For ages salt or sodium has been pointed out as the villain who causes the life harming hypertension. Though recent studies which took a deeper look into the issue shows that the story is more complex. The latest study results actually take the blame away from sodium being the sole cause of hypertension.

New angle to Sodium and Hypertension

In a focused study recently the team found out those research participants who consumed less than 2500 milligrams of sodium every day had much higher blood pressure than those who consumed sodium in higher quantities. The results were counterintuitive as the dietary sodium intake which was positively associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure proved to be the opposite.

In fact the researchers came to the conclusion that there was a relationship between cardiovascular risk and sodium which means that low-sodium diets and very high sodium diets both carry a higher risk of heart disease. When a person consumes sodium moderately then you sit in the middle of the curve and your risk for cardiovascular disease is on the lowest side.

Importance of Potassium

The importance of potassium in our daily diet is highly emphasised. The research studies proved that the individuals with the lowest blood pressure were those who had the optimum intake of sodium and potassium. On the other hand those with very low consumption of dietary sodium and potassium had the highest blood pressure. Similarly magnesium and calcium intake was also of prime importance and found that higher intakes meant lower blood pressure.

The study recommended not below 2.3 milligrams sodium intake per day for healthy adults. This shows that there is definitely an inverse association between sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and blood pressure.

Dietary Adjustments

There is no denying the importance of increasing the intake of foods rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium which will help in maintaining a healthy blood pressure. Certain people may be sensitive to sodium and they should reduce the amount of salt in their diets. Not too long in the future there will be systems to screen the salt sensitivity which will help in finding out which person has to curtail salt in the diet.

Thus the association of salt or sodium to high blood pressure is now not so vital but depends on a lot of associated things and dietary habits.

It is trend today to look for alternate medicine for every medical issue; likewise many people turn to natural remedies when they have asthma. The alternative medicine for asthma may include herbal medicines, dietary supplements, acupuncture, yoga, massage therapy, biofeedback, homeopathy, nutrition and botanicals.

Here is a closer look at some of the more popular remedies.

HERBS AND DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS

There are wide and varied choices in herbs, plants and supplements that have been used as a cure for asthma. Deeper studies have looked at using magnesium, omega – 3 fatty acids and antioxidant supplements like vitamin C and vitamin E to treat asthma symptoms. Though there is not much extensive evidence to prove the efficacy of these alternatives for asthma treatment.

YOGA PRACTICE

There is always stress in daily life and when this stress is continuous and goes beyond a certain threshold it causes asthma symptoms. It is found that many breathing exercise especially yoga breathing exercises help the patient control their breathing, relieve stress and controls asthma.

DIET CHANGE

Many people are allergic to certain foods and avoiding these foods while using alternate diet can prevent allergic reaction due to choice of food. Since allergies give rise to an asthma attack it is best to avoid these foods and control the asthma.

BIOFEEDBACK

The process of controlling your heart rate can help in asthma management but nothing conclusive has been proven about this option.

SAFETY OF USING NATURAL REMEDIES

Many of the herbs and medicines have not been thoroughly tested hence cannot be taken as authorised medication for treating asthma. Some of these herbs are found to react with drugs already being used and cause complications. Like an herb used for treating inflammation is found to cause bleeding in those patients who are already taking blood thinners. The liquorice roots which are considered to ease breathing can actually increase the blood pressure. It is thus always better to take herbal medicines in consultation with your doctor.

SYMPTOMS OF COMPLICATIONS

If an herbal medicine is causing any sort of complication then there are symptoms like nausea, rapid heartbeat, anxiety, insomnia, diarrhoea and skin rashes which can caution the patient and can be immediately stopped.

Most of us would have experienced the challenges of recovering from a surgery, sometimes as a patient or as a caregiver. After a surgery the body needs lots of support for it to heal and recover. The process can include resting, medications, physiotherapy and most important of all a well planned nutrition schedule that is specific to the surgery and wound healing a patient needs.

Nutrition plays an important part in the process of recovery after a surgery. When you have a wound to heal then your body cells have to recover since they may be damaged. The body cells have to re-grow and replace the damaged tissue in the wound. The building blocks for cell development come mainly from the food or nutrition we take. When the nutrition is not proper then cell growth can be sluggish, which means healing will take longer and this may even lead to further problems.

Let us look generally at what sort of nutrition to take and what to avoid for proper recovery. Always consult your doctor along with the hospital nutritionist to arrive at a proper nutrition plan.

Anti-inflammatory food

It is of prime importance that any post-operative diet should steer clear of inflammatory foods like processed products, preserved foods, preservative laden foods, gluten containing foods, excessive sugar, trans fats and excess of omega6 oils like corn oils and soya bean oils.

Go for foods that prevent inflammation like foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids like flax seed contains anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids along with antioxidant substances called lignans that helps supports digestive health faster recovery after surgery. . Fruits like pineapple and papaya can be consumed for their anti-inflammatory enzymes. It is also very important to stay well hydrated and eat a balanced diet during the first few days of recovery.

High Protein food

 When you have a major surgery and you are recovering then the first few days are of hectic activity where your body will be working overtime to repair the damaged tissue.

It is very important that there is a steady supply of amino acids during this time to help the healing process and set it on its path to success. Whole proteins from animal and plant sources are the best to have. You can also try protein powders if you find trouble eating at the beginning of our recovery phase.

Probiotics

Before any surgery the patient is administered some kind of intravenous antibiotics in order to prevent post surgical infections. The negative side of these antibiotics is that they in turn kill the beneficial bacteria in the stomach and promote antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. The beneficial bacteria is supposed to be important for maintaining strong immune system, good digestion and for right nutrient absorption, which ultimately together aids in bringing a successful recovery. Probiotics can be plentiful in fermented foods like pickles, yoghurt and kimchi and all these are powerhouses of probiotics.

Vitamin C foods

Vitamin C should be an important part of the nutrition plan for post surgical recovery since they help towards skin cell growth. They actually help in the formation of collagen in the skin. Vitamin C also helps in preventing anaemia because they assist in absorption of  iron. Most fresh fruits and vegetable are high in vitamin c but citrus fruits and green vegetable are the most beneficial ones.

Zinc containing food

Zinc helps in the formation of new tissue and skin. Post surgical patients definitely need to increase the intake of zinc in their food. This will help in healing the wound faster. The best sources of zinc include meat, shellfish and all the dairy products.