High Blood Pressure and Low Carb Dieting

[sjfugatt1]

I have just been diagnosed with high blood pressure and have started a low carb diet. As a family of 5 with two children and myself being on meds and only one person working, I need some economical low carb ideas for meals and/or snacks. The low carb thing is new to my entire family. Any info would be helpful. Also, any info on how to naturally lower my blood pressure is also welcome. Thanks!

[msniki412]

Be advised, low carb is very hard to follow. But, if it's for health reasons then it's different. How many carbs are you allowed? That makes a difference. Some low carb diets are less then 30 carbs a day, and some are 30-50 carbs a day. Blood pressure...well for one, dark chocolate is great at lowering blood pressure. Not only does it taste great, but it's great for your body! Eat about 3 ounces a day of 70% cocoa dark chocolate. Also, red grapes as well and vitamin C (like oranges). Also, while on the low carb diet watch the salt intake. Too much salt will spike your blood pressure. But here are some ideas I came across:

Snacks:

Celery with tuna salad
Hard boiled eggs
Deviled eggs
Dill pickles and cheddar cheese (no kidding, it’s a great combo)
1/4 cup berries with 1/3 cup cottage cheese
Nuts (keep raw ones in the freezer if you think you’ll overeat them)
Sunflower seeds (get them in the shell so it will take longer to eat them)
Other seeds (How to Toast Pumpkin or Squash Seeds)
Low-Carb Trail Mix
Jerky (beef or turkey -- try to find low-sugar varieties)
Low-carb shakes
Cheese sticks, such as string cheese
Sugar-free Jello, alone or with cottage cheese and a sprinkling of nuts
Make sugar-free lime Jello with part coconut milk -- For a large package, dissolve the powder in a cup of boiling water, add a can of coconut milk, and then add the rest of the water. Stir well.
Pepperoni "chips" -- Zap the slices in the microwave
Cheese with a few apple slices
4-ounce plain or sugar-free yogurt with berries and flax seed meal
Smoked salmon and cream cheese on cucumber slices
Lettuce Roll-ups –- Roll luncheon meat, egg salad, tuna or other filling and veggies in lettuce leaves
Lunch Meat Roll-ups –- Roll cheese or veggies in lunch meat (read the labels for carbs on the lunch meat)
Spread bean dip, spinach dip, or other low-carb dip or spread on the lunch meat or lettuce and then roll it up
Raw veggies and spinach dip, or other low-carb dip
Pork rinds, with or without dip
Ricotta cheese with fruit and/or nuts and/or flax seed meal
Mushrooms with cheese spread inside (or other spreads or dips)
Low-carb snack bars (watch out for sugar alcohols, especially maltitol)
Product Review: Atkins Advantage Bars
Pepperoni Chips -- Microwave pepperoni slices until crisp. Great with cheeses and dips
Garlic Parmesan Flax Seed Crackers
Parmesan Crisps -- Good when you want a crunchy snack. (Pretty much just grated/shredded cheese, baked in the oven).

Here is a sample meal plan for 7 days, it should give you some outlook on it:

Monday

Breakfast
Two egg omelet with sausage and roasted red peppers

Lunch
Reuben sandwich (corned beef, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut) on one slice low carb bread
Green salad with low carb dressing

Dinner
Grilled chicken breast
Steamed asparagus and yellow squash
Mixed salad with vinaigrette or low carb dressing

Snack
Celery sticks with low carb dip

Tuesday

Breakfast
Two poached eggs with smoked salmon in cream dill sauce, and half small tomato

Lunch
Grilled beef patty
Steamed broccoli and cauliflower
Mixed green salad with olive oil & balsamic vinaigrette

Dinner
Roast chicken with herbs
Broccoli with parmesan curls
Endive and radish salad with vinaigrette

Snack
Red pepper sticks with low carb dip

Wednesday

Breakfast
One low carb muffin and one hard-boiled egg

Lunch
Cobb salad (avocado, tomato, chicken, hard-boiled egg, blue cheese and bacon over lettuce) with olive and balsamic vinaigrette

Dinner
Salmon with Steel’s Wasabi Teriyaki sauce
Steamed green beans with sesame oil
Cabbage slaw with low carb Cole Slaw dressing

Snack
Olives and Cheddar cubes

Thursday

Breakfast
Two scrambled eggs with two slices of bacon and one slice of low carb bread

Lunch
Shrimp salad over lettuce and tomato slices with low carb dressing

Dinner
Broiled lamb chops
Swiss chard with garlic and olive oil
Mixed green salad with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette

Snack
Atkins Advantage shake

Friday

Breakfast
Two low carb pancakes with low carb syrup and three turkey sausages

Lunch
Large tossed salad with tuna, tomatoes and low carb dressing

Dinner
Roasted pork tenderloin
Sautéed spinach and red peppers

Snack
Stallone high protein low carb pudding

Saturday

Breakfast
One low carb muffin and two slices of Cheddar cheese

Lunch
Steak and pepper fajitas on low carb tortilla
Romaine and avocado salad with Olivado Avocado oil and lemon

Dinner
Grilled tuna with spice rub
Zucchini and mushrooms skewers

Snack
Atkins Advantage bar

Sunday

Breakfast
Poached egg on one slice low carb bread, two tomato slices and two slices Cheddar cheese  

Lunch
Chef Salad (roast turkey, cheese, red onion and sliced tomatoes over romaine) with olive and balsamic vinaigrette

Dinner
Turkey meatloaf
Green bean, snow pea and pepper medley

Snack
Olives and Cheddar cubes


Good luck!

[harrald]

You are in luck, there are many online websites that advertise and sell low-carb foods. If you are looking for a source for low-card foods, go to www.Netrition.com. This is the largest nutritional site online. Also, go to Google and Bing and type in Low-Carb Foods, and many listings appear.

Harrald

[sjfugatt1]

Thank you both! I haven't been told a specific number of carbs to limit myself to, just to go on a low carb diet. So far, it's working pretty good for me, and I haven't been really strict on it. I figure I'll do better after I get to the grocery store for healthier food options, but 15 pounds in a week isn't too shabby. I like the weightloss. I just don't want to lose it too fast and not get enough of the vitamins and minerals I need.

[Barb135]

If you lost 15 pounds in a week, you lost too much.  Are you not counting calories, along with the carbs?  Your body needs certain foods, in adequate amounts, in order to be healthy and you need a certain number of calories/day just to stay alive.  

Are you getting any exercise?  If you aren't exercising to keep your muscles strong, you could be losing lean muscle, not fat, which is going to harm you in the long run.  

The main carbs you need to eliminate are the "simple" ones, such as products made with refined sugar, white flour, white rice, etc.  Also, watch the fruits because the sugars in them can really spike your blood sugar, which can leave you craving more sugar in a short period of time.

If you eat plenty of lean protein - lean meats, low fat dairy, etc, along with lots of fresh/frozen veggies and small amounts of whole grain breads, pastas, brown rice, etc, you should do pretty well.  

And don't forget to exercise!!

[reddal]

The natural and economical way to lower your blood pressure is by cutting down whatever it is you usually take. Since losing weights is one of the ways to lower blood pressure, lowering your calories will help. Excercise regularly (but not strenuously) and drinking a lot of water will definitely do good to your BP. Hope this helps.