Custom Care Pharmacy is launching a new blog series on "The 3 high's for seniors: high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar" This is the 1st of 3 blogs on the topic of high blood pressure. In this issue, we invited Rowena Leung, a certified dietitian, to give us some very helpful tips on cooking with soy sauce alternatives!
Do I really have high blood pressure?
People often ask why their blood pressure measurements can be so different from one minute to another, is the blood pressure monitor accurate?
It is important to know that our blood pressure does change from hour to hour, sometimes even minute to minute. Standing up, watching an exciting TV show, eating a meal, even the time of day can influence our blood pressure. Crossing your feet or talking during your blood pressure measurement can also affect the results. This is why a single blood pressure measurement may not be that useful to determine if your blood pressure is well controlled. Patients with high blood pressure should measure and record their blood pressure twice daily at home. If your blood pressure results are consistently higher than 135/85 mmHg, you need to take action to control it. Here are some blood pressure healthy tips to help you.
Blood pressure medications
One of the most common question asked at the pharmacy about blood pressure medication is this: “Once I start taking blood pressure medication, do I have to take it for life?”
Since high blood pressure is more common as you get older, it is likely that you will need to continue taking the medication to control your blood pressure as you get older. However, there are some cases when lifestyle changes, such as weight loss, exercise and committing to a healthy diet, may reduce the need for medication in controlling blood pressure. Some patients feel that once they are taking blood pressure medication, they can go back to their old habits. In fact, it is very important to continue with healthy lifestyle changes even when you are taking medication to control your blood pressure.
Soy Sauce Alternatives - By Rowena Leung, RD CDE
According to Hypertension Canada in 2014, the new guidelines for salt intake is a maximum of 2000 mg/day. How does 2000 mg translate into common household measures? It is less than 1 teaspoon/day. The truth is, for adults between the age of 51-70, 1300 mg/day is sufficient. This means that the body needs less than a half a teaspoon of salt per day.
Soy sauce is a very common element in Asian cooking. Although many brands have lower sodium options, the average sodium content per tablespoon ranges between 300-700 mg. It is very easy for an individual who relies on soy sauce as a main seasoning ingredient to exceed 1300 mg/day limit for sodium intake.
Other alternatives to soy sauce to enhance flavour in food include:
Ginger:
Often known for its effectiveness in helping to relieve symptoms of motion sickness including dizziness, nausea, vomiting and cold sweat, ginger can also add alot of flavour to a dish.
The Allium family of vegetables include a variety of vegetables that can serve as wonderful flavour enhances. In addition, the allium family of vegetables offer many health benefits related to prevention of cancer. The Allium family includes:
Garlic
Onion
Scallions (milder in flavour than an onion but stronger than chives)
Shallots (a cross between onion & garlic)
Leeks
Chives
Lemon:
Individuals often drink lemon water to boost his/her metabolism; however, why not consider using a little bit more lemon in cooking?
Turmeric Powder:
Why not have a curry flavoured dish one to two times a week? This is another salt free option for an individual to consider.
Dill:
This herb provides a tangy taste and often pairs well with fish.
Tamari Sauce:
To the average person, tamari sauce & soy sauce look very similar and may not know there is a big difference in terms of nutrition. Although both products are made from soybeans, tamari sauce is fermented through a process requiring very little or no wheat at all. As a result, the concentration of soybean is higher and the flavour is much different. The flavour is less salty than soy sauce and is smoother and thicker than regular soy sauce.
Typically, tamari sauce is currently used as more of a dipping sauce for when you eat sushi; however, there is nothing wrong with using Tamari sauce as a cooking option as well.
Come into Custom Care Pharmacy today to pick up a copy of Rowena's recipes using these ingredients!!
- Tamari Lemon Chicken Recipe
- Homemade Healthy Cesar Salad Sauce
- Kale & Quinoa Stirfry Recipe
Where to take a nice walk in Markham?
Walking for 1/2 hr to 1 hr a day can be helpful in controlling your blood pressure. Now that the weather is getting warmer, we can choose to walk outdoors and enjoy the blooming flowers.
If you are looking for an outdoor spot to walk in Markham, there is a nice park close to Custom Care Pharmacy on Castan Ave. & Piera Gardens. There is a nice walking trail around the South Unionville Storm Pond. Walking a full circle is about 1km but you can also cross the bridge and walk for 0.5km.
Map: https://www.google.ca/maps/place/South+Unionville+Storm+Pond/@43.8593585,-79.291941,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x89d4d5d5395234ef:0xaba8de5e39485fd5
Maggie will be walking there every friday morning (except for rainy days) from 10:00am to 10:30am starting in May 2014. You can contact Custom Care Pharmacy 905-305-0111 to join and receive a free t-shirt and walking bag!
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