High Blood Pressure

Nutritional approach

Hypertension increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and kidney damage. It is often difficult to determine the exact cause. While making dietary changes may not eliminate the need for medication, it can improve treatment efficacy and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Adopt the DASH diet

The Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension (DASH) diet is a healthy-eating plan to lower blood pressure. The DASH diet highlights fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, poultry, fish, legumes, and nuts. It also limits saturated and trans fats, red meat, sugar, and salt.

Reduce your salt intake

A high-sodium diet increases blood pressure. If you have hypertension, you should reduce your salt consumption. Hypertension Canada recommends limiting your sodium intake to 2000 mg (5 g of salt) per day.

Try these heart-healthy foods to reduce the sodium in your diet:

Tips for reducing sodium (salt) in your diet:

• Choose fresh or frozen vegetables.
• Eat cheese in moderation.
• Choose fresh fish, meat, and poultry instead of salted, smoked, or canned versions.
• Choose low-sodium breakfast cereals.
• Limit your consumption of condiments and cured or brined foods, such as ham, bacon, sauerkraut, and pickles. Choose low-sodium products (e.g., low-sodium ketchup, mustard, and soy sauce).
• Cook rice, pasta, and other grain products without salt. Avoid packaged, seasoned side dish mixes.
• Reduce your consumption of salty snacks like chips, crackers, popcorn, and nuts.
• Rinse canned foods to remove some of the sodium.
• Limit your consumption of canned and boxed soups, as well as beef, chicken, and vegetable concentrates.
• Instead of salt, use spices, herbs, salt-free seasonings, and vinegar or lemon juice to flavour your food.
• Limit restaurant and convenience meals (e.g., pizza, Chinese takeout, fast food).
• Choose spring or carbonated water containing less than 20 mg of sodium/litre.
• Don't keep a salt shaker at the table.
• Read the nutrition facts table on food packaging. Compare similar foods and choose the one with the lowest amount of sodium. Products with 5% daily value (DV) or less of sodium per serving are considered adequate; those with 15% DV or more are considered high.
• Use salt substitutes only if recommended by your health care provider. They can contain a lot of potassium and may be contraindicated in some cases.
• Make dietary changes gradually.

Increase your potassium intake

Consuming potassium can help lower blood pressure in people with hypertension. It can be found in fresh foods like the following:

Be careful! Potassium can interact with certain medications and build up to harmful levels in your body under certain conditions. If you're taking medication to control your blood pressure, ask your pharmacist if it interacts with potassium. If you suffer from kidney failure, make sure to speak to your health care provider, as you may need to limit your potassium intake.

Watch your weight

Even a little excess weight can cause or increase high blood pressure. If you want to lose weight, consult a dietician. Losing 5% to 10% of your starting weight can be sufficient to reduce your risk of developing hypertension. Once you've reached a healthy weight, maintain it with a healthy, balanced diet.

Limit your alcohol consumption

Regular alcohol consumption is strongly associated with hypertension. Consume alcohol in moderation.

Always watch your diet: