In The News: Blood Pressure Just Says "No" To Drugs

The New York Times is reporting that "high blood pressure is becoming increasingly resistant to drugs that lower it."

Which begs the question -- why pop pills when you can just... eat?

Blood pressure is one of those conditions that I don't think is taken as seriously as it should be.

Everyone runs around with their cardiac health in mind, forgetting that high blood pressure is just as serious.

After all, "starting at a blood pressure of 115/80, research shows that the risk of a heart attack or stroke doubles with every 20-point increase of systolic pressure, the top number, or 10-point increase of diastolic pressure, the bottom number."

As someone who is aware of the therapeutic power of nutrition, it is very frustrating to see people spend so much money on these medications (not to mention put such a strain on some organs) when they could begin to tackle the problem with dietary management.

Consider this eye-popping example:

"Pat J. Dixon, 58, a nurse in Atlanta, takes five medications to lower her blood pressure. In many ways, Ms. Dixon is typical of a patient who develops resistant hypertension. At 5 feet and 172 pounds, she is obese, and her weight gain has caused mild Type 2 diabetes, for which she takes yet another drug. The diabetes is an extra strain on the kidneys, in turn worsening her blood pressure."

From a nutrition perspective, several nutrients are valuable tools in normalizing blood pressure.

First, sodium consumption should be kept to no more than 2,300 milligrams a day.

The best way to prevent excessive sodium intakes is to cut back on frozen, pickled, smoked, and canned foods.

In the case of canned beans, for example, opt for low-sodium varieties or rinse standard varieties for 10 to 15 seconds to remove excess sodium.

Potassium and magnesium are two minerals that are also crucial for blood pressure regulation.

Interestingly enough, the more processed a food, the higher the sodium content and the lower the potassium.

Consider these two examples:

A 3-ounce broiled porkchop contains 46 milligrams of sodium, whereas 3 ounces of ham pack in 1,117.

A medium baked potato contains a meager 8 milligrams of sodium, whereas a side of mashed potatoes at Kentucky Fried Chicken adds up to 360 milligrams!

Hence, the less processed the diet, the lower in sodium and higher in potassium.

Magnesium, meanwhile, is found in nuts, seeds, whole grains, and some varieties of fish.

Research has also shown a definitive link between calcium and blood pressure regulation -- yet another reason to make sure you are getting enough of the "bone mineral."

Food can have such an impact on blood pressure regulation that there is an actual eating plan specifically formulated for it: DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)

In The News: A Diabetes Dilemma?

Oh boy.

The New York Times is reporting on a diabetes study that has been abruptly halted due to a much-higher than expected participant death rate among those most carefully controlling their blood sugar levels.

The "major federal study... found that lowering blood sugar actually increased... risk of death," the article explains.

"The findings inject an element of uncertainty into what has been dogma -- that the lower the blood sugar the better and that lowering blood sugar levels to normal saves lives," it continues.

This is a perfect example of a study finding being misconstrued.

Let's consider a few facts.

The average participant was 62 years old, had been living with diabetes for approximately 10 years, and also had other conditions, like high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Patients were randomly assigned one of three treatments -- controlling blood sugar, controlling cholesterol, and controlling blood pressure.

The group strictly controlling only blood sugar had a higher death rate. The cause behind most of them? Heart disease.

It annoys me that this could be erroneously interpreted, wrongly accusing blood sugar monitoring of increasing one's risk of dying of heart disease.

It is clear that when it comes to diabetes, blood glucose levels must be carefully monitored and tracked.

It is by no means unsafe; in fact, consistent, strict monitoring is encouraged.

I spoke with New York University clinical nutrition assistant professor Lisa Sasson about this study.

She agrees that the study might be misconstrued and people living with diabetes might wrongly start questioning the importance of controlling their blood sugar.

In reality, they should be considering the bigger picture of the study and its subjects.

"If these people were strictly controlling only their blood sugar, it is very likely that to compensate for certain foods they were restricting, they were consuming calories from salty or fatty foods that exacerbated the other conditions," she says.

Sasson thinks the issue isn't that controlling blood sugar leads to death, but rather that concentrating on only one of many health conditions is too narrow of a focus.

Sasson expressed some frustration with the state of research. "I wish that the bulk of research would focus more on prevention. With a lot of these conditions -- diabetes, cancer, heart disease -- the key is prevention. Once you have them, it's a real problem."

All-Star of the Day: Sweet Potatoes

The potato’s more exotic counterpart has taken a backseat for a while, but after knowing its secrets, I’m sure you’ll agree it deserves the spotlight.

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, two antioxidants that help prevent cells from damage that often leads to cancers and other mutations. Vitamin C also has anti-inflammatory properties, making it particularly helpful in decreasing risks of arthritis and cardiovascular disease.

Vitamin A is particularly helpful in maintaining our respiratory system in order. The latest research indicates that the cells lining the lungs of people with low intakes of vitamin A lose the ability to battle disease-causing microorganisms.

Smokers – pay special attention! A chemical in cigarettes known as benzapyrene has been linked to vitamin A deficiency, thus leaving lungs and bronchii especially vulnerable. Although everyone needs vitamin A, smokers in particular need to monitor their intake.

A medium sweet potato only packs 100 calories, but provides 438% of our vitamin A and 37% of our vitamin A needs and, when eaten with its skin, 5 grams of fiber (15% of the recommended daily amount). And, by contributing 18% of the daily potassium we need and practically no sodium, it is definitely a vegetable to have in your “anti-hypertension” arsenal.

To clarify some confusion, the terms “yam” and “sweet potato” are (incorrectly) interchanged. Many grocery stores refer to sweet potatoes as yams. A real yam looks has a rough exterior and, insider, is white and very starchy.

Baked sweet potatoes with a little olive oil and salt (or cinnamon if you want to bring out its sweetness) are quick, delicious snacks.

For a sinless treat, cut a sweet potato into thin wedges, drizzle with olive oil, flavor with salt and pepper, toss on a cookie sheet and heat in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.

Prepare to taste just how sweet healthy eating can get!