DECEMBER 4 — Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a most common chronic health disorder amongst Malaysians. Some healthcare professionals argue that blood pressure goes up as part of the ageing process, whereas many believe that it’s linked more closely to lifestyle and dietary habits. Conventional treatment focuses on controlling blood pressure, where complementary therapies seek to reverse hypertension by natural means over time.

Health Dangers

Risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney damage is significantly increased when blood pressure is highly elevated.  Some of the longest living individuals have blood pressure of around 115/75 in their 60s. Health problems may appear when blood pressure is above 130/90. Hypertension is widely recognised as a silent killer since this disorder takes years to develop and it can eventually trigger a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke.

Adequate rest

Chronic sleep deprivation is a risk factor for hypertension, besides promoting diabetes, weight gain, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Less than five-hours sleep has been linked to 73 per cent increased risk of obesity, which condition can itself lead to hypertension. A four-hour sleep per night raises the hormone GHrelin, which increases appetite for food. It also lowers the hormone leptin, which helps us to suppress our appetite. Insomnia increases your stress hormone cortisol while raising inflammatory markers such IL-6 and C - reactive protein.  Chronic inflammation has been linked to most modern-day chronic health disorders including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune disease, obesity, and most types of cancer.  Foods that promote sleep would include those rich in the amino acid L-tryptophan such as from soy isolate, egg white, fresh corn, peanut, pecan nut,  almond, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, seaweeds, wheat bran, wheat germ,  wild rice, and cheeses.

Lower sodium intake

The major food sources for sodium include table salt (in any form), MSG, soy sauce, canned or preserved foods, packaged food, and processed meat/vegetable products. Only a very small amount of sodium may be needed daily for non-physically active individuals. If excess sodium is a major cause of your hypertension, then foods rich in the mineral potassium may lower it and these include tapioca leaf, Sengkuang, tomato, potato skin, white mushroom, beans, dark green vegetables, dried apricot, prune, raisin, avocado, and banana.

Sugary foods

The list includes soft drinks, packaged fruit juices, alcoholic beverages, and food items made from refined flour such as white bread, buns, pastry, biscuits, breakfast cereals, roti, and noodles. They promote rapid insulin response leading to weight gain. Consuming more complex carbohydrates such as those from vegetables, seeds, nuts, and unrefined whole grains can lead to better weight management.

Deep-fried foods

Except for virgin coconut oil and perhaps palm oil, vegetable-based cooking oils (corn, sunflower, soy, safflower, olive) tend to easily oxidize (degenerate) and may form dangerous trans fats when fried at high temperatures. 

Lifestyles & dietary habits recommended