I’ve considered making the switch for some time. My big personal health concern is my blood pressure is a little elevated (around 140/80 when I’m not taking my BP medicine). Will going vegetarian help me normalize this?
Well…I hate fast food, etc, so that's not a problem. I'm already fairly conscious of what I eat anyway, and I'm borderline vegetarian. I'm not one to eat potato chips, deep-fried junk, etc., so I'm just trying to evaluate my options.
As far as alcohol, there's mixed opinions on that as well. My doctor told me that drinking a little every day actually improves blood pressure slightly and improves HDL cholesterol. I'm a craft beer fan (I don't overdo it though) and I don't see that changing.
Not if you continue to eat badly, fried foods saturated fats etc… cut out the bbq and heavy picnic foods, ribs, brats, burgers. Try eating leaner meats chicken breast, either grilled or cooked with a light seasoning (no sauce) and some fresh food never hurts. If you drink cut that too (baby steps, I know).
Gong veg is a huge step and you should take small steps with this as well but the truth of the matter is if its fresh its not bad for you, fruit, salads, vegis are all wonderful so instead of the french fries order a salad (not macaroni with the heavy mayo).
Good luck!
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Not if you continue to eat badly, fried foods saturated fats etc… cut out the bbq and heavy picnic foods, ribs, brats, burgers. Try eating leaner meats chicken breast, either grilled or cooked with a light seasoning (no sauce) and some fresh food never hurts. If you drink cut that too (baby steps, I know).
Gong veg is a huge step and you should take small steps with this as well but the truth of the matter is if its fresh its not bad for you, fruit, salads, vegis are all wonderful so instead of the french fries order a salad (not macaroni with the heavy mayo).
Good luck!
References :
Boufriend with same issue. That is what we did for him.
I definitely feel better being a vegetarian. Meat is so fatty that it is bound to make a difference. Just balance your diet right. Plenty of protein, from other sources, and plenty of iron.
References :
It didn’t help mine, but I replaced meat with butter, cheese and salt. What really matters is the foods you choose to eat. If you switch from bacon to donuts you probably aren’t doing yourself much good. If you find healthy foods that you enjoy to replace your meat, most likely your blood pressure will improve.
References :
Yes it will help because veggies don’t have any bad cholesterol. My grandp had to stop eating red and eggs because of cholesterol.
References :
Since vegetarians tend to be slimmer, on average, their blood pressure is often in the healthy range (compared to those who eat meat on a regular basis). Also, vegetarians’ higher intake of potassium and plant-based foods modulate blood viscosity. As blood pressure is lowered, vegetarians also experience a reduced risk of:
* Stroke
* Heart attack
* Kidney failure
In light of these findings, the lead author of the study stated, “My advice to people at risk for hypertension is to substitute a veggie burger for a hamburger tonight and have pasta marinara without meatballs tomorrow.” It was also noted that following a vegetarian diet would not only drop high blood pressure levels, but also body weight as well.
References :
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/01/29/vegetarian-blood-pressure.aspx