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"You don't eat bananas anymore!" Li Ming called out in the hallway of the community clinic, his voice full of eagerness. Uncle Zhang Qiang paused, turned around in disbelief, his eyes full of doubt.
Li Ming, a courier in his thirties, is usually physically strong and knows little about medicine, but he has recently read several articles on food and health, and thinks he has studied a little about "what to eat and what not to eat".
Especially today, he just finished delivering the goods when he saw Zhang Qiang, an uncle who often chats, holding a few bananas in his hand.
"You don't know, uncle, I heard that people who take blood pressure medicine can't eat bananas, the potassium in bananas is high, which will affect blood pressure. ”
Zhang Qiang listened and asked suspiciously: "Where did you hear this? I have been taking blood pressure medicine for so many years, and the doctor has never told me that I can't eat bananas." ”
"Really, uncle, I'm not talking nonsense. It's written on the Internet, and it is said that there are several other foods to pay attention to. Li Ming was desperate to prove his knowledge.
Fortunately, a doctor happened to walk by at the door of the clinic, and Zhang Qiang greeted: "Doctor Sun, come and evaluate the theory." ”
Dr. Sun, an experienced family doctor, is well aware of these common misconceptions. He walked over with a smile, first calming Li Ming's enthusiasm, and then patiently explaining to the two.
"Actually, bananas are indeed high in potassium, but for most people who take blood pressure medications, it is not completely inadmissible. Patients who take potassium-sparing diuretics may have elevated potassium levels in their bodies if they consume too many foods high in potassium, which can have negative health effects. However, not everyone will face this situation, as this reaction is not universal. ”
Dr. Sun took the opportunity to explain the data on the interaction between high-potassium foods and antihypertensive drugs. Routine intake of high-potassium foods such as bananas is safe for the vast majority of people with high blood pressure, and only a few people need to limit their intake of these foods due to certain types of medications.
"What other foods should I pay attention to besides bananas?"
Dr. Sun went on to explain, "For example, foods with high salt content, such as pickles and cured meats, should be limited for people with high blood pressure, because excessive sodium intake will increase the burden on the heart and lead to an increase in blood pressure. In addition, fried foods are high in unhealthy fats, which may lead to weight gain, which can indirectly affect blood pressure control. ”
Li Ming listened with relish and was very interested in explaining these medical knowledge. He suddenly thought of the pickled food in his house, and began to think about whether it needed to be cleaned up. Seeing this, Dr. Sun smiled and nodded: "Your idea is very right, reducing the intake of this kind of food will greatly help control blood pressure." ”
In addition, special attention is also required for alcohol intake. Dr. Sun changed the subject, and his tone became serious. He emphasised that alcohol intake can temporarily raise blood pressure, while excessive long-term alcohol consumption may cause persistent hypertension. Reducing alcohol intake can significantly improve blood pressure control.
This information was quite new to both Li Ming and Zhang Qiang, who listened intently, occasionally nodding their heads in understanding. Dr. Sun continued, "There was a patient in our hospital who often drank a lot of alcohol, which led to severe hypertension problems. ”
"At our suggestion, he cut back on his alcohol intake, and a month later, his blood pressure dropped by nearly 10 mm Hg and his mental state was much better. ”
Changing the subject, Dr. Sun brought up another point that is often overlooked: "Actually, there is another type of food, and that is processed meat. These foods are not only high in salt, but also have a lot of preservatives and colorings added to them, which is extremely bad for cardiovascular health. Statistics show that reducing the intake of such foods can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease. ”
As the discussion deepened, it was getting late. Finally, as they were about to leave, Zhang Qiang suddenly thought of a question.
"Dr. Sun, you just mentioned blood pressure medication and high-potassium foods, I want to know, if I take ACE inhibitors, do I need to pay more attention to this problem?"
Dr. Sun thought about it for a moment and then explained, "That's a good question. ACE inhibitors generally do not cause hyperkalemia because they do not act directly on potassium metabolism like potassium-sparing diuretics.
However, if the patient has renal insufficiency or is taking potassium-containing supplements, serum potassium levels need to be monitored.
So, while it's okay to eat foods high in potassium like bananas in moderation, it's a good idea to check your blood potassium levels regularly if you have these medications or other health problems. ”
What do you think about what to eat less for high blood pressure? Welcome to discuss in the comment area!