Diet for High Blood Pressure

By Ms H 

Your diet has a great effect on your body functions example -heart and blood pressure. If you have a high blood pressure a “healthy blood pressure diet “  and life style are very essential. First of all you should keep an eye on your waistline. Carrying too much weight around your waist can put you at greater risk of high blood pressure. Regular physical activity — at least 30 minutes every day— can reduce your blood pressure by 4 to 9 millimetres of mercury (mm Hg).

The blood pressure friendly eating habits can reduce the number (this is your aim) too and further on may help to avoid medicine altogether.

Eating less salt: The healthy daily amount of salt is 6g/day. Salt makes your body retain water. If you eat too much, the extra water stored in your body raises your blood pressure. Most of the salt we eat is hidden in processed food like bread, cereals and biscuits. Don’t add salt when cooking use herbs for extra flavour. Instead of sodium salt use “lo salt”. Avoid processed foods like ketchup, mustard. Smoked fish example contains high level of salt. Always read the label!

Eat more fruits and vegetables – 7 portions /day- Fruit and vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals and fibre to keep your body in good condition. They also contain potassium, which helps to balance out the negative effects of salt. Try to eat fresh raw fruits and vegetables.

Alcohol is not good for high blood pressure. Keep to the recommended limits this will help to keep your blood pressure down. The current recommended limits are 21 units of alcohol a week for men, and 14 units a week for women.

Drink	Units of Alcohol
Single measure of spirits (25ml)	1 unit of alcohol
Pint of normal-strength beer	2 units of alcohol
Medium glass of wine (175ml)	2 units of alcohol
Large glass of wine (250ml)	3 units of alcohol
Pint of strong beer	4 units of alcohol

Avoid eating too much saturated fat, as this will raise your cholesterol. It is usually found in red meats, butter, palm oil or ghee. In contrast, polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats will help to lower your cholesterol level. They can be found in olive oil, rapeseed oil or sunflower oil. Avoid eating sugar and sugary food. 

Create A Healthy Christmas Menu

By Theresa Coligan 

If you're anything like me, you've already ordered your turkey and you're starting to pack the cupboards full of your usual Christmas goodies.

But STOP!  Wait a moment.

Remember, this is the time of year when you always pile on the pounds.  The time of year when you end up eating far more than you need to and then feeling guilty afterwards.

Every Christmas Day, I bet you leave the table feeling as stuffed as the turkey was a few hours before and then you're eating again before you know it.

Nuts, figs, chocolates, biscuits, mince pies, Christmas cake.  You name it, you're eating it because it's there and because you always do at Christmas.

Well, it doesn't have to be that way.  You can change the habits of a lifetime!

So here are 10 top tips for creating a healthy Christmas Menu:-

1.  Think twice before stocking up the cupboards with things you would never normally buy.

Do you really need that huge tin of Quality Street or Roses chocolates?

Are people really bothered whether you have Belgian biscuits in the house?

Do you really want such a big Christmas Cake? (We used to end up throwing ours away at Easter every year before we bought smaller ones!)

2. Resist the temptation of all the buy one, get one half price and BOGOF (buy one, get one free) deals around at the moment.

We all love a bargain and can easily get lured into this trap, especially as we tend to be in a generous spirit at this time of year.

The supermarkets know it and that's what they're relying on to get you spending more money with them.

3. Treat Christmas as two or three days, not a week or even two weeks.

Eat your normal healthy diet leading up to Christmas and after Boxing Day.

Then, get the relatives to take home all the unhealthy stuff, so there are fewer temptations around once Christmas is over.

4. On Christmas Day itself, if you want to have a cooked breakfast as a treat go for poached eggs on a wholemeal muffin with grilled tomatoes and mushrooms.  Scrummy!

5. At Christmas lunch, portion size is the killer.

Somehow we always feel we have to pile our plate high and/or have that second and third helping, no matter how full we are.

Eat slowly and stop when you are full.  That way you might be able to enjoy the rest of the day rather than feeling bloated or suffering from horrible indigestion!

6. However large the portion, ensure that 50% of your plate is made up of vegetables.

Minimise roasted vegetables such as potatoes and parsnips and increase the vegetables that have been steamed or boiled such as carrots, brussel sprouts and peas.

7. The traditional turkey is the best meat choice.  It's lower in fat and higher in protein than goose or duck - just ensure you avoid the skin.

8. Watch out for all the extra calories - stuffing, bread sauce, cranberry sauce - they all mount up.

Either just have one accompaniment or very small portions of each.

9. Similarly with the likes of Christmas pudding (my downfall!) and Christmas cake.

Don't deny yourself it, if you love it.  Just have a little taste to really savour and go easy on the cream and brandy butter!

10. Last but not least - alcohol.

The best thing to drink is champagne or dry cava so you can celebrate in style!

However, as always, remember it's everything in moderation.

Otherwise drink long drinks such as vodka or gin with low-calorie tonic and always alternate with large glasses of water.

So, 10 top tips for creating a healthy Christmas menu and you don't need to feel that you are missing out on a thing.

