Dave's Old Fashioned Canned Meats

Eating to Beat a Silent Killer

  
High Blood Pressure, or hypertension, can lead to stroke, heart and kidney disease. It's considered a leading cause of premature death, yet nearly a third of people who have it don't know it! Eating right is one way to keep high blood pressure in check.
  
A recent study by the National Institutes of Health found that low fat diets, rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, protein, and fiber, can help lower blood pressure. And keeping a keen eye on sodium makes the benefit even greater!

Most Americans don't seem to get enough beneficial minerals and fiber. What does this mean in terms of your diet? Lots of fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy foods, along with servings of nuts and legumes. The following diet focuses on what you can eat everyday!

*Servings based on a 2000 calorie diet. Depending on your needs, your daily servings may vary.
  
Food Group Daily Servings 1 Serving Equals
Milk and Dairy 2-3 8 oz. low-fat milk
1 cup low-fat yogurt
1 1/2 oz low-fat cheese
Fruits 4-5 1 medium fruit
1/4 cup dried fruit
1/2 cup frozen or canned fruit
6 oz fruit juice
Vegetables 4-5 1 cup raw leafy vegetables
1/2 cup cooked vegetables
6 oz vegetable juice
Grain 7-8 1 slice bread
1/2 cup dry or hot cereal
1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta
Meat, Fish, Poultry 2 or less 3 oz cooked meat, poultry or fish
Nuts, Seeds, Dried Beans 4-5 servings per week 1/3 cup nuts
2 tbsp seeds
1/2 cup cooked dried beans
  

Eating Tips:

  • Add an extra serving of fruit and vegetable at each meal.
  • Eat fresh or dried fruits or cut up veggies as snacks.
  • Try low fat or nonfat condiments, like nonfat salad dressings (watch sodium content).
  • For potassium and calcium, have a glass of 1% or skim milk with meals or yogurt for dessert.
  • Choose whole grain foods, like 100% whole wheat bread and hot oatmeal.
  • Use meat as smaller part of a balanced meal, not as the biggest portion on the plate.

Reducing Salt and Sodium:
Many studies have shown that blood pressure could be reduced through diet, even without cutting down on sodium. But when sodium was also reduced, the benefits were even greater.

Avoiding the salt shaker may not cut out as much sodium as you think. The amount sprinkled on food is only a fraction of the day's intake!

Sodium is found mostly in processed foods such as canned soups, canned vegetables, frozen dinners, dry packaged mixes and snack foods.

Read labels to find where your sodium is coming from! The Daily Value, or target, for sodium is 2,400 mg per day. Your doctor or dietitian may recommend more or less based on your individual needs.

Ways to reduce sodium:

  • Limit smoked, cured, or processed meats.
  • Look for lower sodium canned soups and frozen dinners.
  • Rinse canned beans, vegetables and tuna to remove some of the sodium.
  • Season with herbs instead of soy sauce or seasoning salts.
  • Choose unsalted pretzels and nuts.
  • Use frozen vegetables (without sauces) instead of canned vegetables.