There are some people who can't afford health insurance to see a doctor, even with the Affordable Health Care Act. Some people do not trust doctors, and believe they work for pharmaceutical companies. Hell, some people just don't want to go to the doctor. This article is for those people.
Keep in mind, if you can afford to go to a doctor and get blood pressure medicine, do that. Ignore everything I'm saying here and do what your doctor tells you to do.
Another thing to keep in mind about the advice I'm giving is that I'm aiming to inform people who don't have a lot of cash. When I tell you about things you can eat, you'll notice they aren't exactly extravagant recipes. This diet is a simple and affordable way to keep your blood pressure down. If you have enough money to spend on eating really expensive healthy food, you should just use that money to go to a doctor and get some blood pressure medication.
Now that I've got that out of the way, I'm going to tell you from personal experience how to get your blood pressure down to reasonable levels using just your diet. If you're inclined to exercise, that certainly doesn't hurt either, but I can't vouch for that. Also, as an aside, smoking is bad for your blood pressure. I haven't quit yet, but my blood pressure has still gone down to reasonable levels with this diet. Even so, you shouldn't smoke if you have high blood pressure, though I do recommend getting your blood pressure down a bit before trying. Quitting is stressful and may raise your blood pressure.
To start, you're going to need to learn to read food labels. There are certain things mentioned on food labels that you do not want, and others you do want. Let's talk about those first.
Here's a list of things you should try to avoid.
1. Sodium
2. Caffeine
3. Saturated Fat
4. Sugar
5. High Calories
Sodium is the most important to keep in check, but it's important that you realize that you still need some sodium, just about half of what a regular person will be consuming. A person without high blood pressure should not go over 2400mg of sodium a day, so you're looking at between 1200 and 1500mg a day. This is the hardest part of this diet. If you have high blood pressure for a dietary reason, rather than something like stress or anxiety, than you probably have it because you ate too much sodium, which means your diet is about to drastically change. Most really tasty food is high in sodium, and it's a bummer. You can work around this if you play it smart, though. I'll explain what foods to look for and what foods to avoid later. Keep in mind, you do not want to avoid sodium completely. You're body still needs it, it's just important that you don't overdo it.
For me personally, caffeine spikes my blood pressure like crazy. I avoid it at all costs, and if you're following my diet, you should too. Yes, that does mean no coffee, and no sweet tea. If you absolutely must have coffee, drink decaf, and drink it sparingly. I can assure you, you do not need coffee. I haven't had it in over a year, and I love the stuff.
Saturated fat is the bad fat. It's really not that hard to keep this low in your diet, as the stuff you're avoiding for sodium and sugar are, for the most part, the same stuff you'll be avoiding for saturated fat. Keep in mind, poly and monounsaturated fats are actually good for your heart in moderation.
The biggest reason you'll be keeping your sugar to a minimum is to watch your weight. Sugar causes weight gain like crazy, and weight gain causes your blood pressure to rise. You don't have to cut sugar completely out of your life, just keep it moderate. You don't need dessert after every dinner. I put high calories on the list for the same reason.
Now let's look at what you should be looking for.
1. Potassium
2. Anything heart healthy, such as wheat and grains
3. Vitamins (in food)
Potassium is like the anti sodium. It helps your body regulate sodium, so you're going to want plenty of it.
Wheat and grains are good for your heart, and the healthier your heart is, the better you're blood pressure is going to be.
Vitamins (in food) are good for your overall health, and most foods that are high in them are low in the bad stuff.
Now let's start with what you should not be eating.
Under no circumstances should you ever be eating frozen dinners. Most of them have almost as much sodium in them as you're allowed to have all day, and some of them exceed it. This includes the weight watchers and healthy choice varieties. I know they're easy to make, but there are much healthier foods that are just as easy to make, which I'll talk about later.
Fast food is notorious for having a lot of sodium. Actually, most restaurants in general sell high sodium food. It's not going to kill you to eat at one of these places once a month or so, but do not eat at them on a regular basis. If you have the willpower, try to avoid them altogether.
Salt in general needs to be avoided. This is the hardest thing to avoid, as most prepackaged food comes with at least some salt in it. You're going to have to learn to eat fresh food, where you control whether or not there is salt involved.
Cheese and pizza are high in sodium. Reading that may have broken your heart, but unfortunately it is the case. There are low sodium cheese sticks that you can buy, but they still have a significant amount in them and should be eaten in moderation. As for pizza, you can look for low sodium recipes online. You may not like what you're going to need to put on it, but it's an option. Forget about frozen pizzas or pizza restaurants, they're all awful for you. Save them for special occasions if you're a huge pizza fanatic.
