate every night before bed, lowered blood pressure. I just want to reiterate, that it is a "tiny square" of dark chocolate, not an entire bar of chocolate. Participants in the study ate one square -- 6.3 grams and 30 calories -- of a Ritter Sport Halbbitter, which is 50 percent cacao, every day for 18 weeks. The cool thing about this new study is that participants ate regular, ol' dark chocolate not some fancy pants, scientifically distilled, flavonoid enhanced cocoa.

It is thought that chocolate lowers blood pressure when cocoa flavanols spur the release of nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels and increases blood flow. I think it is super cool that my chocolate fix is helping to keep my blood pressure regulated. I think it is important to mention, when dealing with high blood pressure, chocolate may help but it is not the only answer. It is just one element folks can use to manage hypertension.

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You Asked: Ways to Get High Blood Pressure Under Control

FitSugar — Fri, 04 May 2007 13:30:00 -0700

Did you know that while most Americans with high blood pressure are taking steps to combat the potentially deadly condition, only 30 percent have it under control?

If you or someone you love has hypertension, there are several steps you can take to help keep it under control:

Try the D.A.S.H. eating plan: DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and it is an eating plan that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and lowfat dairy foods. It is low in saturated fat, total fat and cholesterol. The DASH eating plan includes whole grains, poultry, fish, and nuts and has reduced amounts of fats, red meats, sweets, and sugared beverages.
Exercise: Get started by doing 30 minutes of a moderate-level activity on most, and preferably all, days of the week. Brisk walking, bicycling, and gardening are examples. You can even divide the 30 minutes into shorter periods of at least 10 minutes each.
Reduce Salt intake: For someone with high blood pressure, the doctor may advise eating less salt and sodium, as recent research has shown that people consuming diets of 1,500 mg of sodium (that's a little more than 1/2 teaspoon of salt) had even better blood pressure lowering benefits.
Lay off the Booze: If you drink alcoholic beverages, have only a moderate amount - one drink a day for women; two drinks a day for men.
Smoking: DON'T SMOKE. If you do, QUIT!
Lose the extra LBS: Being overweight increases your risk of developing high blood pressure. In fact, blood pressure rises as body weight increases. Losing even 10 pounds can lower blood pressure - and it has the greatest effect for those who are overweight and already have hypertension.
Medicate: Your doctor can prescribe a medication to lower your blood pressure, especially if you're doing everything listed above but still can't control hypertension.

For more information, visit the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

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