Heart HealthReduce Heart Disease Risk with “Meatless Mondays”
The Meatless Monday program is associated with the John Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health. This program advocates that you can make a positive impact on your health by decreasing your meat intake once a week.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans in 2010 even included a section on vegetarian diets, indicating that vegetarian style eating patterns are associated with lower levels of obesity, decreased cardiovascular disease risk, lower blood pressure and reduced total mortality. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines focus on a diet rich in legumes, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts/seeds, with moderate amounts of lean meats, eggs, and dairy.
Notice that this focus is similar to recommendations of the DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) to lower blood pressure. Those who follow a vegetarian diet tend to have healthier weights and lower intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol.
Are Plant Based Meals Nutritionally Adequate?
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Heart HealthIs Your Calcium Supplement Increasing Your Heart Attack Risk?
Milk is good for the bones – right? Because milk is a good source of calcium and calcium promotes bone strength. Which means you may think a calcium supplement is an even better way to protect your bones – right?
A new report in the journal Heart, has determined calcium supplements are putting people at greater risk for heart attacks.
Researchers followed 23,980 individuals ranging in age from 35 to 64 years-old over an 11 year period. They saw an 86% increased risk of heart attack for those regularly supplementing calcium. Participants supplementing calcium only were twice as likely to have a heart attack compared to those not taking any vitamin supplements.
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Lower Blood PressureHow to Use Calcium to Lower Blood Pressure
The link between calcium and blood pressure was noticed years ago when researchers realized people drinking hard water had less high blood pressure than those drinking soft water. Hard water contains more minerals, including calcium.
Individuals receiving more than 800 mg of calcium daily have a 23 percent decreased risk of high blood pressure versus those consuming less than 400 mg of calcium per day.
Back in 1996, scientists compiled all the research to date on calcium and high blood pressure. The results showed calcium supplements given to individuals with high blood pressure lowered systolic blood pressure (top number) an average of 4.3 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) 1.5 mm Hg.
Some people respond better to supplemental calcium than others. Those with the best results include African-Americans, elderly, pregnant women, menopausal women, people with salt-sensitivity, individuals with a high sodium intake, and those with Type II diabetes.
For the best results, don’t rely on a supplement alone. Work to increase your intake of calcium containing foods – dairy. To promote heart health, select low fat dairy products, such as low fat milk, cheeses, and yogurts.
Additional calcium sources:
Leafy greens (i.e. kale, collard, turnip, mustard greens)
Broccoli
Sardines
Canned Salmon
Calcium fortified Orange Juice
Tofu (if made with calcium carbonate)
For even better results, supplement calcium along with vitamin D. One study supplemented women 1200 mg of calcium to reduce blood pressure. When they added 800 IU of vitamin D, systolic blood pressure decreased an average of 9.3 percent.
Don’t forget three other minerals affect how effective calcium – potassium, magnesium, and sodium. For calcium to have the greatest positive effect on blood pressure, your levels of these three nutrients need to be adequate as well.
For additional steps to lower blood pressure, check out the free course 7 Naturals Ways to Lower Blood Pressure.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Image courtesy of alex_ugalek at freedigitalphotos.net
Heart HealthHow to Lower Diastolic Blood Pressure
I’m frequently asked how to lower diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure, so I wanted to give you some good tips to see results.
First of all, you need to have a solid foundation in place that supports a low blood pressure. If you’re not sure what this entails visit Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure.
It’s important that your potassium, calcium, and magnesium intakes are adequate. Studies show that potassium can reduce diastolic blood pressure 2.5 mmHg, calcium 1.5 mmHg, and magnesium 3.4 mmHg.
Don’t forget omega 3 fatty acids. Studies show that consuming fish for one meal everyday decreases diastolic blood pressure 3.0 mmHg. Fish oil supplements are also and option.
With any supplement or nutrient – don’t go overboard! More is not necessarily better.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
https://lisanelsonrd.com
Lower Blood Pressure9 Steps to Lower High Blood Pressure – Is your hypertension uncontrolled?
Today is World Heart Day, so I want to give nine steps that will lead to high blood pressure control and ultimately heart health!
If you live with high blood pressure, you’re familiar with the side effects of anti-hypertensive medications. Fortunately, lifestyle plays a powerful role in blood pressure control too. These nine habits work alongside whatever your doctor has prescribed, not in place of it.
Here are 9 steps that will start you towards blood pressure control.
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