Cookies are cakes are the most deceitful food when on a low sodium diet. They aren't high in sodium, In fact, most of them are very low in sodium. Obviously they're high in sugar, but most of them are incredibly high in saturated fat as well. These need to be avoided for general heart health and to avoid weight gain. This doesn't mean you can never have a cookie again. Just eat one once in a while. Moderation is important here.
Soda needs to be avoided. Regular soda is full of caffeine and sugar, and is terrible for your weight. Most diet soda is still caffeinated, and from personal experience, I found that weight gain doesn't seem to stop even with the diet caffeine free drinks. Put simply, just don't drink soda, it's bad for you. In addition, a good rule to keep is to not drink your calories.
Canned food is usually high in sodium as well, unless it says "no salt added" on the can. Try fresh food instead. Avoid canned meat at all costs.
Now let's talk about what you should try eating.
The most important food (or drink) in general is water. You need to be drinking water. Staying hydrated is incredibly useful for any heart related issues. It also helps keep your weight down. Water is amazing, drink water.
I highly recommend kale. It barely has any sodium in it, and is full of vitamins. In my experience, it's the closest thing I've found to the perfect food, health wise. Put some vinaigrette on it for flavor, it's not too bad for you. Add some chicken or turkey (that you cooked yourself). Put it on a sandwich instead of lettuce. There's all kinds of things you can eat kale with. Try it!
Pinto and kidney beans are really healthy. While the best way to eat them is to cook them yourself, there are canned varieties with no salt added, and they're low in sodium and very high in potassium. Beans are also very high in fiber and protein, and work well as a meat substitute. Don't use them as a vegetable substitute though, as they do not have much in the way of vitamins. Personally, I liked eating them in brown rice.
Reduced fat peanut butter is a pretty good option for lunch. It has some sodium, but not too much and as mentioned before, you are going to need some and peanut butter isn't a bad place to get it. It has some of the healthy fats in it too, and has less sugar than you would think (4g, which is pretty low). Put it on some wheat bread, have a banana or apple with it, and top it off with some fat free Greek yogurt and you have a pretty healthy lunch.
Breakfast is a tough meal for people with high blood pressure, but I did find a couple things that work fine. Frosted Mini Wheats are sodium free, and the sugar isn't too bad either. Add skim milk, and you get some potassium, too. Oatmeal isn't a bad choice either. These are better options than eggs, biscuits, pop tarts, etc.
When it comes to meat, I usually bake turkey chops. It's easy preparation. I usually set my oven to 350 degrees, wrap the turkey chop in aluminum foil, put it in there for 45 minutes and it's good to go. Chicken is fine too. There are also tuna packets that are low sodium and taste pretty good on some kale or salad.
Most things in the produce isle are going to be good. Pretty much any vegetable or fruit is going to be fine, as long as it's fresh and doesn't come from a can or jar. Some vegetables like corn and green beans can be found unflavored in the frozen food isle, and they're usually low sodium and healthy.
You may have noticed that I've told you to buy a lot of bland food, but haven't told you how to flavor it. Worry not, there are ways! In my experience, the best way to flavor vegetables and rice is with Ms. Dash. Any flavor will do. These are basically just a mixture of different spices, and are completely sodium free, and calorie free too! Some of them even have some potassium in them. I also recommend googling "Mr. Spice". You can buy salt free sauces from that website, and they're all really good. He has a good variety too, ranging from steak and bbq sauce to honey mustard. They're a tad pricey, but worth it. They have good customer service, as well.
Here's a few food that are a bit iffy, but ok in a pinch.
If you find yourself low on potassium one day and haven't had too much sugar, try a nesquick chocolate or vanilla milk. They're high in sugar, but they're fairly low in sodium and have over 800mg of potassium per bottle.
In the same situation, Pom juice can work too. It doesn't have added sugar, but it's naturally high in sugar. However, you're looking at 600mg of potassium per serving.
For flavoring, Simply Asia's Five Spice and Hibachi flavorings are surprisingly low in sodium. They do have salt in them, but you're looking at 60-70mg of sodium per serving. If you haven't had much sodium that day, it's not a bad option for beans and rice, or to put on meat before you cook it.
Hopefully this can help some people who are feeling desperate and don't know what to do about their blood pressure. Before I stop writing, I want to emphasize: if you can afford to see a doctor, please do that. If your doctor tells you to not doing something I recommended, listen to him. I'm not a doctor, just a person who find himself broke a lot of the time and found a way to bring my blood pressure down. It might not work for you, and if it doesn't seem like it is, stop doing it. If you have high blood pressure due to something like stress or anxiety rather than because of what you're eating, I'd wager there's a good chance my method won't help you, and you'll have to find another way (though I can't imagine eating better would hurt).
Monday, March 9, 2015
Thursday, June 21, 2012
ALBUM REVIEW! Fiona Apple- The Idler Wheel is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw & Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do
Fiona Apple has been releasing albums since 1996, and tends to wait 4 or 5 years between releasing another. Her music tends to be largely piano based, with minimalist percussion and her strong, biting vocals and lyrics.
