Am I Suffering from High Blood Pressure?

The other day, I had a slight headache and just didn’t feel like myself. I decided to visit the doctor. He checked my blood pressure — 160/100. Oh no! That’s high. Yes, I have high blood pressure.

But don’t worry — the doctor is really good. He prescribed some medicines and I’ve been taking them regularly. I even avoid sprinkling extra salt on food. Still, my blood pressure isn’t coming down to normal.

“It’s okay,” I thought. My neighbour told me once you start BP medicines, you have to take them lifelong anyway. And honestly, going to the doctor again feels tiresome… and expensive. So I skipped it.

But is that the right approach?

I know I’m not alone. Many of you are probably in the same boat. But here’s the thing: regular check-ups are important. Your doctor might need to adjust your dosage or even change your medication. Constant high BP can quietly damage your heart, kidneys, and brain.

And that’s not all — your diet plays a major role. Visiting a qualified dietitian isn’t as expensive as you think. In fact, it might just save your life. Let me walk you through some common dietary mistakes we unknowingly make and how to fix them:

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❌ 1. Restaurant or Outside Food

Even if it doesn’t taste salty, there’s hidden salt to make it flavorful.

✔ Remedy: Always request the chef or server to prepare your meal with less salt.

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❌ 2. Frozen Foods

Salt is used as a preservative to freeze food.

✔ Remedy: Choose frozen options with 600 mg sodium or less per serving.

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❌ 3. Salty Snacks

Chips, khakhra, mathri, bhelpuri… they’re everywhere!

✔ Remedy: Make your own snack — roasted poha or homemade bhel with jeera powder, black pepper, chaat masala, lemon juice, or amchur instead of salt.

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❌ 4. Pickled Foods

Again, loads of hidden salt.

✔ Remedy: Use fresh green chutneys with lemon juice, tamarind, curd, or amla for that tangy punch.

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❌ 5. Papad

It’s dried with added salt.

✔ Remedy: Best to avoid completely.

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❌ 6. Bread

It doesn’t taste salty, but it is!

✔ Remedy: Skip white bread. Opt for whole grain or homemade versions if needed.

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❌ 7. Packaged Soups

Usually full of salt and preservatives.

✔ Remedy: Prepare fresh homemade soups with herbs and spices, no cornflour or sauces.

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❌ 8. Canned Juices and Sauces

Loaded with hidden salt.

✔ Remedy: Choose fresh chutneys over store-bought sauces.

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❌ 9. Processed Meats

These rely heavily on salt for preservation.

✔ Remedy: Choose fresh meat, fish, or chicken instead.

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❌ 10. Pizzas

Salt in the crust, cheese, sauce — it adds up.

✔ Remedy: If you must, opt for a thin-crust version with more veggies and less cheese.

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❌ 11. Beer, Wine, and Alcohol

These affect blood pressure and overall heart health.

✔ Remedy: Limit or avoid altogether, especially if you already have high BP.

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❌ 12. Cheese (Processed or Aged)

High in salt content.

✔ Remedy: Use fresh paneer, goat cheese, or mozzarella in moderation.

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❌ 13. Condiments (Soy Sauce, Ketchup, Dressings)

Often packed with sodium.

✔ Remedy: Choose vinegar, lemon juice, or tamarind water for flavor.

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Final Thoughts

High blood pressure is serious, but manageable. Don’t ignore it. Don’t self-medicate. And don’t believe everything your neighbour says!

Regular medical follow-up and a low-sodium, heart-friendly diet can go a long way in protecting your health.

If you think you’re doing everything right but your blood pressure is still high — maybe it’s time to check again. And maybe, it’s time to consult a dietitian.

Your health is worth it. ❤️

DIET!! DIETING!! DIETITIAN!!

It always happens to me! I think it happens to most of the dietitians. Whenever I go to a social gathering and introduce myself as a dietitian, the first reaction is "oh !you are a dietitian. Suggest something, I am gaining weight. " Is diet just related to weight gain or weight loss ?

I did my internship from a government hospital to take care of patients who did not have sufficient food to eat. It was a challenging task to prescribe a diet , a nutritious diet to patients who cannot afford food. Most of them were daily wagers.Two decades later , things have changed a bit. We have globalised. We are growing economically. We are getting food items from all over the world. We have so much to choose from. The mass media is full of such advertisements which suggest what to eat and what not to.

The most interesting part is that the people suggest anybody anytime about the pros and cons of the food. Thanks to the search engines which advertise certain food items. We have become self conscious because of this diet. If you search the word "diet" in the best dictionaries of the world, it is stated as the food and drinks which is consumed on a regular basis. But the common theory of dieting is limiting your food intake and the dietitian is one who restricts the food intake. But is this the proper definition of a dietitian?

We dietitians are meant to help the people with their food so that they can lead a healthy lifestyle. Dietitians are trained for at least 5 to 6 years so that we can guide other people. Food and diet has a crucial role in our life . People need food as soon they enter this world and eat till the day they are living. And the whole journey is not dependent upon soups and salads and health drinks , etc. They do eat the real food according to the age , sex , caste , cultural beliefs , health conditions. We qualified dietitians are there for suggesting diet to people of all age groups according to their sex , caste , cultural beliefs , health conditions. Dietitians calculate the nutrients to give a balanced diet to each and every one. They calculate the micronutrients and the macronutrient for a weaning child or a school going one or a teenager or an office going person or an elderly person. Dietitians are of various types and work in various places like hospitals, health centres, fitness centers , sports nutrition, researchers, schools, food industries, etc.

Dietitians are specified as

Clinical dietitians, Community dietitians, Food service dietitians, Gerontological dietitian, Neonatal dietitians, Paediatric dietitian, Research dietitian, Administrative dietitian , Business Dietitian, Consultant dietitian. And the work is to provide a proper meal plan by calculating the nutrients.

So eat properly, respect the food . There is no miracle diet or food . No bad food or good food either. Food is a necessity and diet is vital. In schools we are taught to thank God for the food. It should be followed till later.

Enjoy your food and "Diet" well and let the Dietitian do the calculation for your "Diet -ing"