Is A Low-Carb Diet Effective For High Blood Pressure.
What is High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is when the pressure in your blood vessels is unusually high.
Unfortunately, High blood pressure does not usually have many noticeable symptoms, however, you may experience any of these symptoms;
- blurred vision
- nosebleeds
- shortness of breath
- chest pain
- dizziness
- headaches.
Getting your blood pressure checked is the only way to find out.
Blood pressure is recorded with 2 numbers;
- The systolic pressure (higher number) is the force at which your heart pumps blood around your body.
- The diastolic pressure (lower number) is the resistance to the blood flow in the blood vessels between heartbeats when blood is pumped around your heart.
They’re both measured in millimetres of mercury (mm Hg).
Recent studies have shown that blood pressure is higher in men than in women at similar ages. However, after menopause, blood pressure increases in women to levels even higher than in men.
Menopause and High Blood Pressure
One of the symptoms of menopause and a condition that becomes more common post-menopause is high blood pressure.
Some healthcare professionals blame changes in hormones, others put it down to weight gain which is a common menopause symptom. I believe we need to dig a little deeper.
The hormone estrogen stimulates nitric oxide production in the body.
Nitric oxide allows your blood vessels to relax and widen so that blood can flow through them easily, helping to keep your blood pressure normal this plays an important role in protecting your cardiovascular health, and it helps to reduce your risk of a heart attack.
As estrogen declines so can the production of nitric oxide which suggests this is the reason women catch up with men in the heart attack statistics as we age. More about nitric oxide later.
As levels of oestrogen fluctuate you might notice symptoms including irregular heartbeats or palpitations, sometimes this is accompanied by a hot flush.
Palpitations can be worse at night, when estrogen levels are usually at their lowest.
While palpitations can feel alarming, in most cases they are usually harmless, however, you should seek medical advice if you experience any of the following or just don’t feel right;
- Palpitations last for several minutes
- Are accompanied by shortness of breath or chest pain
- Get worse over time or become more frequent
- If they do not improve with treatment
A growing body of evidence suggests that low-carb or ketogenic diets may be beneficial for managing high blood pressure.
These dietary approaches promote weight loss, improve insulin sensitivity, and may enhance nitric oxide production.
By minimising carbohydrate intake, low-carb/ketogenic diets help stabilise blood sugar levels and reduce insulin resistance, factors that can influence blood pressure regulation.
Furthermore, ketogenic diets have been shown to increase the production of ketone bodies, which can serve as alternative energy sources for the brain and other tissues.
Ketones have been implicated in enhancing nitric oxide synthesis and improving vascular tone and blood flow, potentially contributing to blood pressure reduction.
What is a Low-Carb Diet?
You will probably remember the re-introduction of the Atkins diet in the 1990’s, it was first released in 1972 but the history of a low-carbohydrate diet being used for weight loss goes back over 200 years.
A low-carb diet means cutting carbohydrates to 130g maximum per day, it doesn’t mean cutting carbohydrates from your diet altogether.
Every gram of carbohydrate in your body holds 3 grams of water, the clue is in the name carbo-HYDRATE. Our body needs water to survive and carbohydrates are a great way to store water in the body.
This is how poor carbohydrates have got such as bad rap for causing weight gain.
Have you ever joined a slimming club?
People who join slimming clubs often lose large amounts of weight within the first few weeks, this is water weight and why weight loss slows down and even stalls over time.
The only weight we should be concerned about losing is excess fat and this means taking control of fat storage hormones and making your body able to metabolically adapt.
A History of Carbohydrates
In the 1980s and 1990s with the poor scientific information about diets high in fat causing heart disease, a low-fat diet was all the rage and recommended to anyone who wanted to lose weight, however, doctors knew 200 years ago that this would not work.
With a more widespread understanding of what a calorie was the medical world had a villain to blame for weight gain and so the obsession began to manipulate calories for weight management.
Food labels showing nutrition facts were first introduced in the UK in 1996, how on earth did we all manage before this? haha!
The food traffic light labelling was introduced as recently as 2013. This system will tell you whether a food has high, medium or low amounts of fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt. It will also tell you the number of calories and kilojoules in that particular product.
In my opinion, it doesn’t give you enough information for overall health.
You have to scan the small print to find the protein content which is extremely important when planning a well-balanced meal, and if your menopausal eyesight is anything like mine the small print provides yet another obstacle.
Food labels are still demonising fat intake which carries many essential nutrients and contributes to food satisfaction and satiety.
Counting calories and deciphering food labels has contributed to the disconnect from our bodies.
Too many women are slaves to scientific information rather than the intuitive signals of their bodies. I was certainly one of them, for a long time.
The human body isn’t controlled by calories, it is controlled by hormones.
If you want to control your health, you must control your hormones.