While things certainly haven't changed much on "The Idler Wheel...", it doesn't change the fact that Fiona Apple sounds like her and only her, and this is a very good thing. Her song arrangements sound very similar to themselves, with odd timing and bouncy piano melodies, but I can't really compare it to any other artist.
That each track sounds a bit similar can make listening to this album get a bit tiring, though. With the exception of several really good lyrical moments, you won't find many surprises after hearing the first track. This is also her most stripped down sounding record, which may cut down on repeat listens looking for sections you might have overlooked, as they're probably just not there.
Despite that, there are some great songs on this albums. Opener "Every Single Night" is a joy to listen to, getting so minimalist at times that there's hardly any music at all. That sounds like it could be a negative thing, but it sets it apart and makes it sound different than most listening experiences you might be used to having.
"Jonathan" has a very dark, bitter sound to it, which is pretty interesting considering the lyrics in this track are probably some of the most positive Fiona really sings on this record. "Left Alone" also carries this dark sound, but pulls it along with some upbeat percussion and Fiona really letting loose for the first time up to that point in the record with her vocals.
"Anything We Want" is a really fun track with some percussion that sounds like someone is banging on beer mugs. "Hot Knife," the closing track, is also pretty interesting, with a low rumbling drum part and Fiona's multi-tracked vocals keeping you interested.
On the more negative side of things, the piano melody in "Valentine" isn't very interesting (or good, for that matter). "Werewolf" has some of my favorite lyrics on the album, but the songs melody sounds a bit silly and makes it hard for me to keep from skipping it. "Periphery" also suffers from sounding a little on the goofy side, like something you'd hear clowns dancing to in a circus.
"The Idler Wheel..." had a good probability of being a good record from the start, as all Fiona really had to do was keep doing what she's always done, and that's exactly what she did. It's ten mostly short tracks of odd timing and interesting piano melodies with a strong female vocalist and lyricist. I really enjoyed it as a whole, and get a certified "recommended" from me.
Rating: 84%
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
ALBUM REVIEW! BY REQUEST! Rush- Clockwork Angels
Rush is a classic rock band that formed back in 1968, and Clockwork Angels is the bands 20th studio album. I'm generally not a huge fan of classic rock, but I enjoyed Rush's last record, Snakes & Arrows, so I figured I'd give this one a shot. I also had a friend request it, and I don't like turning down requests.
Toward their later years, Rush seemed to revert to a time when most of their music was primarily guitar rock, and the synths that could be heard in some of their earlier music seemed to be missing. That is also the case on Clockwork Angels, for the most part. Unfortunately, the lack of variety really seemed to hurt this record.
It's starts off incredibly strong with the track "Caravan." It's a very strong rock song, with skilled musicianship and a beautiful guitar melody in the chorus with Geddy Lee's repeated "I can't stop thinking big" blending great with the musical concoction.
Then things just overall go downhill. Everything on this album is crafted well from a skill point of view, but these songs are incredibly forgettable and just don't offer anything at all unless you listen to music purely to hear how awesome the musicians are. I have very little to say about the next four tracks, as nothing really happens in them that's worth mentioning.
"Halo Effect" tries switching things up with some acoustic guitar, but actually ends up being one of the albums worst songs, as it's not only boring, but doesn't really show off any chops either. "Seven Cities of Gold" is probably the albums second best song, but I still got bored listening to it about halfway through it. The rest of the record just meanders in mediocrity.
One of things I really enjoyed about Snakes & Arrows was that it was not only musically competent, but a joy to listen to. It didn't feel arrogant because the songs sounded well written. This one sounds like 3 guys saying "look what I can do!" as they show off their musical skill and not much else. I just can't get behind that.
Rating: 38%
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
ALBUM REVIEW! BY REQUEST! Gojira- L'Enfant Sauvage
Note: Gojira is a French death metal band (with other fun genre additions you can add, like progressive, or technical). This genre of music is not something I'm well versed in. I'm going to attempt a non-fan perspective on the album without getting too into genre specifics, but it's still very possible I may get some things wrong. I apologize beforehand.
I had an unusual introduction to this album. The title track was released far before the album was (the album isn't actually out, but you can hear it on Facebook or Spotify if you want). I listened to it and was a bit baffled. I had read that they signed to Roadrunner Records, which didn't sound like a good thing to me, and after hearing the song, I felt like it justified my fears. It sounds like a modern heavy rock track. It sounds like something you might hear on modern rock radio. It sounds awful.
Having heard Gojira in the past, I had to hear the whole album. Surely it couldn't all sound like that! Fortunately, it didn't. After hearing the whole album, I even came to conclusion that releasing the song "L'Enfant Sauvage" as a first single may have been a brilliant move.
