Vegetarian Means Vegan, Right?

Actually vegetarians tend to differ from what Vegans consider themselves to be. The exact reasons for why, evade me at the moment.

I eat plenty of vegetables but also enjoy eggs so I think this means I may be a vegetarian but I am not a vegan because eggs are not on their menu. I need to watch my calories and weight.

Veganism, if I may, seems to be more like a religion than just a healthy eating regime. I think the term is applied to not only eggs but even to wearing things that may have once been alive, like leather.

I have no feelings on this one way or another and think our life choices are just that, our life choices.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Ten Dietary Guidelines to Help Lower Blood Pressure

By Esther Dacanay

Today's modern treatments of high blood pressure focus mainly on treating the symptoms, but there are other alternative methods such as diet and nutrition which focus on treating the underlying cause of this disease. If caught in its early stages, there are some forms of high blood pressure that can be completely reversed without the use of pharmaceuticals if a strict diet is adhered to on a daily basis. Anyone, whether healthy or ailing will benefit significantly from the dietary and nutritional guidelines listed below.

1) Think Low Fat, High Fiber - Adopting things such as oat bran, pectin fruits like apples, bananas and melons as well as vegetables such as carrots, prunes, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, peas and beets in to your daily diet can be extremely beneficial.

2) Get Rid of Salt - The intake of salt causes the body to retain fluids which in turn increases blood pressure. Therefore, lessening or eliminating the amount of salt ingested can alleviate or prevent high blood pressure from occurring. In addition, it is very important that you read food labels carefully as many products contain salt. Look for words such as "na" or "sodium" as well as monosodium glutamate which is commonly found in soy sauce, canned soups and vegetables, diet soda and even ibuprofen medications.

3) Ban Sugar - Research suggests that ingesting white sugar into the body causes sodium retention as well as an increase in adrenaline which then causes blood vessel constriction.

4) Quit Smoking - It is no secret that smoking is not only dangerous, but deadly as well. It is not widely known that smoking increases a body's blood pressure, making it an extreme risk factor for hypertension. In addition, it is also thought that smoked and aged meats and cheeses are also very bad for your health. Other foods that must be avoided include animal fats, gravies, broths, processed foods and yes, even CHOCOLATE.

5) Celery - Recent studies show that celery stalks contain properties that are highly beneficial in lowering blood pressure. It seems that Chinese physicians and folk healers were ahead of the game as they have implemented the use of celery seeds and oil for the treatment of high blood pressure throughout the ages.

6) Watch Those Oils - It goes without saying that hydrogenated fats or margarines are definitely bad news. However, not all oils are bad. Olive oil, flaxseed oil and fish oils are known to have highly beneficial properties in aiding the ailing body.

7) Yes or No on Beef - red meats can be both tasty and satisfying, however they should be enjoyed on a strict once per month routine. A diet filled with lean white meats and coldwater fish is not only healthy for everyone, it is also highly beneficial for those with high blood pressure.

8) Invest in Breath Mints - Studies show that garlic is effective in not only lowering high blood pressure, but in decreasing cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood. However, since most people don't eat enough garlic in their diets for it to be effective enough, odorless capsules are recommended. Onions also have some of the same benefits as garlic.

9) Be a Vegetarian - In a recent study, it was discovered that those people implementing a vegetarian diet had significantly lower blood pressure than those who enjoyed meat. Many people afflicted with hypertension can permanently reverse it just by introducing more vegetables and less meat into their daily diet. In fact, being a vegetarian is one of the safest, permanent and speedy ways to reduce or eliminate high blood pressure.

10) Make a DASH for it - There is a specific diet plan that is designed to help control the symptoms of hypertension. It is called the DASH diet. The medical community recognizes that hypertension is a disorder, which goes on to impact some of the critical life supporting organs. The DASH diet for hypertension is recommended by many institutions such as The American Heart Association, The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and U.S. guidelines for the treatment of high blood pressure. In fact, one of the first remedial measures suggested by your doctor when treating hypertension is the DASH diet.

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