Barren County's
HOME AND HEALTH IN THIS ISSUE NEWSLETTER : May/June 2021
Understanding High Blood Pressure: The Silent Killer Hand Guide to Portion Size Healthy Choice for Everybody Eat Your Veggies
DASH Diet Plate It Up Kentucky Proud! HOMEMAKER HIGHLIGHTS llllllllll
LaToya's comments:
Peak farmers' market season has arrived! Getting food from your local market means eating seasonally. Eating locally means your food has more flavor and is more nutritious as it spends more time in the field and less time traveling to you, the consumer. Local foods support our local economies, encourage a safer food supply, and benefit the environment. Consumers can know where their food comes from as hometown farmers are happy to tell you about their growing processes; some farms are even open to visitors! Get out and visit a farmers market, roadside market, or farm stand near you this summer season!
LaToya Drake, MS Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences
May is National Blood Pressure Education Month Read on if you’re one of the approximately 1.7 million Kentuckians with high blood pressure (HBP). The information below might help you better understand this medical malady. About one-third, or 16 million, of the people with HBP don’t know they have this problem because it may not have warning signs or symptoms. This is why it’s often referred to as “the silent killer.” If not controlled, HBP contributes to severe health risks including kidney failure and cardiovascular diseases (CVD).
Blood pressure (BP) is the force of blood pushing against artery walls as it travels to all parts of the body. When health professionals measure BP, they record two numbers. Systolic, the top number, is pressure when the heart beats. The bottom number, or diastolic, is pressure when the heart is resting. When BP is high, the heart must work harder. This can damage the heart, as well as exert extra pressure on the circulatory system that can damage arteries and veins. The recommended BP level is 120/80. Even if only slightly above this rate, elevated blood pressure can be unhealthy. However, research has shown that lowering blood pressure, even by a small amount, can decrease health risks. Hypertension is constant HBP measured at a systolic pressure of 140 or more, and a diastolic reading of 90 or higher. Having a health professional regularly check your BP is the only way to know if you have hypertension, or are at risk for it. If you have any risk factors for CVD and haven’t had your BP checked by a medical provider in the past year, schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Otherwise, be sure to see a health care provider at least once a year. The causes of HBP aren’t known in 90 to 95 percent of the cases. However, research shows that many people can lower HBP and maintain a better rate by making moderate lifestyle changes including eating more nutritious meals and engaging in more physical activities. Take off some pounds if you’re overweight, because the extra weight puts more pressure on the circulatory system. Eat a lower-fat diet to prevent fat build-up in the arteries. Make increased physical activity a daily habit. Exercising can increase circulation, which puts less strain on your circulatory system, among other circulatory and health benefits. Since smoking damages blood vessels, among other health risks, quit now if you smoke. Relaxing for short intervals during the day will slow down the heart and expand blood vessels, reducing pressure on the circulatory system. Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expressions, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.
Understanding High Blood Pressure: The Silent Killer
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Nutrition and health experts originally designed the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH eating plan, as a way to help lower blood pressure. But recent studies have also found the DASH plan to be one of the best options to prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes and even some forms of cancer. Research also shows the DASH plan is safe and effective for short-term and permanent weight loss. The DASH eating plan was recently ranked the No. 1 overall diet by U.S. News & World Report. The authors of the U.S. News report found that the DASH plan is easy to follow because it does not restrict entire food groups. And because the plan focuses on fresh fruits and vegetables, controlling calories is easier than with other diet plans. Tips for following the DASH plan To reduce the amount of sodium in your diet, try these steps: Choose fresh, frozen or canned vegetables that have low sodium or no added salt. Use fresh poultry, fish or meat instead of canned, smoked or processed. Limit cured foods such as bacon and ham, foods packed in brine, and condiments. Cook rice or pasta without salt. Cut back on frozen dinners, packaged mixes, and canned soups or broths. Rinse canned foods such as tuna and canned beans to remove some of the salt. Use spices instead of salt to flavor foods. Add fruit to breakfast or have it as a snack. Treat meat as one part of the whole meal, instead of the main focus. Some days you might eat more sodium or fewer foods from one group than the plan suggests. But don’t worry. Try your best to keep the average on most days close to the DASH plan levels.
What is the DASH eating plan? The DASH plan is promoted by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. The plan helps reduce the risk for serious health problems because it is low in: Saturated fat Cholesterol Total fat Red meat Sweets Sugary beverages The DASH plan encourages: Fruits Vegetables Fat-free or low-fat milk and dairy products Whole-grain foods Fish Poultry Nuts The DASH plan is also rich in important nutrients such as: Potassium Magnesium Calcium Protein Fiber For more information on the DASH Diet: https://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/wellness-community/health-information/dash-diet
Homemaker Highlights The Extension Office Auditorium is open for meetings of 30 or less. A club representative must sign the agreement and ensure members follow UK policies (including social distancing guidelines, masks, and limited participants). Please reach out to LaToya with questions. There are still a few Homemaker shirts for sale! Be ready for Homemaker events and purchase your Caligraphy Creations in KY (Kaleigh Gibson) produced shirt! ($14, S-XL; $15, XXL) Mark your calendars, the KEHA State Meeting is planned for June 22-23, 2021 at the Sloan Convention Center and Holiday Inn University Plaza in Bowling Green. The cancellation of the 2020 KEHA State Meeting has increased the number of state-level positions open for election in 2021. Credentials are sought for a total of eleven positions. Credentials for all positions must be postmarked no later than May 22, 2021, and sent by certified mail. Details are available on the KEHA website and a video series is launching on the KEHA Facebook page this week. June's Lesson on "Eating Local with Local Markets," will be a mailout lesson. Much gratitude to all of the homemakers who donated supplies to the annual Community Baby Shower!
Bean Soup Lucheon 2020