Q: Do you know of any natural ways to lower blood pressure and keep it down besides lowering sodium intake? My blood pressure is in the high-normal range, so I would like to try other options. Also, do mineral salt crystals used as underarm deodorant leach into the body and increase the sodium intake?
– Sharon, Centennial
A: According to the National Institutes of Health, about 29 percent of adults (58 million Americans) have high blood pressure (any reading over 120/80). “Controlling blood pressure lowers the risk of stroke by 35 to 40 percent and the risk of heart attack by 20 to 25 percent,” says Aram Chobanian, a hypertension expert and acting president of Boston University. He also points out that lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of congestive heart failure, kidney disease and dementia.
Fortunately, lifestyle changes can dramatically improve blood pressure. The National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure recommends the following:
1. Lose excess weight. Your systolic pressure drops about 1 point for every 2 pounds shed.
2. Follow a Dash diet. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension means eating a lower-fat diet rich in vegetables, fruits and low-fat dairy foods. This can lower your pressure 8-14 points.
3. Exercise daily. Thirty minutes a day of brisk aerobic activity can lower systolic pressure 4-9 points.
4. Limit sodium. When you eat no more than 2,400mg a day (with a goal of only 1,500mg a day) systolic pressure can drop 2-8 points.
5. Limit alcohol. If you drink, have no more than two drinks a day for men; one for women. (1 drink equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces 80-proof whiskey.) This can lower systolic pressure 2-4 points.
Your concern about salt is well-served. Americans love to eat out in restaurants and buy highly processed “prefab” meals from grocery stores (frozen and canned). Broiled meats and seafood are better choices along with fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains, rather than foods that are fried or in lots of sauces.
Taking supplements like calcium/magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, coenzyme Q10 and essential fatty acids also can be beneficial, but should not be a substitute for proper supervision from a medical professional. It is never advisable to self-treat hypertension, so other than the lifestyle changes listed above, do maintain medical oversight.
You can pick up a copy of “The Dash Diet for Hypertension: Lower Your Blood Pressure in 14 Days – Without Drugs,” by Thomas Moore, M.D. et al. (Pocket Books, 2001, $25.00) at bookstores, the library or at amazon.com.
As for salt-crystal deodorant, the skin is our protection against the elements, so the amount absorbed is minute. Food sources are a far more critical source of excess sodium.
Linda Buch, ACE certified exercise specialist, will respond to fitness questions only in her weekly column. Send questions to Body Language, The Denver Post, 1560 Broadway, Denver 80202 or e-mail her at LJBalance@aol.com.
