Healthy Eating And Good
Nutrition For High Blood Pressure
Overcoming High Blood Pressure brings you the latest addition in healthy eating and good nutrition for complications and a "complete complementary health program" in reversing high blood pressure.
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Food Pyramid
No doubt you have heard of the food pyramid, a visual guide to choosing a healthy diet. You may have also heard that the food pyramid has undergone a series of major revisions over the past decade.
In the original pyramid, meats and other proteins occupied the lowest, or widest, part of the pyramid. Since that area of a pyramid is the largest, the visual reference is that a person should eat the most in that particular category each day.
As the pyramid narrows towards its peak, a person would eat progressively smaller amounts of those categories in their daily diet.
It was pretty simple to follow this pyramid until nutritionists changed their thinking on what constitutes the best diet.
Remember the original pyramid was based on the premise of a balance diet. Nutritionists concluded over time, that the goal should not be a balanced diet, but rather a healthy diet.
A healthy diet is one that is grounded in these three nutrition basics:
- Your diet should enable you to feel great.
- Your diet should give you more energy all day.
- Your diet should allow you to actually be healthy by helping you lower your risk of cancer and other diseases.
It is now thought that healthy eating needs to be proactive and a healthy diet is one that accomplishes the three goals listed above.
But what about the pyramid that needed to be changed to meet these objectives?
Foundation Of A Healthy Diet For High Blood Pressure
The foundation of a healthy diet is fruits and vegetables.
They are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, are nutrient dense and therefore meet the needs for basic nutrition.
Fruits and vegetables now occupy the base of a healthy eating pyramid for the simple reason that they best satisfy an individual's nutritional needs. Furthermore, they are vital sources of antioxidants which protect against cancer.
Whole Grains
Also occupying the lowest and widest part of a healthy eating pyramid are whole grains.
Whole grains are essential for long lasting energy.
They are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants and studies have shown that people who eat whole grains have a healthier heart.
These grains are also a key in preventing coronary heart disease, some cancers and diabetes. Fiber is within these grains which keeps your digestive system functioning properly.
In short, whole grains help you feel great, gives you more energy and allows you to be healthy, which are the three goals of good nutrition.
When considering how to alter your eating habits to a healthier regimen, you need only remember these three nutrition goals.
Food Selection For Your Blood Pressure
Select the foods you eat based on their ability to meet these goals, and you will be eating a healthy diet.
Use the food pyramid as a visual guide, but always keep in mind that if a food selection doesn't help you feel great, or doesn't give you energy, or doesn't help you protect yourself from disease, it should not be more prevalent in your diet than fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Conclusion
Remember your comments are welcomed.
So see you next month for more ways to lower your blood pressure.