The great news is that the usual success strategies apply.  Christmas doesn't need to be any different.  Have plenty of healthy food in the house so you always have healthy options, watch your portion sizes and eat/drink more of the healthy options than the unhealthy ones!  Enjoy!

Theresa Coligan created [http://thinkingthin.co.uk/] to help people solve one of the biggest and most challenging issues in their lives - how to lose weight and keep it off. Thinking Thin focusses on the missing link in weight loss - mindset change. Change your mindset and you easily change your behaviour; change your behaviour and you easily lose weight.

If you want to lose weight easily and enjoyably, sign up for our FREE weekly newsletter at [http://thinkingthin.co.uk/register.php] and get our e-book 'Insider Secrets To Simple, Sustainable Weight Loss' absolutely FREE as well.

(C) Copyright - Theresa Coligan. All worldwide rights reserved.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Theresa_Coligan/640227

http://ezinearticles.com/?Create-A-Healthy-Christmas-Menu&id=5481870 

Create A Healthy Christmas Menu

By Theresa Coligan 

If you're anything like me, you've already ordered your turkey and you're starting to pack the cupboards full of your usual Christmas goodies.

But STOP!  Wait a moment.

Remember, this is the time of year when you always pile on the pounds.  The time of year when you end up eating far more than you need to and then feeling guilty afterwards.

Every Christmas Day, I bet you leave the table feeling as stuffed as the turkey was a few hours before and then you're eating again before you know it.

Nuts, figs, chocolates, biscuits, mince pies, Christmas cake.  You name it, you're eating it because it's there and because you always do at Christmas.

Well, it doesn't have to be that way.  You can change the habits of a lifetime!

So here are 10 top tips for creating a healthy Christmas Menu:-

1.  Think twice before stocking up the cupboards with things you would never normally buy.

Do you really need that huge tin of Quality Street or Roses chocolates?

Are people really bothered whether you have Belgian biscuits in the house?

Do you really want such a big Christmas Cake? (We used to end up throwing ours away at Easter every year before we bought smaller ones!)

2. Resist the temptation of all the buy one, get one half price and BOGOF (buy one, get one free) deals around at the moment.

We all love a bargain and can easily get lured into this trap, especially as we tend to be in a generous spirit at this time of year.

The supermarkets know it and that's what they're relying on to get you spending more money with them.

3. Treat Christmas as two or three days, not a week or even two weeks.

Eat your normal healthy diet leading up to Christmas and after Boxing Day.

Then, get the relatives to take home all the unhealthy stuff, so there are fewer temptations around once Christmas is over.

4. On Christmas Day itself, if you want to have a cooked breakfast as a treat go for poached eggs on a wholemeal muffin with grilled tomatoes and mushrooms.  Scrummy!

5. At Christmas lunch, portion size is the killer.

Somehow we always feel we have to pile our plate high and/or have that second and third helping, no matter how full we are.

Eat slowly and stop when you are full.  That way you might be able to enjoy the rest of the day rather than feeling bloated or suffering from horrible indigestion!

6. However large the portion, ensure that 50% of your plate is made up of vegetables.

Minimise roasted vegetables such as potatoes and parsnips and increase the vegetables that have been steamed or boiled such as carrots, brussel sprouts and peas.

7. The traditional turkey is the best meat choice.  It's lower in fat and higher in protein than goose or duck - just ensure you avoid the skin.

8. Watch out for all the extra calories - stuffing, bread sauce, cranberry sauce - they all mount up.

Either just have one accompaniment or very small portions of each.

9. Similarly with the likes of Christmas pudding (my downfall!) and Christmas cake.

Don't deny yourself it, if you love it.  Just have a little taste to really savour and go easy on the cream and brandy butter!

10. Last but not least - alcohol.

The best thing to drink is champagne or dry cava so you can celebrate in style!

However, as always, remember it's everything in moderation.

Otherwise drink long drinks such as vodka or gin with low-calorie tonic and always alternate with large glasses of water.

So, 10 top tips for creating a healthy Christmas menu and you don't need to feel that you are missing out on a thing.

The great news is that the usual success strategies apply.  Christmas doesn't need to be any different.  Have plenty of healthy food in the house so you always have healthy options, watch your portion sizes and eat/drink more of the healthy options than the unhealthy ones!  Enjoy!

Theresa Coligan created [http://thinkingthin.co.uk/] to help people solve one of the biggest and most challenging issues in their lives - how to lose weight and keep it off. Thinking Thin focusses on the missing link in weight loss - mindset change. Change your mindset and you easily change your behaviour; change your behaviour and you easily lose weight.

If you want to lose weight easily and enjoyably, sign up for our FREE weekly newsletter at [http://thinkingthin.co.uk/register.php] and get our e-book 'Insider Secrets To Simple, Sustainable Weight Loss' absolutely FREE as well.

(C) Copyright - Theresa Coligan. All worldwide rights reserved.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Theresa_Coligan/640227

http://ezinearticles.com/?Create-A-Healthy-Christmas-Menu&id=5481870