How to Reduce High Blood Pressure After Surgery
Eat less sodium., Energize your body for healing with whole-grains., Concentrate on fruits and vegetables., Reduce your fat intake., Limit the amount of sugar you eat.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Eat less sodium.
Sodium is in salt, so by reducing your salt consumption, you will reduce your sodium intake.
Eating salty foods is an acquired taste.
Some people who are accustomed to flavoring their food with lots of salt may consume up to 3,500 mg of sodium (in salt) per day.
If you have high blood pressure and need to lower it after surgery, your doctor will probably recommend strongly cutting back on salt.
This may mean eating 2,300 mg or less of sodium per day.
Try the following:
Scrutinize the snacks you eat.
Instead of snacking on salted foods like chips, pretzels, or nuts, try substituting an apple, banana, carrot or green pepper.
Look for canned foods that are not preserved with salt or have low-sodium written on the packaging.
Drastically reduce the amount of salt you add to recipes when cooking, or stop adding salt entirely.
Instead, season with other spices as appropriate such as cinnamon, paprika, parsley and oregano, for example.
Take the salt shaker off the table to remind yourself not to add any later. -
Step 2: Energize your body for healing with whole-grains.
Whole grains contain more nutrients, more fiber, and are more filling than processed white flour.
You should get the bulk of your calories from whole-grains and other complex carbohydrates.
Aim for six to eight servings per day.
A serving is a half a cup of cooked rice or a piece of bread.
Up your intake of whole-grains by:
Eating oatmeal or grits for breakfast.
Top it off with some fresh fruit or raisins to add some sweetness.
Checking on the packaging of breads to see if they are whole-grain.
Purchasing whole-grain pasta and flour instead of white. , The recommended daily amount of fruits and veggies is four to five servings of each per day.
A half a cup is a serving size.
Fruits and vegetables contain minerals that are helpful for controlling blood pressure, such as potassium and magnesium.
You can increase the amount of fruit and veggies you eat by:
Starting your meal with a salad.
By eating a salad at the start, you can take the edge off your hunger when you are the most hungry.
Don’t wait until the end to eat your salad — then you will already be full and you will be unlikely to eat as much of it.
Keep your salads interesting by adding different fruits and vegetables to them.
Use salted nuts, cheese, and salad dressings sparingly because they are usually high in salt.
Use oil and vinegar instead for dressing that is naturally low in sodium.
Keep prepared fruits and veggies on hand for a quick snack.
Bring carrot sticks, green pepper slices, or an apple with you to work or school. , A high-fat diet can contribute to clogging your arteries and increasing your blood pressure.
However, there are many tasty ways to lower the amount of fat you eat, while still getting the nutrients you need to heal after surgery.
Dairy products like milk and cheese provide calcium and vitamin D, but they often contain a high amount of fat and salt.
Choose low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheeses.
Cheeses should also be low-salt.Eat lean poultry and fish instead of red meats.
If your meat has fat around the edges, trim it off.
Eat no more than six ounces of meat per day.
You can also make meats healthier by baking, grilling, or roasting instead of frying them.Cut down on the amount of extra fats you consume.
This includes butter and mayonnaise on a sandwich, cooking with heavy cream, or solid shortenings, such as butter or Crisco.
A tablespoon is a serving.
Aim for three servings or less per day., Eating processed sugars make you more likely to over eat because they don’t provide the nutrients necessary to make you feel full.
Try to eat no more than five sweets per week.Artificial sweeteners like Splenda, NutraSweet, and Equal, can help satisfy a craving, but try to learn to substitute sweet snacks with healthier alternatives like fruits and vegetables. -
Step 3: Concentrate on fruits and vegetables.
-
Step 4: Reduce your fat intake.
-
Step 5: Limit the amount of sugar you eat.
Detailed Guide
Sodium is in salt, so by reducing your salt consumption, you will reduce your sodium intake.
Eating salty foods is an acquired taste.
Some people who are accustomed to flavoring their food with lots of salt may consume up to 3,500 mg of sodium (in salt) per day.
If you have high blood pressure and need to lower it after surgery, your doctor will probably recommend strongly cutting back on salt.
This may mean eating 2,300 mg or less of sodium per day.
Try the following:
Scrutinize the snacks you eat.
Instead of snacking on salted foods like chips, pretzels, or nuts, try substituting an apple, banana, carrot or green pepper.
Look for canned foods that are not preserved with salt or have low-sodium written on the packaging.
Drastically reduce the amount of salt you add to recipes when cooking, or stop adding salt entirely.
Instead, season with other spices as appropriate such as cinnamon, paprika, parsley and oregano, for example.
Take the salt shaker off the table to remind yourself not to add any later.
Whole grains contain more nutrients, more fiber, and are more filling than processed white flour.
You should get the bulk of your calories from whole-grains and other complex carbohydrates.
Aim for six to eight servings per day.
A serving is a half a cup of cooked rice or a piece of bread.
Up your intake of whole-grains by:
Eating oatmeal or grits for breakfast.
Top it off with some fresh fruit or raisins to add some sweetness.
Checking on the packaging of breads to see if they are whole-grain.
Purchasing whole-grain pasta and flour instead of white. , The recommended daily amount of fruits and veggies is four to five servings of each per day.
A half a cup is a serving size.
Fruits and vegetables contain minerals that are helpful for controlling blood pressure, such as potassium and magnesium.
You can increase the amount of fruit and veggies you eat by:
Starting your meal with a salad.
By eating a salad at the start, you can take the edge off your hunger when you are the most hungry.
Don’t wait until the end to eat your salad — then you will already be full and you will be unlikely to eat as much of it.
Keep your salads interesting by adding different fruits and vegetables to them.
Use salted nuts, cheese, and salad dressings sparingly because they are usually high in salt.
Use oil and vinegar instead for dressing that is naturally low in sodium.
Keep prepared fruits and veggies on hand for a quick snack.
Bring carrot sticks, green pepper slices, or an apple with you to work or school. , A high-fat diet can contribute to clogging your arteries and increasing your blood pressure.
However, there are many tasty ways to lower the amount of fat you eat, while still getting the nutrients you need to heal after surgery.
Dairy products like milk and cheese provide calcium and vitamin D, but they often contain a high amount of fat and salt.
Choose low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheeses.
Cheeses should also be low-salt.Eat lean poultry and fish instead of red meats.
If your meat has fat around the edges, trim it off.
Eat no more than six ounces of meat per day.
You can also make meats healthier by baking, grilling, or roasting instead of frying them.Cut down on the amount of extra fats you consume.
This includes butter and mayonnaise on a sandwich, cooking with heavy cream, or solid shortenings, such as butter or Crisco.
A tablespoon is a serving.
Aim for three servings or less per day., Eating processed sugars make you more likely to over eat because they don’t provide the nutrients necessary to make you feel full.
Try to eat no more than five sweets per week.Artificial sweeteners like Splenda, NutraSweet, and Equal, can help satisfy a craving, but try to learn to substitute sweet snacks with healthier alternatives like fruits and vegetables.
About the Author
Kelly Thompson
A seasoned expert in lifestyle and practical guides, Kelly Thompson combines 24 years of experience with a passion for teaching. Kelly's guides are known for their clarity and practical value.
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