Definition
High blood pressure is generally understood to be a permanently high pressure of the blood in the circulatory system of the body, whereby one speaks of a disease if the measured blood pressure values repeatedly exceed a value of 140mmHg systemically and 90mmHg diastolically. In order to counteract high blood pressure, attacks can be made at several points. In the beginning – i.e. before a drug therapy – there is usually a change in the given life circumstances. These include, on the one hand, the reduction of overweight, sufficient exercise, stress reduction and abstention from nicotine, coffee and alcohol, but also a healthy, balanced diet.
Introduction High blood pressure
High blood pressure is beside the diabetes, increased blood fat values and cigarette smoking an important risk factor for the Entsehung of: With the emergence of the blood high pressure there is beside other causes also a close relationship to nourishing factors. Secured these are above all a too high common salt supply, a kalorische supernutrition and regularly increased consumption of alcohol. Already in the 60s and 70s a connection of too high energy supply, overweight and the development of high blood pressure was recognized.
Studies have shown that the level of blood pressure increases in parallel with body weight. Initially, it was assumed that the increased food intake would also lead to a higher intake of sodium, which would have a negative effect on blood pressure. The mineral sodium is widely distributed in food and is a component of common salt (1g common salt = approx.
400 mg sodium + approx. 600 mg chloride). Only sodium influences the blood pressure by binding water and thus increasing the blood volume.
Higher pressure in the blood vessels is created and thus an increase in blood pressure. In the meantime, however, the increased insulin levels caused by over-nourishment have come to the fore. A so-called hyperinsulinism (too much insulin, which does not have a sufficient effect, described in detail in the chapter Nutritional therapy for diabetes mellitus) precedes the development of high blood pressure in more than half of the patients.
A reduction in the intake of common salt is recommended for every patient with high blood pressure. However, there are considerable differences in sensitivity to common salt. Not all patients respond to saline restriction with a significant drop in blood pressure.
It is therefore assumed that some people are more “salt sensitive” than others. Which factors lead to this has not yet been clearly clarified. In any case, the salt intake in Germany is generally considered too high.
In almost all food and luxury food salt is contained and the average citizen takes up on the average approximately 12 g common salt daily. The German Society for Nutrition recommends 5 – 6 g table salt daily. This amount is sufficient to compensate for the loss of minerals through sweating.
To use common salt sparingly is also the basis of a general healthy diet. As soon as high blood pressure is present it is all the more important and recommended to reduce the consumption of common salt. High blood pressure is often associated with diabetes mellitus, lipometabolic disorders and gout (metabolic syndrome).
There is a broad field of action in nutritional therapy.
- Arteriosclerosis
- Stroke
- Heart attack
- Heart failure.
- In the case of mild hypertension, the attempt of several months of nutritional therapy can and should precede the use of an antihypertensive drug.
- In case of severe hypertension, the use of a drug is necessary immediately. However, it should always be accompanied by nutritional therapy. This may help to reduce the dose of the medication and thus also the side effects.
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