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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2011)
May is High Blood Pressure Education Month: Keep yours under control By Lindy Taylor, MD, Community Health Director High-salt foods to avoid • About 74.5 million people in the United States have high blood pressure, also called hypertension. • • Hypertension increases the risk for heart disease and stroke, the leading and third-leading causes of death in the United States. It also contributes to congestive heart disease and kidney disease. • • • • • bining lifestyle changes with prescribed medications. Almost 90 percent of adults age 45-64 will develop high blood pressure dur ing the remainder of their lifetime. One of every three U.S. adults age 20 or older has hypertension. Nearly one in five people has hyper tension and is not aware of it. • • • Preventing and controlling high blood pressure You can maintain healthy blood pres sure by changing your lifestyle or com There may be a reason for taking a medication at night or in the morning. Have your blood pressure checked regularly. Maintain a healthy body weight. Keep up physical activity. Follow a healthy eating plan with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Watch salt in your diet. Quit smoking. If you are prescribed a medication for blood pressure, take it as prescribed. By Lindy Taylor, MD, Community Health Director The Mediterranean diet is a heart- healthy eating plan that incorporates the basics of healthy eating with components that characterize the traditional cooking style of countries bordering the Mediter ranean Sea. According to the Mayo Clinic, if you’re looking for a heart-healthy eating plan, the Mediterranean diet might be right for you. Although we refer to it as a diet, it’s more a way of life to adopt in terms of eating habits. Research has shown that the tradi tional Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Residents of Greece eat very little red meat and aver age nine servings a day of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, which have been associated with a lower level of oxidized LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol). The Mediterranean diet is a delicious and healthy way to eat. Many people who switch to this style of eating say they’ll never eat any other way. May is a good month to start this diet because of the supply of fresh fruits and vegetables to which we will have access. Here are some specific steps to get started: Eat your veggies and fruits - and switch to whole grains. An abun dance and variety of plant foods should make up the majority of your meals. They should be minimally processed, so try to purchase them when they’re in season. Checking your blood pressure is quick and can be done at your doctor’s office and now at most grocery stores and pharmacies. Call the Siletz Community Health Clinic at 541-444-1030 or 800- 648-0449 for an appointment to get your blood pressure checked. Additionally, all community health advocates in the area offices can check your blood pressure if you request it. Symptoms of high blood pressure Usually, there are no symptoms of high blood pressure and it’s possible to go years without knowing you have hyper tension. Some people report headaches or blurry vision, but the only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have it checked with a blood pressure cuff. May is Mediterranean Diet Month Snacks like potato chips, pretzels, goldfish, crackers and popcorn Canned soups, meats and vegetables (most use salt as a preservative) Processed meats such as hot dogs, bologna and salami Cheeses in general and especially processed cheese Rice/pasta package mixes like Rice-a- Roni, Hamburger Helper, macaroni and cheese (most prepared foods that have the word “instant” on the packaging) Mediterranean Diet Pyramid Strive for 7-10 servings per day of veggies and fruits. Switch to whole grain bread and cereal and begin to eat more whole grain rice and pasta products. Go nuts. Keep almonds, cashews, pistachios and walnuts on hand for a quick snack. Choose natural peanut butter rather than the kind with hydrogenated fat added. Pass on the butter. Try olive or canola oil as a healthy replacement for butter or margarine. Use it in cooking. After cooking pasta, add a touch of olive oil, some garlic and green onions for flavoring. Dip bread in flavored olive oil or lightly spread it on whole grain bread for a tasty alternative to butter. Try tahini (blended sesame seeds) as a dip or spread for bread. Spice it up. Herbs and spices make food tasty and also are rich in health promoting substances. Season your meals with herbs and spices rather than salt. Go fish. Eat fish once or twice a week. Fresh or water-packed tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel and herring are healthy choices. Grilled fish tastes good and requires little cleanup. Avoid fried fish. Rein in the red meat. Substitute fish and poultry for red meat. When eaten, make sure red meat is lean and keep por tions small (about the size of a deck of cards). Avoid sausage, bacon and other high-fat meats. Choose low-fat dairy. Limit higher-fat dairy products, such as whole or 2 percent milk, cheese and ice cream. Switch to skim milk, fat-free yogurt and low-fat cheese. Meats A sweets «5 fruits, vegetables, grains (mostly whole), olive oil, beans, nuts, legumes, seeds, herbs & sprees GUIDANCE Meats and sweets L ess often Poultry, eggs, cheese and yogurt Moderate portions, daily to weekly Fish and seafood Otten, at least two times a week Fiuits. vegetables. giams (mostly whole), olrve oil, beans. nuts, legumes, seeds, herbs and spices Base every meal on these foods © ?009 OHM ayn Preservation A t «change t rust www oidwayspt oep How to use mail order pharmacy 1 News from the Dental Clinic • How to order your refills after hours and on weekends: Please call 7-10 days before you need your refills. This allows us time to contact your provider, if necessary, and for mailing. 1 I | • • 16 Call 800-648-0449; enter 1624 as soon as the clinic’s message begins — you’ll be transferred to the refill line. Or, call the refill line direct - 541 -444-9624. • Siletz News * May 2011 Please contact the Siletz Community Dental Clinic if you experience dental pain or a dental emergency. The staff will do everything possible to see you as soon as reasonably possible. । Because of high volume, check-in time is Monday-Thursday from • 8:30-9 a.m. and Friday from 10-10:30 a.m. Afternoon check-in time is ^Monday-Friday from 1-1:30 p.m. | । ® .
