Preventing High Blood Pressure In Your 30s – What Steps Should You Take

Preventing High Blood Pressure In Your 30s – What Steps Should You Take

Do you know that high blood pressure can kill a person without any signs or symptoms? Yes, it can.

This is why high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is described as the silent killer. The reason is that many people live with it for years without knowing until it becomes complicated and leads to serious health problems like stroke, kidney disease or even heart disease.

In Nigeria, a lot of young adults in their 30s are developing hypertension as a result of poor diet, stress, excessive alcohol and too much salt intake.  However, high blood pressure can be prevented or managed by making healthier food choices and not necessarily abandoning your favourite meal.

I will share the steps you can take to prevent and manage high blood pressure through your daily diet and eating habits. They include the following.

1. Cut Back On Salt And Seasoning
2. Eat More Vegetables And Fruit
3. Eat Healthy Carbs
4. Choose Protein Wisely
5. Take Less Alcohol And Sugary Drinks
6. Use Good Quality Oils
7. Watch Your Weight And Exercise

Now, let’s dive in and discuss these preventive measures

1. Cut Back On Salt And Seasoning

One of the things that causes high blood pressure is high intake of salt and heavy seasoning cubes like Maggi, Knorr, Royco, etc in food. This is very common in Nigerian cooking. There are lots of salted meats, snacks, etc.

To a large extent, adding too many spices to food can also cause high blood pressure; it is best to use fresh herbs for cooking.

Using natural spices and herbs like garlic, ginger, curry leaves, onions, and scent leaves to flavour our food instead of heavy loads of stock cubes and salt is very important.  That’s why roadside food and snacks need to be taken in moderation, as one cannot tell how it was prepared.

2. Eat More Vegetables And Fruit

In Nigeria, we like meat, fish, chicken and all kinds of assorted dishes. We like to enjoy life. This is why most Nigerians only eat vegetables in soups, like vegetable soup and other local dishes like efo riro, bitterleaf, edikaikong, afam soup, etc.

But the truth is, vegetables are not just for soups; it is meant to be eaten on a daily basis.  The same goes for fruits like oranges, watermelon, bananas, and pawpaws, which are good for the body because they are rich in potassium and help to balance sodium and regulate blood pressure.

You can eat the fruits on the goal, make smoothies with them or fruit salad.  You can also make vegetable soup and use it to replace the regular stew for rice.

3. Eat Healthy Carbs

There is a huge difference between eating the same type of food every day and actually eating a balanced diet. For example, eba and soup in the morning, afternoon, and night is not a balanced diet.  Eating like that can lead to weight gain or obesity.

Creating a meal plan that includes healthier carbs like unripe plantain, rice, beans, or sweet potatoes is very important. When taking swallow, eat a small portion and lots of vegetables instead of too much meat

4. Choose Protein Wisely

Too much red or processed meat increases the risk of high blood pressure.  Most Nigerians prefer their food to be assorted. For example, a plate of soup can contain goat meat, turkey, chicken, pate and diverse kinds of meat.  They are good, but eating them in moderation is healthier than combining them all together.

You can choose protein sources like

• Fish, which can include titus, mackerel, and catfish
• Plant-based proteins like beans, moi-moi
• Skinless chicken

5. Take Less Alcohol And Sugary Drinks

Alcoholic beverages such as palm wine, beer, and stout raise blood pressure when taken in excess.  Sugary soft drinks like Coke, Coca-Cola, Bigi, and Malt all contain lots of sugar, and they pile calories in the body, increasing the risk of obesity and diabetes.

Consume more of tiger nuts, zobo drink, coconut water, soya milk, and other locally made drinks with natural ingredients. Making orange juice at home is also a good choice

6. Use Good Quality Oils

Buying cheap vegetable oil at the expense of your health is not a good choice.  Reusing oil multiple times is not healthy either.  Buy good quality oil like olive oil, fresh red oil, canola oil and try steaming, baking or grilling some food instead of frying

7. Watch Your Weight And Exercise

Inactivity and lack of exercise can cause obesity, which is the strongest risk factor for obesity. You don’t necessarily need to go to the gym. Simple activities like brisk walking, dancing, skipping, or jogging would make a lot of difference.

Conclusion

With proper diet and activities, high blood pressure can be prevented and managed for young adults in their 30s. Reducing salt, eating more vegetables and fruits, choosing healthier oils and carbs, and taking less alcohol are ways to prevent this.

Remember, health is wealth. Eating nutritious food will keep you healthy, but consuming junk food can put your health at risk.