Top Tip Lists for Good Health

Healthcare professionals see DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) as a perfect eating plan for high blood pressure. Released in 1991 after years of controlled studies, the DASH diet has shown remarkable results in lowering blood pressure, say local dietitians.

"It goes beyond the doctor telling you to cut out sodium," said Lise Karpel, a registered dietitian at Ephrata Community Hospital in Pennsylvania. "DASH shows you something about the synergistic effects of healthy foods in your diet," she said. "There is a combination of many fresh foods and not much room for processed foods. It is definitely lower in sugar than the typical American diet. And it is higher in fiber."

Symptoms and treatment

Hypertension is a medical condition in which blood pressure is consistently above normal. There are two types of hypertension. Arterial hypertension is what we normally think of as high blood pressure, and is often just called "hypertension." Pulmonary hypertension is elevated blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs (especially the pulmonary artery).

Arterial Hypertension

Arterial hypertension is generally defined as blood pressure of 140 / 90 or higher. Untreated, it can lead to heart disease (especially congestive heart failure), kidney disease, stroke and even blindness. Arterial hypertension usually has no symptoms (hence its name, "the silent killer"). People with extreme hypertension may experience severe headaches, fatigue, chest pain or irregular heartbeat. It is caused by either too much fluid in the blood vessels or by the narrowing of these vessels. Narrowing is caused by either physical constriction of the vessels or plaque buildup on the inside walls.