Eat Your Hypertension Away

Dr. Anjali Mukherjee suggests a few dietary tips to keep stress and hypertension at bay.

Each of us have, at some point or the other, experienced stress in the form of worry and anxiety. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that you are getting anxious but some of these questions directed at yourself will help:

• Is there a constant list of problems both real and imagined running in your mind all the time?
• Are you the type who can never fully relax and enjoy, even when there is no work?
• Do you need constant stimulation?
• Do you worry about what people think?
• Do you rerun conversations in your head about the last party you attended?
• Do you go over how you looked, and sounded in any meeting or forum?
• Are you unable to say no and take on more work than you can do?

If you have answered 'yes' to two or more of the above questions, anxiety has become a way of life for you. This constant 'worrying' and getting stressed can make you age faster as it suppresses your immune system, reduces your capacity to fight infections, and makes you feel tired all the time. Also people who worry too much are more prone to develop hypertension or high blood pressure problem.

Amongst the many factors that lead to high blood pressure (smoking, alcohol, obesity, diabetes) stress is a major player. A person if exposed to stressful conditions over a prolonged period of time is likely to suffer from high blood pressure. The blood vessels get constricted as a response to stress and this constriction causes the blood pressure to rise. Fortunately, there exists a non-drug method of treating hypertension in most cases. Once you have been identified with high blood pressure you need to do two things:

• Consume foods that help to control it.
• Control your stress.
  

Foods That Help In Controlling Blood Pressure

Garlic: Garlic is known to lower blood pressure by allowing the muscles of the blood vessels to dilate. Adenosine, the compound found in garlic helps in dilation as it is a muscle relaxant. Garlic either raw or cooked can benefit patients suffering from blood pressure. However, raw garlic is more potent and works faster. Garlic also has other healing properties. It interferes with the formation of blood clots and also helps in reducing cholesterol. It helps lower the risk of cancers of the colon, G I tract and stomach. Garlic helps improve immunity and also prevents gas formation. All one has to do to is to finely chop 3-4 cloves of raw garlic, place it on a tablespoon and gulp it down with warm water. You could also crush the garlic, extract the juice and drink it.

Wheat Grass Juice: It is ideal for those suffering from hypertension, as it is a rich source of magnesium and potassium. Both these minerals can lower blood pressure and a shortage of these can raise it. Getting enough magnesium and potassium can also lessen the dosage of medicine you are consuming. In addition to these minerals, wheat grass juice is a power house of nutrients that can help fight disease, slow down aging, get rid of toxins and cleanse the entire system.

Celery: This vegetable is extensively used in Chinese medicine to lower blood pressure. Just a few stalks of celery consumed continuously for a couple of months can lower blood pressure.

Fish: It has always been a heart-friendly food. Fish oils are known to keep a lid on blood pressure. Fish like mackerel (bangada), tuna, surmai at least thrice a week will help you to reduce your daily dosage of blood pressure medication.

Role of Calcium: Some experts feel that hypertension is more likely due to calcium deficiency rather than excess sodium. They opine that consuming adequate calcium rich foods like milk, curd, spinach, other leafy vegetables, whole Kabuli channa, rajhma, methi, jowar, bajri, nachini can neutralize the hypertensive effect of eating more sodium. As more and more urban Indians worry about lactose intolerance (inability to digest milk), adulterated milk, etc. the consumption of dairy products is decreasing. While calcium is a prime player in calming the nerves, controlling blood pressure and in maintaining bone health, we need alternatives to milk for our calcium intake. Bottled mineral water can be a good source of calcium and while most brands vary in their calcium content, the calcium in mineral water is well absorbed. Drinking a glass of carrot (5 nos.) + spinach (50 gm. leaves) juice can also be a good alternative to milk as a source of calcium. Most pulses like rajhma, channa, black dal have high calcium content. White sesame seeds are another good source. Eat about 2-4 tablespoons daily if you are not a dairy fan.

But remember that health benefits, which can be derived from minor changes in eating pattern, will only be effective, if you follow them as a part of your daily routine. Weight loss is of prime importance to anyone suffering from high blood pressure. That coupled with increasing the intake of fruit and vegetables and fish plus ensuring sufficient calcium intake along with avoiding excessive salt and alcohol will help you tremendously in achieving your result.

Some Natural Stress Busters:

Chamomile Tea: This is a herb, which helps bring about relaxation and promotes sound sleep. If you find that your life has been a bit hectic and you find yourself all knotted up like a bundle of nerves, you can take a cup of chamomile tea to put yourself at ease. Due to its ability to induce relaxation, it may help to reduce the effects of stress. Chamomile tea should be best taken at bedtime. About one-two cups at night are sufficient to wash away the day’s stress and induce sleep.

Green Tea: Green tea is particularly rich in polyphenols. These are active agents against cancer and heart disease. They protect the body against stress. It would be worthwhile to switch to drinking green tea instead of regular black tea.

Vitamin C: There is more concentration of Vitamin C in the brain tissue than in any other tissue in the body. It is a powerful antioxidant. During stress, more of it is used up and therefore, those under stress should consume anywhere between 500 to 1,000 mg. daily.

Yoga and Meditation: Meditation helps combat stress by allowing the mind to accumulate energy in silence. When we stop our mental chattering we can become more centered and generate a lot of positive energy. Pranayam, a simple breathing exercise and yoga have been proved very beneficial in combating all forms of stress. Pranayam helps to promote controlled breathing and brings about balance in the body.

(The author is a renowned nutritionist and MD and co-chairperson, Health -Total)