According to the CDC, nearly half of the adults in the United States suffer from hypertension, so if you’re one of them, you should consider cutting out red meat. A new study shows that avoiding red meat can be protective against cardiovascular disease, even if you eat more red meat. Anything you can do to bring down your blood pressure through diet and exercise is worth doing.
Smoking, drinking alcohol, and lack of physical activity are some of the factors that can lead to high blood pressure. According to new research, the greatest impact on young and middle-aged adults with stage 1 hypertension can be found in their diet. According to the American Heart Association, if you have high blood pressure, you can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by consuming less sugar and red meat.
The DASH diet, which is an acronym forDietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, could provide relief from hypertension and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to researchers at the AHA. The DASH diet is designed to manage blood pressure. Meat, high-sodium foods, and sugar-sweetened beverages contribute to hypertension symptoms according to the researchers.
Nearly nine million young and middle-aged adults have not been treated for stage 1 hypertension, which is a significant burden on health care systems. Large-scale, healthy behavior modifications may prevent future heart disease, related complications, and excess health care costs according to our results.
Reducing the Consequences of Untreated Heart Disease
The researchers looked at how lifestyle changes such as limited alcohol consumption, diet, and regular exercise could prevent thousands of death in the United States over the next ten years. The DASH diet can prevent 15,000 cases of heart disease events in men and 11,000 in women.
According to the research team, 8.8 million people in the U.S. have undetected stage 1 hypertension. Poor lifestyle choices can cause hypertension to get worse over time, even though stage 1 is considered low risk for heart attack and stroke. The researchers applied evidence from published meta-analyses and trial data to estimate the effects of hypertension. The research found that lifestyle changes could save $1.6 billion in health care costs.
Millions of Americans don’t have healthy food options. Vulnerable populations will continue to show a higher risk of cardiovascular disease if proper access to healthy foods is not provided.
The DASH diet can be difficult to follow because of the availability and affordability of healthy food sources. Food deserts and places with limited walkability should be considered by clinicians. The challenges to blood pressure control should be addressed in health counseling.
Eating Red Meat Leads to Heart Disease
According to a study done in July of last year, eating red or processed meats regularly increases your risk of heart disease. Red meat is likely to cause heart disease later in life according to a mounting portfolio of evidence. Red meat consumption is associated with a higher risk of hypertension for people already suffering from low-stage hypertension.
The risk of heart disease can be reduced by adopting a plant-based diet when you are younger. The risk of heart disease can be lowered by introducing a plant-centered diet at 18 to 30. The DASH diet includes beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains.
American Heart Association Under Fire
The AHA was involved in controversy in August. The animal rights group Animal Outlook filed a lawsuit against the heart health organization, claiming that its ” Heart Check” labels were misleading to customers. Red meat products were granted heart-healthy certification despite being classified as Group 2A carcinogens by the World Health Organization.
Red and processed meat still present significant health risks despite the fact that lean meat has less saturated fat. According to the non-profit, the “Heart Check” labels do not reflect a higher, healthier standard.
Do you want to include heart-healthy meals in your diet? You can check out The Beet’s heart-healthy recipes.