One hundred calories is one hundred calories whether that is from pasta, melon or salmon but it is your hormones that decide what to do with those calories and that is the key.
A low-carb diet for high blood pressure
Counting calories or macros can be an obstacle to sticking with any eating plan.
It can be exciting to start something new and you are full of motivation but it is time-consuming and puts food in control of your body rather than you, listening to the signals your body is sending.
So how can you follow a low-carb diet without counting calories or the number of carbohydrates?
This question takes us back to a well-balanced meal.
If you are including enough protein-rich foods (download my protein cheatsheet) and enough healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds and full-fat dairy there is only so much room left for carbohydrates.
For instance, if you chose two Weetabix plus a banana and skimmed milk for breakfast, you would be forgiven for thinking that is healthy, it is, but it isn’t well-balanced and is very high in carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates increase blood glucose levels and signal to the body to increase insulin levels. Without a good balance of protein and fat, blood glucose levels will drop quickly leaving you hungry and craving your next snack or meal. This doesn’t mean you have no willpower, it is biological.
Not all carbohydrates are created equally.
There are starchy and non-starchy carbohydrates, and there are ultra-processed carbohydrates too but I will talk about these in another post.
Your starchy carbs are potatoes, root vegetables, grains and wheat. They provide the body with quick-release energy along with a variety of nutrients, however, they are easy to overeat (eat beyond comfortable fullness) and give the body a quick sugar high if not well balanced.
Non-starchy carbs are your fruit and vegetables, interestingly raw carrots are considered non-starchy until they are cooked. These carbohydrates provide many micronutrients supporting the body to reduce oxidative stress, they also provide soluble and non-soluble fibre, which act as a prebiotic for our microbiome. Non-starchy carbohydrates keep you feeling fuller for longer as although they bypass the small intestine signals for fullness the stomach measures the volumes, think about drinking a glass of orange juice versus 5 oranges, a glass of juice wouldn’t fill your stomach as much as the oranges with all their fibre.
Therefore if you want to try implementing a low-carb diet to regain healthy blood pressure levels, creating well-balanced meals with protein, and healthy fats and focusing on fibre for your carbs as well as foods low in added sugar could be a good thing as a first-line treatment.
If you are on blood pressure medication please make sure you speak to your health care professional before making any changes.
A Ketogenic Diet for High Blood Pressure
Taking low-carb a step further you may be familiar with the term ‘Keto Diet’.
When following a keto diet the number of carbs is limited to just 30 grams per day.
A Ketogenic Diet is a high-fat diet with moderate protein and very low in carbohydrates. It was originally used as a treatment for epilepsy but does appear to help people lose weight and control blood sugar at least short term.
There may also be benefits such as improved insulin resistance and metabolic switching (using fat for energy as well as glucose). Of studies done on a Keto Diet, study participants have reported lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. There is also growing interest in the use of low-carb diets for type 2 diabetes treatment.
If you are interested in following a Ketogenic Diet but don’t know where to start you can purchase my 7-Day Keto Meal Plan HERE for just £29.99.
This carefully curated 7-day meal plan includes 15 recipes, a prep guide and a shopping list. It takes the following key considerations:
- This meal plan is low in carbohydrates and is beneficial in improving features of metabolic syndrome, blood glucose management, and cardiovascular risk.
- This gluten-free, grain-free, low-glycemic meal plan provides a net carbohydrate quantity of less than 30 grams per day. High-fibre, complex carbohydrates such as vegetables and nuts are paired with fats and protein to optimise insulin and energy levels. This sugar-free plan avoids artificial sweeteners as these can negatively alter gut microbiota.
- Following a ketogenic plan with good-quality fats can improve cholesterol levels. Replacing carbohydrates with good fats such as avocado increases satiety and stabilises blood sugars.
- This program incorporates omega-3 fatty acids from walnuts and EPA and DHA from salmon. These fats are associated with improved cognitive function, cardiovascular benefits, and reduced inflammation.
- Calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus are minerals essential for building and maintaining healthy bones. These minerals are also commonly lacking in the ketogenic diet, resulting in nutrient deficiencies.
- This meal plan uses calcium-rich ingredients like cheddar cheese, coconut milk, salmon, and kale. Magnesium and phosphorus are incorporated from food sources like spinach, avocado, eggs, and chicken. Protein is an essential nutrient for bone health and makes up over 20% of the daily calories in this plan.
- Zinc and selenium are critical to support immune function. These minerals are also commonly deficient in the ketogenic diet. You can find zinc sources in this meal plan from chicken and cheese. Selenium is incorporated daily from eggs, turkey, and spinach.
What Next?
Every menopause journey, set of symptoms and individual lifestyle is unique.
If you would like to chat with me about your unique menopause transition, book a Wild Well-Being call and come away inspired and motivated to begin your journey to optimal health.