(WebMD) — If new figures are to be believed, as many as one in five West Virginia fifth-graders have high blood pressure, putting them at risk for heart attack and stroke as adults.
School-based testing of more than 62,000 mostly 10- and 11-year-olds revealed that almost 20% had blood pressure readings that were high for their age, sex, and height.
It is not known how many children nationwide have high blood pressure, or even if the 20% figure is accurate for West Virginia because of the many challenges associated with school-based blood pressure testing, researchers say.
But the findings make it clear the obesity epidemic has brought with it risk factors for heart disease rarely seen in children just a few decades ago, according to University of Ottawa professor of medicine Rhian M. Touyz, MD, PhD.
Touyz chairs the American Heart Association’s High Blood Pressure Research 2010 Scientific Sessions, being held in Washington D.C. today through Saturday.
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There is a simple solution of course. Most kids are on a high carb,high fructose (read corn syrup) diet. I am once again advocating a simple diet that consists primarily of good proteins such as nuts, occasional chicken and fish and tofu and tempeh. For those who must have their red meat, just make sure it’s grass fed if possible. The main thing is to eat protein and vegetables with some fruit. The high sugar high fructose sodas, junk foods and excessive grains, especially processed grains of speed lowered if not totally eliminated for the first few months. Once the kids blood pressure is normalized, occasional treats are fine. But teaching the kids that nuts or raisins are cool snacks as opposed to corn chips and sodas is key. most of them will fight the process but many of them after losing weight and feeling better to learn to appreciate their healthy lifestyle. It goes without question that regular cardiovascular exercise must be part of any developing child’s routine. I’m 58 years old and was developing high blood pressure. The simple lifestyle changes I mentioned I brought my blood pressure down from the 140 over 90s (and occasional peaks in one 160s over 100 range,) to the point where it’s almost always around 106/69. when I allow myself a decadent treat such as cake with the occasional mixed drink, I notice a spike, but because my normal range is so low, the spike is now around 120/80. So I now have leeway to have occasional fun. Moderation is the watchword with managing one’s blood pressure, but the benefits far exceeds the deficits. No, I can’t eat bowls of spaghetti with half a loaf of sourdough bread anymore. But I no longer crave that sort of meal. I have lost 20 pounds and have managed to stabilize my weight at more or less the weight I was at high school, 125 pounds. I feel generally more energetic and I’m sleeping better than ever. I urge anyone who wants to take control of their health to look into this diet. There are number of names for it- some call it the chief bad diet, some call it the paleo diet, and some call it the no grain diet. Whether you are on blood pressure medication or not but are concerned about getting your blood pressure under control and losing weight in the bargain, this is the way to go. It is not a diet per se, but a change in lifestyle but we’re talking about here. I wish luck to all people who embark upon this road of learning to manage their health as opposed to looking to allopathy to solve all their problems. In the 30 years I have seen my GP, he has never once asked me about my diet. I’ve gotten more results from the above regimen than Resperate or my blood pressure medication was able to do for me. Not that there’s anything wrong with biofeedback–but I know longer need to use the device as I am more than satisfied with my numbers now. And so is my doc.
by the way, the diet I’m advocating is a combination of proteins and vegetables augmented by nuts, legumes and fruits. I did not mean that it was primarily only proteins!
Also, I am using a speech to text program as I am partially disabled. The diet is NOT known as the “Chief bad Diet” (although that might be a good name for the diet most americans dealing with obesity are currently on!)
I was referring to the “cave man diet”.