Monsoon Diet For Pateints With Hypertension

Seasonal changes can influence the way our body works. While the heat can make us susceptible to conditions like dehydration, monsoons affect our body’s immunity and increase our risk of digestive issues and other infections.

We are all familiar with the monsoon cravings for fried snacks – from pakoras to samosas and vada pav with a piping hot cup of tea. While these may seem indulgent during the monsoons, they might not be the best way to enjoy this season, especially if you are hypertensive.

If you have lifestyle conditions like hypertension, diabetes, cardiac or kidney diseases, consuming fried, processed, or fatty foods can affect your health parameters and digestion. If you are hypertensive, you are already taking care of what foods you eat and avoid. You must monitor your diet and exercise routine to prevent significant health fluctuations during the monsoons.

Here’s how the monsoons can impact high blood pressure levels and what a monsoon regime for hypertensive patients should look like.

Immunity and Hypertension

A complex interplay between the body’s autonomic and immune systems results in the development of hypertension. Recent studies have confirmed the role of the immune system in hypertension pathogenesis. At the same time, the monsoon season is conducive to the growth and multiplication of microbes– thanks to the damp and humid climate. It reduces our body’s immunity, and people with poor immunity or pre-existing lifestyle are more susceptible to infections like the cold, flu and digestive system diseases.
If you are hypertensive, you must take extra care to boost your immunity during the monsoons to avoid any health complications.

What Foods to Eat and Avoid During the Monsoons?

Our diet plays a significant role in the development of immunity. Load up on proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to strengthen your immunity and help fight any microbial infections during the monsoons.

Some high blood pressure diet foods that are beneficial during the monsoons are:

• Fibre-rich foods and vegetables.
• Include seasonal produce like apples, peaches, plums, Indian squash, bitter gourd, and lots of leafy greens to your diet.
• Other immunity-boosting foods you must include in your diet are pomegranates, low-fat yoghurt, broccoli, and vitamin-C rich citrus fruits.
• Herbal teas contain the rich antioxidant goodness of ginger, hibiscus, green tea or oolong tea.

Just like eating immunity-boosting foods is essential during the monsoons, it is important to note which food items need to be avoided during the season. Food for high blood pressure must exclude the following items in your diet:

• Deep-fried food.
• Processed or preserved food that has a high sodium content.
• Avoid excessively spicy foods that can trigger allergies and skin irritation in some people.
• Watery foods like buttermilk, lassi, watermelons, etc., can trigger swelling in the body.
• Limit your meat consumption and if you have to consume it, always ensure it is properly cooked to avoid infections.

While street vendors selling delectable and tangy snacks may be challenging to resist, it is best to avoid pre-cut fruits, junk food, and other raw, uncooked or cooked foods long ago.

Like any other season, you must stay hydrated throughout the day, even during the monsoons. It prevents dehydration, improves circulation, and helps maintain optimum blood pressure levels.

Exercise Regime to Follow During Monsoon Season

Hypertensive patients are recommended to follow a strict exercise routine to help keep their numbers in check. Monsoons can dampen your routine if you prefer outdoor workouts like cycling, swimming, or running. However, you can still keep up the high energy with indoor activities. Here are some exercises during the monsoons:

• High-knee running
• Plank
• Lunges
• Squats
• Push-ups
• HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)

If you enjoy doing a full-body workout or miss your walks on rainy days, enrol yourself on a gym. From treadmill to elliptical and stationary cycle, gym workouts are the perfect alternative to outdoor exercising in the monsoon months.

Other high-energy activities recommended for hypertensive patients include power yoga, aerobics, Zumba, and dancing.

When to See a Doctor?

Poor immunity levels can make you susceptible to diseases and infections, and the risk is higher in people with pre-existing conditions like hypertension and diabetes.

It would help if you visited your doctor regularly for blood pressure monitoring and routine health checkups. If you notice a spike in your blood pressure levels or experience abnormal signs or symptoms, you must visit your doctor immediately. Suppose your doctor feels you are not getting enough nutrients from your diet. In that case, they may prescribe a few immunity-boosting supplements to strengthen your body’s defence against microbial infections and other diseases.

Conclusion

The human body is made to adapt to changing seasons and climates. However, we must follow a strict monsoon diet for hypertension and make lifestyle changes to allow our bodies to stay healthy during each season and prevent any disease outbreak. In people with chronic diseases like hypertension, it becomes even more critical to take care of their lifestyle during the monsoons. Make sure you head over to BPinControl for more information and expert advice.