Stay healthy

High blood pressure! The test showed 160/98. I am 40mm Hg higher than normal. It was a shock. :(

My first instinct was denial; I have been jogging so much and feeling very fit and energetic. Then, it dawned on me that maybe I am not eating properly. I need to read up more on blood pressure, what causes it and how to prevent it from going up further. OK, so daily intake sodium should not exceed 1500mg for my age. If you are younger and healthy, then less than 2400mg is acceptable.

The five foods that help to reduce blood pressure are:

Fruits – banana and berries

Vegetables – celery and broccoli

Cereal - oatmeal

For the past few weeks, I have been very mindful of what I eat. I began to look at all the food labels for their nutrient values. Sodium and sugar are all killers. I didn’t know that berries jam and milo drinks have so much sugar. Will avoid these. The worst culprit is instant noodle. It has 1710mg for one serving! No more instant noodle from now on.

Another thing I found is that consuming calcium will strengthen heart contraction and this helps to reduce blood pressure. I have been drinking Soy milk with high calcium regularly now, in addition to fresh milk.

OK guys, see you now. Got to go for a jog! Let me know how are you keeping yourself healthy.

Agape!