How to control your blood pressure by Dr Edgar Agustilo

If your blood pressure exceeds 120/80 and have an elevated threat of stroke, this is commonly classified as pre-hypertension. People with pre-hypertension are 66 percent more prone to suffering a stroke than those with regular blood pressure.  Here are nine tips from Houston health professionals to reduce the risk of stroke:
1. Lose those lumps  - losing weight- losing weight is the most crucial element in combatting high blood pressure.
2. Restricting sodium -  reduce your salt intake, consume no more than the equivalent of 1 teaspoon of salt per day.
3. Stop smoking - Not smoking is a key to reducing hypertension, as well as other coronary issues.
4. Control alcohol - Consume no more than 4 to 5 ounces - a single serving of wine - per day.
5. Eat your greens especially those high in vitamin D - Eating fruits and vegetables that are rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium is imperative in regulating blood pressure.
6. Excercise - Physical activity will make your heart stronger through both cardiovascular and strength training. The more blood your heart can pump with less effort, the stronger your heart is.
7. Train for life-long skills - Learn to live with the fact that developing hypertension increases with age and learn to relax.
Watch what you eat, may be the chart below will help:

WHAT TO LOOK FOR	UNIT / MEASURE	SERVING	BEWARE
1.       SERVING SIZE
2.       FAT	Not more than 30% total calories	Per serving
3.       SODIUM	Not less than 200 mg per serving	Per serving
4.       FIBER	Aim for 25 to 30 grams	Per day
5.       SATURATED FAT	Less than 10% (Aim for not more than 7%)	Per serving
6.       TRANS FAT	Avoid completely or keep below 2 grams	Per day
7.       INGREDIENTS			Listed in descending order by weight.  If the ingredient is toward the beginning of the list, the product contains a large amount of it.  If the ingredient is toward the end, the product contains only a small amount.
8.       ALL NATURAL			Minimally processed and contains no artificial colors or ingredients, but may still be high in sodium, fat, and salt.
9.       REDUCED FAT			Contains at least 25% less fat/serving than original version.  Watch for added sugar, which can boost the calories.
10.    LOW SATURATED FAT			Contains 1 gram or less per serving
11.    LOW FAT			Contains 3 gram fat or less/serving
12.    LOW CHOLESTEROL			Contains 20 mg of cholesterol or less/serving and 2 g or less of saturated fat.
13.    LIGHT			No standard definition.  Often means lower fat and calories than similar products.
14.    LOW CALORIE	40 calories or less per serving		Beware: Not all calories are created equal.
15.    REDUCED SODIUM	At least 25% less sodium than original version
16.    VERY LOW SODIUM	35 mg of sodium or less	Per serving
17.    REDUCED SUGAR	At least 25% less sugar than the original version
18.    LOW SUGAR			No standard definition
19.    NO SUGAR ADDED	Not more than 25 grams (for women) Not more than 37grams (for men)	Per day	Contains no table sugar, but may be other neither added sugars nor sweeteners like corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, and sucrose.
20.    SUGAR FREE	Not less than 0.5 gram	Per serving
21.    RDA			Recommended daily amounts of various nutrients, vitamins, and minerals for healthy adults.