Nearly one quarter of all Canadians have high blood pressure, and that's bad news especially this time of year. It has nothing to do with cold weather affecting our blood vessels, and everything to do with our changing habits. Our particular lifestyle choices in winter are different. Nancy Perkins is Clinical Research Manager in Nephrology Research, and says more people reach for comfort foods during the colder months. It makes a lot more sense to shop around the outside of the grocery store where the fresh foods are available rather than become involved in processed foods. The easy accessible foods are not always the best choices for healthy diets. That's because of their often high sodium content. While the recommended daily intake of sodium is 1,500 milligrams the Heart and Stroke Foundation reports that Canadians consume 3,400 milligrams on average each day.
Perkins says, it's important to read labels, as many foods you wouldn't expect contain sodium, like pop. Another risk for high blood pressure this time of year? Sedentary living. That's because many head indoors. But Perkins says, it doesn't take a lot of physical activity to reap the benefits. And we still advocate walking is one of the best ways to maintain blood pressure and healthy weight. Walking is really important. Using apps and devices to track your daily steps and diet can help you stay accountable. And with colder weather and travel, this is also the time when many may forget to get their prescriptions refilled. Make sure to have dossettes with extra medication on hand at home and on the road. With Sunnyview, I'm Monica Matys. .
