Every day, it
seems, some new factor is said to affect blood pressure—from
fish oils to protein. Some factors do have an effect; others do
not. Test your knowledge of some of the latest claims:
Question: Is high blood pressure a disease of old age?
Answer: No. High blood pressure need never occur—at
any age. High blood pressure also need not worsen with age.
Making changes in what you eat and regular physical activity
are sometimes enough to keep it under control.
Question: Does smoking tobacco products cause high
blood pressure?
Answer: No. BUT, it does increase the risk of heart
and blood vessel diseases. It injures blood vessel walls and
speeds up the process of hardening of the arteries. This
applies even to filtered cigarettes. So even though it does
not directly affect blood pressure, smoking is bad for anyone,
especially those with high blood pressure. If you smoke, quit.
If you don’t smoke, don’t start. Once you quit, your
risk of having a heart attack drops by about half within the
first year. Eventually it will equal that of a nonsmoker. So
you have a lot to gain by quitting.
Question: Can tranquilizers, sedatives, and relaxation
techniques lower blood pressure?
Answer: Tranquilizers, sedatives, and relaxation
techniques, such as reading, hobbies, long walks, vacations,
biofeedback, and transcendental meditation (or "TM")
are sometimes promoted as ways to lower blood pressure. But
don’t be misled. They may make you feel better, but they
will not keep your blood pressure down.
Question: Who gets high blood pressure most? Is it more
common among some racial and ethnic groups?
Answer: High blood pressure occurs more often among
African Americans than any other racial or ethnic group. See
page 30 for more information.
Question: Will drinking a lot of coffee send your blood
pressure up?
Answer: In the beginning yes, but the caffeine in
coffee as well as other drinks like tea and sodas only raises
blood pressure temporarily. The body becomes adjusted to
caffeine. So you should be able to continue to have drinks
that contain caffeine, unless you are sensitive to it or have
heart disease and your doctor tells you not to have any.
Question: Do vitamin and mineral supplements help lower
blood pressure?
Answer: These supplements are still being studied.
But here’s what’s known so far: Supplements do not
appear to be needed, unless you take a medicine that causes an
imbalance in some nutrients. Other than that, most people
should get all the nutrients they need from what they eat.
Here’s a nutrient roundup:
·Potassium - Getting too little potassium in
the diet may make blood pressure rise. Eating foods rich in
potassium appears to keep people from developing high blood
pressure.
Most people get enough potassium in their foods. Some good
sources, shown in the box on the opposite page, are various
fruits, vegetables, dairy foods, and fish.
·Calcium - Some populations with low intakes
of calcium have more high blood pressure. Scientists aren’t
sure if the high rates result from a lack of calcium or some
as-yet-unknown factor.
You should try to get 800-1,200 milligrams of calcium each
day. Good sources are diary foods such as milk, yogurt, and
cheese. Be sure to choose skim or low fat varieties. Low fat
and nonfat diary products have more calcium than the high fat
versions.
·Magnesium - A diet low in magnesium may make
blood pressure rise, but again scientists don’t know
whether the increase is from the lack of magnesium or some
unknown factor. The amount of magnesium consumed through a
healthy diet should be plenty. Magnesium is found in whole
grains, green leafy vegetables, nuts, and dry peas and beans.
·Fish oils - A type of fat called "omega-3
fatty acids" is found in fatty fish, such as mackerel and
salmon. Large amounts of fish oils may help reduce high blood
pressure. But taking fish oil pills is not recommended because
high doses can cause unpleasant side effects. The pills are
also high in calories. Of course, most fish are low in fat and
calories and can be eaten often.
·Protein - The amount of protein in the diet
appears to have little, if any, effect on blood pressure.
·Garlic or onions - Garlic and onions have not
been found to affect blood pressure. But they can be very
useful as a way to flavor foods without salt.
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The important thing is that you pay attention to how you feel. And, if
you have a side effect, don’t stop taking your medication—that
can cause trouble. Tell your doctor about the problem as soon as
possible. Sometimes, a change in dosage will stop the difficulty. Or,
a different drug may be found that will not produce side effects for
you.