The General Diet For High Blood Pressure - Part 2

The safe liquids in high blood pressure are water, buttermilk or yoghurt, fruit juices provided they are not too acid, vegetable soup, Marmaite, Yeasrel, Vecon, Instant Postum and Rutin "T".  However, you are advisable not too take too much of these liquids because the volume of blood must be reduced. The diet should, therefore, be as dry as possible.

There are, of course, times when it is necessary to give some form of liquid; for instance, people on a very dry diet find that the urine occasionally becomes very concentrated, and then liquid is required. Usually in such cases yoghurt or some form of buttermilk is of benefit at this time. But even then the amount of liquid taken into the body should be curtained below the normal to enable the kidneys to be rested and to allow some of the excessive fluid to be drawn from the bloodstream.

Certain liquids are definitely harmful in cases of high blood-pressure. All wines, beers and spirits come within this category; if these are take n freely, the reduction of high blood-pressure becomes practically impossible. Owing to their effect on the digestive and nervous systems the use of such liquids can often bring about arterial breakage. They must be eliminated completely, for there is no benefit in partial reduction. That is a very strong statement, but if a cure has to be wrought we must eliminate everything that is definitely building up the blood-pressure. Other liquids harmful to this condition are tea, coffee, milk, aerated waters and the very acid fruit juices. Even water itself, if taken too liberally, can bring about a certain increase in the blood-pressure. And so in the study of blood-pressure it appears that only the minimum of liquid is advisable, except when the urine becomes very concentrated, when a little money may be given.

The dry diet is naturally difficult at first, but if the temptation to drink is fought against, the desire will gradually diminish, especially when the diet becomes balanced. The abnormal thirst experienced by most people is very often due to the fact that their diet has been unbalanced and is creating certain digestive disturbances that are accompanied by thirst. A balanced diet prevents this and supplies a plentiful volume of distilled water in the vegetables and fruits.

Working from this basis we can now build an efficient health-giving and blood-pressure-reducing diet. First of all, on rising, if desired, an apple, orange or pear may be taken. For breakfast fruit is best, either fresh acid or soaked and simmered dried fruit or occasionally tinned fruit, of which pineapple is the best variety. When the pressure is extremely high, the fruit should be limited to the milder sub-acid fruit such as apples, pears and grapes. Any kind of fruits, however, can be taken in most cases, such as apples, oranges, pears, grapes, grapefruit, lemons, plums, strawberries, raspberries, all tinned fruits, soaked and simmered prunes, apricots, figs and raisins. Dates are also good and may be taken at this breakfast meal. With the breakfast of fruit the varying fruit juices go well, and apple, orange, tomato, pineapple and grapefruit may be taken at this morning meal.

No other food or liquid should be taken at breakfast, because this often causes some form of digestive upset which would not arise if the fruit were taken itself. It cannot be denied that the fruit were taken by itself. If cannot be denied that the fruit and fruit juice breakfast is not a satisfying one at the beginning of the treatment, but usually i will be found that within a very short time this breakfast, a cleansing one that gradually rejuvenates the body, will be more appreciated than the one normally taken. it is only a matter of habit, and the person who persists with the fruit breakfast for a month will seldom, if ever, go back to the ordinary one.

The rest of the diet in high blood-pressure should consist in theory of two meals each with a basic salad composed of any fresh vegetables and fruits and with a small amount of protein at one meal and a small amount of starch at another. The fruit breakfast and the two salad meals, with protein and starch in very small quantities, form the ideal diet for all who suffer from increased arterial pressure.

So the lunch meal, if possible. should consist of a large salad, using  lettuce, watercress, mustard and cress, grated cabbage, spinach, celery, carrots, turnips, tomatoes and every other kind of suitable vegetable. Fruit, such as dates, raisins, grapes, grated apple or pear, may be added. With this salad a small quantity of protein such as lightly cooked egg, grated cheese or grated nuts, may be taken to make it more sustaining. In practice, it is advisable to leave the male at that, and the person who is still hungry should take only sates or dates and raisins to satisfy the hunger. Taking any other kind of food, especially food of starchy nature, reduces the benefit of this meal.

The evening meal should again be based on a large mixed vegetable and fruit salad, varied as mush as possible from the lunch salad and with only olive oil or olive oil and lemon juice as a dressing. For the remainder of the meal some form of starch may be taken, for example, two or three small baked potatoes or two or three small slices of wholewheat bread, preferably homebaked, or oatcakes, Mavita, Primula or Ryvita, digestive biscuits. This evening meal, the salad and starch meal, is often largely over-eaten, and a certain limit on the amount of starch is required. Naturally this is very difficult to asses because it varies with each person, but usually the meal should leave the appetite slightly unsatisfied.

The late evening meal should, in this scheme of treatment, consist of fruit only. It is also very beneficial if the person who is going through home treatment can take one day per week on fresh acid fruit and fruit juices only. One day on this very cleansing form of diet will do a great deal to bring down the blood-pressure, and it can be recommended with every confidence.

Some stout people will find that this dietary brings about a rapid reduction in weight, and yet in other there will be no great difference, although, generally speaking, the body does become smaller. This means that, with the reduction of liquid, there is an indrawing of the various tissues of the body and the person feels fitter in every way.