TIPS FOR HEART HEALTH & MANAGING YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE
Have your blood pressure checked on schedule
- Stay physically active
- Do moderate-intensity exercises for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week
- Develop a simple walking plan
- Use stairs instead of elevators
- Park your car so you have to do some walking
- Enjoy everyday exercises, such as gardening, dancing & housework
- Avoid all tobacco smoke
- If you smoke, quit
- If you don’t smoke, don’t start
- Stay clear of second hand smoke
- Take high blood pressure medications as directed
- Reduce salt in food
- Watch out for both table salt & sodium
- Have less than 2,400 milligrams of all sodium a day
- Include kosher salt & sea salt when adding up your sodium intake
- Choose fresh or plain frozen vegetables
- Eat fresh poultry, fish & lean meat
- Flavor foods with herbs & spices
- Keep the salt shaker off the table
- Cook rice, pasta & hot cereals without salt
- Cut back on instant or flavored rice, pasta & cereal mixes
- Avoid frozen dinners high in salt
- Limit processed foods like canned and instant soups
- Cut back on salty snacks
- Look for food labels that say low, light, reduced sodium, sodium free or unsalted
- Check with your doctor before using salt substitutes
- Limit baking soda, soy sauce, MSG & seasoned salts
- Check antacids for sodium content
- Use fewer store-bought sauces and mixes
- Rinse salt from canned foods
- Limit smoked, cured or processed beef, pork or poultry
- Aim for a daily intake of 7-8 servings of grains & grain products, 4-5 servings of vegetables, 4-5 servings of fruit, 2-3 servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy foods, 2 or less servings of meat, poultry & fish
- Have 4-5 servings of nuts, seeds & dry beans a week
- Have 2-3 servings of fats & oils daily
- Have 5 servings of sweets a week
- Add extra fruits, vegetables & grains to your diet gradually to avoid bloating & diarrhea
- Add a vegetable or fruit serving at meals
- If you have trouble digesting dairy products, try milk with added lactase enzyme
- Choose whole-grain foods
- Enjoy fruits for desserts
- Treat meat as one part of a meal, not the focus
- Have 2 or more meatless meals a week
- Lose excess weight
- Aim to lose no more than 2 lbs per week
- Add physical activities & reduce calorie intake for a steady weight loss
- Eat smaller portions
- Use smaller plates so portions look larger
- Eat slowly
- Have a glass of water before meals
- Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products
- Buy fruits canned in their own juices
- Limit foods with lots of added sugar, such as candy bars & fruit drinks
- Snack on fruits, vegetables, unbuttered & unsalted popcorn
- Use fat-free salad dressings
- Select low-fat or fat-free condiments
- Use food labels to compare fat content, calories & sodium in packaged foods
- Add fruit to plain yogurt
- Drink water & club soda
- Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk
- Buy fat-free or low-fat cheeses
- Eat fruits & vegetables without butter or sauces
- Choose lean cuts of meat, fish, skinless turkey & chicken
- When eating out avoid fried foods
- Ask for fat-free rather than whole milk
- Trim all the visible fat from poultry or meat
- Order dishes without butter, gravy & sauces
- Request salad dressing on the side
- Ask that less cooking oil be used
- If you drink alcoholic beverages have no more than 1 drink a day for women, 2 for men
- Keep stress in check
- Try meditation
- Learn about blood pressure
- Make time to relax
- Set goals to help lower your blood pressure and when you reach them reward yourself!
