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On a sunny autumn morning, Mr. Tsang and his doctor friend, Dr. Lee, were enjoying a mountain walk.
They were slowly climbing along the mountain path, when suddenly, Dr. Li pointed to an old man in the distance who was bending down to pick grass and said:
"Mr. Zeng, look at that old gentleman, he is over seventy years old, he is still collecting medicine in the mountains, and he looks very healthy.
Speaking of which, how have you been with high blood pressure lately, and are you still sticking with your 'broth-free' life?"
Mr. Zeng, 61, is a retired elementary school art teacher with shiny black hair and silver-rimmed glasses, giving him a gentle scholarly temperament.
He chuckled and replied, "Yes, I haven't touched any broth in six months, and I feel that my body has changed a lot." ”
Mr. Tsang's high blood pressure has been bothering him for many years.
During a health check-up, his blood pressure was as high as 180/100 mm Hg, and doctors warned him that he could be at serious risk of cardiovascular disease if he did not take effective measures.
Since then, he has been looking for ways to control his blood pressure.
"You know," Mr. Tsang continued, "since I listened to a dietitian's advice to stop drinking broth altogether, I've started to pay more attention to my diet and try to eat foods that are low in salt and fat. ”
Dr. Li asked curiously, "So in the past six months, has your blood pressure changed significantly?"
"Actually," Mr. Zeng smiled mysteriously, "the result was unexpected." My most recent blood pressure measurement was 140/90 mmHg, which is quite a bit lower than before. I couldn't believe it myself. ”
At this time, they came to a viewing platform overlooking the valley. Mr. Zeng stopped and looked at the mountains in the distance, as if he was thinking about something.
Seeing this, Dr. Lee asked, "You seem to have something on your mind?"
Mr. Zeng turned around and said seriously, "I've been wondering why just stopping the broth has such a big effect on my blood pressure.
It stands to reason that the nutrients in the broth, such as protein and minerals, are good for the body. ”
Dr. Lee nodded in understanding, explaining, "Actually, it has to do with the sodium content in the broth.
Many people add a lot of salt to add flavor when cooking broth, which is mostly made up of sodium.
Excessive sodium intake can lead to a buildup of water in the body, increasing the burden on the heart and blood vessels, which can lead to an increase in blood pressure.
Although broth provides some essential nutrients, the problem of high salt cannot be ignored. ”
Mr. Tsang was inspired by this, and he seriously recalled his previous eating habits and couldn't help nodding his head in agreement.
Dr. Lee pulled his phone out of his pocket and rummaged through a study, "Here's a study of East Asian populations that counted the relationship between eating habits and blood pressure in more than 10,000 adults.
The study found that those who consumed broth more than three times a week had a significantly higher prevalence of high blood pressure than those who drank little or no broth.
Moreover, reducing the intake of high-salt foods has a significant effect on lowering blood pressure. ”
Mr. Zeng pondered for a moment, and then said, "This is really an unexpected discovery.
However, I also wanted to know, could it be that I changed my other eating habits at the same time, such as eating more vegetables and fruits, which also affected my blood pressure?"
"It's very likely," Dr. Lee replied, "that the change in blood pressure is the result of multiple factors.
While a single dietary change is effective, a combination of lifestyle changes can be more beneficial. For example, increasing your intake of dietary fiber and exercising more can help lower your blood pressure. ”
At the end of the article, the question is raised: if a single change in dietary habits has been effective, why is it necessary to make comprehensive lifestyle changes to control high blood pressure?
A detailed analysis is needed to address this issue.
While dietary changes can have a direct impact on blood pressure, lifestyle factors such as weight management, psychological stress, sleep quality, and physical activity all have an indirect but profound impact on blood pressure.
For example, excessive weight can increase the burden on the heart, which can raise blood pressure, and psychological stress can cause a temporary increase in blood pressure by activating the neuroendocrine system.
Adequate sleep and regular physical activity can help regulate the body's metabolism and improve cardiovascular function.
Thus, although dietary modification is significant in the short term, comprehensive lifestyle modification is key to achieving sustained blood pressure control in the long term.
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