HOW TO LIVE WITH HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE: BE CALORIE-CONSCIOUS

This is not an article on how to lose weight, and so it will give you only a few basic hints on sensible eating and weight control as they relate to the problem of hypertension. The most important factor in a weight control program is a quantitative and qualitative change in your diet. What does that mean? First of all, that you give your body fewer calories than it uses up. You must decrease the calories in your diet while retaining its nutritional value.

Before you can do this you must find out the caloric value of the foods you eat and their vitamin and mineral content. I tell my overweight patients to write down everything they eat every day, and then translate the daily total into calories. By everything I mean exactly that: all the snacks and soft drinks, as well as the regular meals.

My reason for asking them to do so are (1) they learn about the caloric and nutritional value of the foods they eat, and (2) by adding up their total daily calories they find to their astonishment that they eat more than their body can use up.

A normal balanced diet should be composed of 12-15% proteins, 30-35% fats, 50-60% carbohydrates. In a weight-reducing diet you can cut down on both the fats and the carbohydrates, but try to keep the protein content high and get your carbohydrates mainly from whole-grain breads and cereals, unpolished rice, vegetables, potatoes, and fresh fruit.

In eating refined sugar you are eating "empty" calories, that is, calories that do not supply the body with essential nutrients. Substitute artificial sweeteners that contain neither calories nor carbohydrates for refined sugar.

Watch out for hidden fats in your diet: 3Vi oz. of bologna contains 1.8 oz. fat, 1lA oz. whipped cream 1 oz., and 316 oz. of herring filets .8 oz, Use polyunsaturated fats (e.g., safflower, sunflower, soya bean oil, margarine) instead of butter.

We know from experience that people can lose weight more easily if they eat more often, that is to say, if they spread out their total daily calories over five or six smaller meals instead of the traditional three. In rearranging your meal schedule make these in-between meals high in proteins and low in carbohydrates.

To spare you the trouble of constant calorie-counting, I suggest that you set yourself a goal of the weight you want to lose in a week. Then try to figure out by how many calories you must reduce your diet to reach the goal without feeling too weak. Then work out your own reducing plan and stick to it until you have come down to your normal, or your ideal weight.

Here are some suggestions that will help you acquire better eating habits: set definite meal times and don't eat in-between; eat slowly; don't watch TV or read while eating; serve smaller portions on smaller plates; interrupt your meal with telephone conversations, etc.; throw away all leftovers when finished eating; don't leave any food and/or drinks standing around within easy reach.

Changing old habits is difficult; don't get discouraged. Once you have become calorie-conscious you will be able to stop counting the calories of every bite you eat. Also, don't be discouraged if at first you don't lose as much weight as you expect even though you follow your diet. The reason you may not is the change in your metabolism and water and hormonal balance. Be patient, you are sure to lose weight, and with it bring down your blood pressure.

Then, proud and pleased with yourself about having come down to your normal or ideal weight, stick to your new, sensible diet (see p. 104). Make sure that you continue to eat balanced meals and that you get enough minerals and vitamins. And remember: with every pound you gain back you increase the risk that your blood pressure will go up again.

If you should relapse and your scale tells you that you have regained some of the weight you had lost, then one day a week eat only raw foods: dry whole grain cereals, salads without oily dressings, fresh fruit.

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Cardio & Blood/ Cholesterol