why do they even make regular sodium items..........? plus a blood pressure question?

Question

chef boyardee has 900 mg of sodium in one can that is 40 percent of ur daily value, im sure they could make one with 250 mg of sodium if they wanted to. progresso soups have 1100 mg of sodium in one can i know they have reduce sodium soups. i am 17 and already have high blood pressure due to being brought up on these items. my blood pressure is now 150 over 90 is that really bad? if i diet and exercise will it go down?

my doctor wanted to put me on medication, but i dont really like to take medication for anything, ifeel like it is a crutch. im probably about 25 lbs overweight im 200 pounds and 5'11. my stomach has about a 1-2 inch fall layer over top of the muscle. my blood pressure actually started to go down to 140 over 80. also i joined the track team at my school, but my coach told me to eat bananas becasue they have a lot of potssiaum which should help my muscle cramps i get when i run.

o yea i would NEVER smoke. i hate smoking, my mom has been smoking for 40 years and i hate the smell of it, it drys my eyes out it hurts my throat. i would never do it.

Answer 1

I agree with you about how much sodium is in prepared foods! That's why the healthiest way to eat is fresh foods and foods prepared at home. The sodium is not only for taste, but also a preservative. I think it's great that you joined the track team and would bet that, if you improve your diet, by summer you will drop some weight. This will positively affect your blood pressure. Which is high, especially for someone your age. You probably already know how dangerous this can be, right? The bottum (diastolic) number is the more crucial; it measures how hard your heart works when you are at rest. 120/70 would be a good goal. Just remember that keeping your weight in check, healthy diet, exercise and NO SMOKING can help prevent hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. Good luck-you can do it! : )

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

You have several things going on here. One seems to be diet..The item you mention should not even be on your diet. FRESH is the operative word here, Vegetables and some fruit. No bananas (high in sugar) There is a natural sodium called Sea Salt found in grocery stores and also look for iodine added into it. Make soup from scratch. Piece of chicken, lots of cut up vegies and a little sea salt and herbs for flavor. You could have kidney problems and also a genetic predisposition to high blood pressure. Are you overweight.
If you diet eat same foods (healthy just less) exercise is good , Your blood pressure is very high for one so young. What does your doctor say? I am adding a website but you must check with your parents and doctor before straying away from anything they have recommended.

Answer 4

They do it because it tastes good, not because it's good for you. It's certainly possible to make it lower in sodium, but at their level, it's both addictive and they think it tastes good.

150 over 90 is pretty high anyway, certainly if you're 17.

Yes, without knowing how much you currently weigh, if you eat better (don't have to "diet", just eat better) and exercise it should go down.

You may have chronic hypertension and need medication, but if you're asking if you need to diet and exercise, I'll presume you're overweight, in which case, changing your diet and getting exercise and losing weight would very much help your blood pressure.