Encouraging Health

When your blood pressure (BP) creeps up, help knock it down with this simple change in diet.

Get 20 percent of your daily calories from whole-grain, high-fiber foods instead of refined “white” carbs. It could drop your systolic BP 4 to 8 points and your diastolic BP another 6 to 8 points. Start with these fiber-rich recipes below.

Double Trouble
High blood pressure and high cholesterol are double trouble. Both put you at risk for cardiovascular disease, and they frequently occur together. If you have borderline high cholesterol (200-239 mg/dL) and prehypertension (120-139/80-89 mm Hg), it’s time to take action.

Here’s How Fiber Helps
Both soluble and insoluble fiber were shown to lower blood pressure in middle-aged people with the unfortunate combo of borderline high cholesterol and prehypertension. Soluble fiber does double duty by lowering cholesterol, too.

Why do I need fiber in my diet?
Dietary fiber is the part of plants that cannot be digested. There are 2 kinds of dietary fiber. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to keep foods moving through the digestive system. Soluble fiber holds water which, in turn, softens the stool for easy bowel movements. Fiber is an important part of your diet even though it passes through your body. A high-fiber diet can:

reduce cholesterol levels
promote regular bowel movements
improve blood sugar levels in diabetics
treat diverticular disease (inflammation of part of the intestine) and irritable bowel syndrome (abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation that come and go).
A high-fiber diet may help prevent some cancers, such as colon and breast.

If you do not have enough fiber in your diet, you may have constipation. Your bowel movements may be small, hard, and dry.

What can I do to increase fiber?
When increasing the fiber in your diet, it is best to do so slowly, because large, sudden increases can cause discomfort, gas, and bloating. Start with small changes, like switching to whole-grain bread, and add a new source of fiber each week or two. You may have some gas or bloating at first, but your body will adjust in time.

Start your day with a high-fiber breakfast cereal.
Buy more fruits and vegetables. If you buy them, you’ll probably eat them. Use carrot sticks or apple slices for snacks.
Include fruits or vegetables with every meal. Cooked fiber is just as effective as raw fiber.
Eat whole-grain breads.
Add whole grains and dried beans to casseroles.
Serve fruit-based desserts.
If you have constipation even though you have added high-fiber foods to your diet, talk to your health care provider about fiber laxatives. Psyllium is a soluble fiber that is often used for this purpose. It can be taken as a pill or as a powder that is mixed in a glass of water. Always read and follow the directions on the label carefully.
Adding fiber to your diet is easy, and a high-fiber diet can provide long-term health benefits.

Get more ideas from Encouraging Health.

fiber

fiber