If you're overweight or obese, losing even a small amount of weight can help lower your blood pressure. Studies have shown that for every kilogram (2.2 pounds) of weight you lose, your blood pressure can drop by 1 millimeter of mercury (mm Hg). Even losing as little as 10 pounds can make a difference in your blood pressure. Maintaining a healthy weight provides many health benefits, and losing weight will lower your blood pressure because your heart doesn't have to work as hard to pump blood throughout your body.
It also reduces the risk of many other health problems, such as strokes, diabetes and heart disease, and it can make you feel better, giving you more energy to do the things you want. The Trial of Hypertension Prevention (TOHP) included a weight-loss intervention group and found that participants in the weight control group generally had greater reductions in blood pressure than those in the exercise-only and control groups. Results showed that changes in glucose and insulin levels were greater for those in the weight control group than for the exercise-only and control groups. A wide literature supports the idea that decreasing sodium consumption below typical levels in Western society will cause a decrease in blood pressure. Rocchini33 identifies numerous potential biological mechanisms by which weight loss or fat loss can lead to parallel decreases in blood pressure. A preliminary study, Dahl et al38, found that sodium restriction in low-calorie diets was the main cause of lowering blood pressure.
The reduction in clinical BP at rest was approximately 4 mm Hg for SBP and PAD in participants in the exercise-only group, compared with 7 mm Hg for SBP and 5 mm Hg for PAD in participants in the weight control group. To learn more about the benefits of losing weight and how it can help lower your blood pressure, book an appointment online or by phone with Prima Medicine today. Losing excess weight helps lower blood pressure, and expect a drop of about 1 point in systolic pressure for every 2 pounds you lose. Most types of cheese contain 150 to 250 mg of sodium per ounce, so try Swiss cheese (only 40 to 60 mg) or fresh mozzarella (80 to 100 mg) or just 1 thin or thin slice of your favorite variety. Most soups provide 600 to 900 mg of sodium per cup, so opt for McDougall's, Amy's Organic or Trader Joe's Light in sodium or low-sodium soups (200 to 400 mg).
