Showing posts with label regular checkup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label regular checkup. Show all posts

10 Foods Which Can Control Blood Pressure


High blood pressure or hypertension is a condition when the blood exerts high pressure against the artery walls. High blood pressure is a silent killer condition which can lead to other major health complications like kidney ailments, heart diseases, strokes, etc. According to the Indian Health Association, the normal blood pressure range is between 120/180, the range between 120/180 – 140/90 is termed as ‘prehypertension’ while the range higher than 140/90 requires instant treatment.

With regular checkup, you can control or maintain the blood pressure levels. Regular exercises and de-stress activities really work well to maintain normal blood pressure levels. However, even if you are not able to devote enough time to routine exercise, some simple dietary changes can still control the blood pressure levels. Here are 10 wonder foods for high blood pressure which can be included in one’s daily diet.

The Perfect Hypertension Diet Ingredients


 

1. Leafy Greens– 

Green leafy veggies like spinach, beet greens, Swiss chard, arugula, romaine lettuce, kale, turnip greens, collard greens, etc. are rich in potassium which works well to get rid of the extra sodium from the body through urine. An interesting way to include leafy greens in the daily diet is preparing veggies with nut milk or bananas.

2. Red Beets–

Beets are rich in nitric oxide; the nitrate in beetroot juice lowers the blood pressure in just 24hours. You can prepare a tempting beetroot juice, beetroot smoothies, or baked beetroot chips.

3. Oatmeal–

You can plan a quality hypertension diet with a bowl full of oatmeal. High in fiber, low in sodium and fat, consuming oatmeal in breakfast is an excellent way to keep control blood pressure levels and stay fueled for the rest of the day.  

4. Bananas–

are a rich source of potassium. Adding one banana into your everyday diet is a simple way to keep blood pressure under control. 

5. Celery–

contains phytochemicals, which are also known as phthalides which relaxes the muscle cells in the artery walls. According to research, daily consumption of celery stalks could keep blood pressure under check. 

6. Avocados–

are one of the excellent foods that lower the blood pressure quickly. It is rich in oleic acid which controls the blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In addition to this, avocados contain vitamins A, B, K,and E and are highly loaded with fiber. 

7. Watermelon–

The amino acid, L-citrulline is great to balance blood pressure. Also, watermelon supplies body with fiber, vitamin A, lycopene, and potassium. Hence, you should add this delectable fruit to your high blood pressure diet. 


8. Sunflower Seeds–

A handful of sunflower seeds fulfills the requirement of vitamin E, protein, folic acid, fiber, and magnesium. One can eat unsalted sunflower seeds as a snack to facilitate heart health. 

9. Carrots–

are rich in beta-carotene and potassium. One glass carrot juice every morning helps to regulateblood pressure, kidney, and heart functions. 

10. Olive Oil–

It is a healthy fat which contains polyphenols. These are inflammation-fighting compounds which reduces blood pressure to a great extent.

Eating the right healthy foods helps to control blood pressure; however, one should still regularly monitor the blood pressure. Blood pressure is just one aspect to understand your heart health; however, to understand the complete health status a full body checkup is important.

In a nutshell, high blood pressure can be prevented, by avoiding foods that raise blood pressure and staying active.

This World Health Day Debunk the Depression Myths

We are celebrating the World HealthDay campaign 2017 with the theme of depression.
Depression is a common yet serious mental condition which negatively impacts how you feel, how you think and how you act. Due to depression, a variety of emotional and physical symptoms can be seen. It also results in the decrease of the ability to function at work and at home.  

depression-myths-facts

There are different types of symptoms seen in depression. Depression symptoms can be broadly classified into Physical & Psychological as follows:

physical-symptoms

Physical Symptoms:

Problems related to Sleep
Fatigue
Appetite disorders
Weight issues (weight loss/weight gain)
Difficulty in concentration/decision making



psychological-symptoms


   
      Psychological Symptoms:

        Irritability
        Anxiousness
        Restlessness
        Loss of interest
        Suicide thoughts









There is too much confusing about this condition. There are many depression myths; we will debunk them by getting to know the real facts.

Myth: Sadness means depression:
Fact: Just being sad, does not mean that you have depression. Depression is associated with other symptoms apart from being sad.

Myth: Depression affects only the mind.
Fact: Depression affects physically, psychologically and socially and not just mentally.

Myth: Depression is caused by traumatic life events.
Fact: There is a possibility that traumatic life events like divorce, losing someone close, death can prove to one of the causes for depression. However, if symptoms like persistent and frequently reoccurring sadness, loneliness or emptiness for longer than 2 weeks may out you at a direct risk of depression.

Myth: Men are mentally strong and cannot be depressed.
Fact: It is a known fact that women are emotionally weak, but that does not mean that men cannot suffer from depression. Men are often less expressive as compared to women, which usually makes depression in men difficult to notice. Also with the fear of being judged as weak and unstable, men often hide their feelings consequently, complicating the condition further with substance abuse or even worse suicidal attempts.

Myth: Talking about depression results in worsening it.
Fact: The more people discuss on their depression and express how they feel they seek the more pro-actively they are able to get the support from friends or their family.
                                                                                                           
Myth: You need to take the depression medication lifelong.
Fact: Depression treatment may or may not require medications as there are other therapy options also available. Also the depression medication is customized. Depending on the severity of symptoms and other factors related to the conditions, the medications can be given short-term or long-term.

Now that we have seen a few myths about depression and their facts; let’s discuss on depression prevention too. Depression is a curable condition. However, some forms/types of depression cannot be prevented depending on the stages or severity of its condition.

Depression can be prevented by:
·         A healthy diet: Diet rich in omega-3s fatty acids, vitamin B12, etc.
·         Regular exercise: can help to lift your mood.
·         Taking time out for fun and relaxation: Divert you from the negative ideas

Recent research confirms that depression can be prevented with simple and healthy lifestyle changes for your body and mind.

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