High blood pressure / hypertension

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a long-term condition in which the pressure of blood against the artery walls stays too high; according to the World Health Organization, many millions of people worldwide are affected, and research in Bangladesh has likewise found that a large share of adults are hypertensive. The worrying part is that, because it often has no symptoms and awareness is low, around 50% of people do not know they have high blood pressure. It works as a "silent killer".

High blood pressure can occur at any age, though it is more common in middle-aged and older people. Processed and heavily salted food, lack of physical activity, weight gain, excessive mental stress, smoking and irregular lifestyles are now driving an alarming rise among younger people too.

One food list is not right for everyone

No two hypertensive patients present the same way, so one lifestyle or food list does not work for everyone. There is a definite difference between an ordinary diet and the diet of a patient with high blood pressure.

Many patients, for example, have sodium (salt) sensitivity or insulin resistance; crash dieting without understanding that can make the problem more complicated. Cutting salt or losing weight is not the only route to controlling blood pressure. What, then, about those whose weight is entirely normal?

The wrong diet, or a sudden severe restriction of food, can cause nutritional deficiency, weakness and rapid swings in blood pressure. So the right plan has to be built from the patient’s blood reports, symptoms and lifestyle.

Left uncontrolled, high blood pressure can cause stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and damage to eyesight. But hypertension does not mean life stops; with the right management, the right eating habits and any necessary treatment, blood pressure can be brought fully under control.

Weight and blood pressure

Many people with high blood pressure also carry excess weight. Research has found that, among those with high blood pressure who are overweight, each 1 kg of weight lost can lower systolic blood pressure by around 1 mmHg on average. So if someone weighs 80 kg and manages to lose 10 kg, their systolic blood pressure may fall by around 10 mmHg on average. Diastolic pressure usually falls somewhat as well, though the amount varies from person to person.

By reviewing your blood reports, your blood pressure readings and your daily life, a skilled nutritionist can give you a safe and science-based nutrition plan: the DASH diet, for example.