Tupelo SDA Church

Defining Hypertension & "Watch The Salt (Sodium)"

Because hypertension is a “lifestyle” disease the primary approach must be addressing the way we live. While medications are needed in many instances, it does not cure the problem because if you stop them the elevated blood pressure will return.

What is a normal blood pressure? A systolic pressure (top number) of 120 mm/Hg or below, and a diastolic pressure of 80 mm/Hg or below. “High blood pressure (hypertension) is diagnosed if the blood pressure reading is equal to or greater than 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). A diagnosis of high blood pressure is usually based on the average of two or more readings taken on separate occasions.”

A first step in reducing, and eventually curing, this problem is controlling sodium intake in the diet. You should eat no more than 1500 mg of sodium per day, ideally.

If you are not reading food labels, you are getting too much sodium; one pack of Ramen Noodles has 1600 mg!

The average intake for Americans is 10-15 times that amount. Reducing your sodium can decrease blood pressure by as much as 8 mm/Hg as with no other lifestyle changes. So, for lower blood pressure, read labels and keep the sodium intake under 1500 mg/day.

(https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20373417)