The album starts with "Explosia," a fast, loud, and pretty standard Gojira track. It didn't really excite me too much, but it did calm my worries that Gojira may have gone soft on us. The following track is the before mentioned title track. After a few more listens, I still hate it, but it's a great way to lure in fans of more radio friendly music into an album of tracks that have a bit of a progressive edge. It was a good marketing decision.
"The Axe" comes off similarly to the opening track. The following track, "Liquid Fire," is when this album starts piquing my interest. It begins standard enough with a rather nice groove, and moves into a really nice melodic part. The vocalist does this growl/sing combo that blends wonderfully with the melody, and takes me back to some old doom metal bands I used to like. It speeds back up and adds some odd robotic sounding vocal effects and continues sounding great.
"The Wild Healer" is a fun little interlude with a noodling electric guitar part that sticks in your head.
The following track, "Planned Obsolescence," is probably the best straight up loud track on the record. It has a lot of energy and the melodies were good enough to keep me from being bored.
By the time I got to "Mouth of Kala," I began to start having negative feelings again. That particular track didn't really have much to offer, and the album started feeling a bit repetitive. Then "The Gift of Guilt" happened. The track opens with some really nice guitar melodies and a thumping drum part with some straight up nasty fills. It fills in the space between these sections with some great metal riffing. It's a great metal track, through and through.
"Pain is a Master" gets points for trying something a bit different too, but it's not really a great track. It has an unplugged sounding intro that doesn't really offer much, some fast riffing that will interest people into that sort of thing, and then goes fairly progressive after that. Unfortunately, the melodies aren't that great.
"Born in Winter" is the track for people who don't typically listen to metal. It moves at a fair speed and has a nice groove, and the guitars stay pretty calm for the most part. Things open up a bit about half way through the track, but it still remains in control of itself and sounds pretty good. The vocal parts are of particular interest in this track too. There's a lot of variety between a low, melodic singing and an uplifting sounding scream.
The album finishes with "The Fall," a track that at points could probably pass for an Alice in Chains track. It has it's share of death metal fills and brutal vocals, but they usually just connect the slower, melodic parts. It's a decent track and a pretty good way to end the album.
Considering this genre isn't really my thing as a whole, my lowered expectations about the title track didn't really bother me. Now that I've heard the album, I am glad to see my expectations were overturned, but I'm still not super excited about this record. It's probably not a bad starting point for people who don't listen to this kind of thing, but it still is "this kind of thing." I'd recommend it to fans of the band, or fans of death metal, but my recommendation to those people doesn't really mean anything because my opinion on this stuff frankly carries no weight.
Rating: 64%
ALBUM REVIEW! Future of the Left- The Plot Against Common Sense
There's a lot of history behind Future of the Left, but I'll do what I can to keep that short. The band was formed by two members formerly of the band mclusky (Andy Falkous on vocals/guitar and Jack Egglestone on drums). The other band members were in some bands too, and Future of the Left was a result of those bands splitting up in the mid 2000's.
Future of the Left sound sort of like an evolution of mclusky, and "The Plot Against Common Sense" sounds even more evolved. There's more of an electronic vibe to several songs on this album, but it never seems to overshadow the ferocity of the music or the wit of the lyrics. I'd say it even sounds out of place in some places, but for the most part the electronic sounds add some layers to some fairly minimalist arrangements.
All the elements this band has shown before are still here. The clunky bass, simple but effective guitar parts, and punk rock drums. Andy Falkous is as rowdy as ever, spitting veiled, and sometimes not so veiled insults at everything from modern music and overproduced films to environmental issues and hippies.
The energy on this album is just outstanding, and it rarely lets up. Tracks like "Sheena is a T-shirt Salesman" and "Camp Cappuccino" show off the bouncy punk rock sound the band is known for with Andy Falkous' rather impressive yell. "Beneath the Waves an Ocean" shows that Falkous can sing a melodic part and make it work, as well as "Polymers are Forever" with it's expertly places electronic sounds and Falkous chanting to us as song comes to a close. "Robocop 4: Fuck Off Robocop" may have the best song title I've ever heard and backs it up with lyrics like "if Michael Bay wants a bigger house, let's help him!"
Not everything here is gold, however. "Failed Olympic Bid" is a bit too repetitive and runs a bit too long considering the song's melody isn't very ear catching. "Cosmo's Ladder" sounds a bit too silly to really enjoy, and Falkous sounds more annoying than interesting on "Sorry Dad, I Was Late for the Riots."
I'd recommend "The Plot Against Common Sense" to anyone who might be a fan of Shellac, Pixies, or Cloud Nothings. It's a pretty good starting point for people unfamiliar with Falkous' music, and should definitely lead you to some of Falkous' older (and better) stuff like mclusky's "mclusky Do Dallas."
Rating: 82%
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