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"Your blood pressure may be a bit high, you need to be careful!" Doctor Zhang Dawei said to Zhang Ming on the bed while looking at the medical records.
Zhang Ming just turned 40 this year, an accountant of a state-owned enterprise. I stayed up late the night before and worked overtime, and I went back to bed in the morning without eating. By the time he woke up in a daze, it was already noon, and his stomach was rumbling with hunger. Zhang Ming got up and was about to find something to eat, but as soon as he stood up, he felt that the world was spinning, his eyes were dark, and he fell to the ground with a thud. This scared Zhang Ming a lot, he struggled to get up, and muttered in his heart: What's wrong with this body, why is it like this after a long fasting time?
At the hospital, the doctor Zhang Dawei examined him, measured his blood pressure and electrocardiogram, and then gave a preliminary diagnosis: his blood pressure was high and needed further examination. This made Zhang Minghou frightened and began to think seriously about his health problems.
As temperatures rise, so does the incidence of cardiovascular disease. Doctor Zhang Dawei particularly emphasized that there are two things that are cardiovascular "killers" in summer, one is excessive salt, and the other is high-sugar drinks.
Let's start with salt, which is a must-have in the Chinese kitchen. Many families pay attention to "heavy taste" when cooking, and put more salt to make the dishes more fragrant. However, sodium ions in salt are one of the important factors that lead to high blood pressure. Excessive sodium intake increases blood volume, which leads to an increase in blood pressure and increases the burden on the heart. A long-term high-salt diet not only predisposes to high blood pressure, but also leads to arteriosclerosis and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
"I have a patient, surnamed Wang, forty-five years old, who is a cook and deals with salt every day. He likes salty flavors and can eat twice as much salt in a day as a normal person. As a result, he developed high blood pressure at a young age and was later hospitalized for heart disease. If it is not discovered in time, the consequences are unimaginable. Dr. Zhang Dawei said, looking helpless.
Let's take a look at high-sugar drinks. In recent summers, the beverage market is diverse, carbonated drinks, fruit juice drinks, milk tea drinks, etc., are common choices for people to relieve the heat. However, the sugar content of these beverages is frighteningly high, especially carbonated drinks, which are close to or even exceed the World Health Organization's recommended daily intake per bottle. Excessive sugar intake not only leads to obesity, but also triggers insulin resistance and increases the risk of diabetes. Diabetes and cardiovascular disease are inextricably linked, with diabetes increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
"I remember a young man, Xiao Li, who was only twenty-five years old, was a programmer. In the summer, I like to drink Coke, and I can drink three or four bottles a day. As a result, the weight gained rapidly, and high blood sugar was also detected. Later, I had to quit high-sugar drinks and drink plain water to control my blood sugar. Dr. Zhang Dawei said.
Zhang Ming was frightened when he heard this, and nodded again and again. He remembered that he usually ate a lot of salt and drank drinks frequently, so it was no wonder that there were problems with his body. This hospitalization was a wake-up call for him to start paying attention to his health and getting rid of his bad eating habits.
Speaking of which, Dr. Zhang Dawei also provided some data. According to the report on the status of nutrition and chronic diseases of Chinese residents (2020), the prevalence of hypertension among adults in China has reached 27.9% and is on the rise. According to other data, more than 17 million deaths due to cardiovascular diseases occur globally each year, accounting for 31% of all deaths worldwide. Among them, a diet high in salt and sugar is an important influencing factor.
During Zhang Ming's hospitalization, the hospital received several more patients, one of whom was an old lady, Aunt Li, in her 60s, who was also hospitalized for heart disease caused by high blood pressure. There is also a young man, just 30 years old, named Zhao Lei, who was hospitalized because of long-term consumption of high-sugar drinks and excessive weight, which caused the heart to be overloaded.
"You must be careful that although it is hot in summer, don't be greedy for cold and drink too many cold high-sugar drinks. Also, cook with less salt and eat more fresh vegetables and fruits. Maintaining a light diet is good for the body. Dr. Cheung keeps admonishing these patients, hoping that they will learn from their bad habits and break their bad habits.
Zhang Ming secretly made up his mind that he must change his lifestyle after being discharged from the hospital. He began to learn about nutrition, paid attention to healthy eating, and developed a healthy life plan: eat light meals every day, drink plenty of plain water, exercise regularly, and maintain a good sleep schedule.
At home, Zhang Ming also began to influence his family. His wife, Wang Li, is a housewife who usually likes to put a lot of salt in cooking. He discussed with his wife to try to put as little salt as possible and make some light dishes. The children used to like to drink sweet drinks, and Zhang Ming bought them a juicer to juice fresh fruit instead of high-sugar drinks.
Zhang Ming is very pleased with the changes in his family, and he feels that his health awareness has gradually improved, and his physical condition has also improved. However, one day, Zhang Ming suddenly received a phone call from his mother. It turned out that my mother was also recently hospitalized for high blood pressure.
Zhang Ming hurried to the hospital and found that his mother's condition was similar to his before, and it was also due to blood pressure problems caused by a high-salt diet and high-sugar drinks. This made Zhang Ming even more determined to eat healthily, and he began to urge the whole family to pay attention to a healthy diet and prevent cardiovascular diseases.
After a period of hard work, the health of Zhang Ming and his family has improved significantly. Zhang Ming said with emotion: "Health is really important, if you don't pay attention to it, once something goes wrong, it's too late to regret it." ”
So, how can you relieve the heat and be healthy in summer? Experts suggest that you can choose some low-sugar fruits, such as watermelon, cucumber, etc., which can not only replenish water, but also relieve the heat. At the same time, keeping the room well ventilated and drinking warm water properly can also help cool the body. In addition, regular medical check-ups are required to keep abreast of your physical condition and prevent diseases before they occur.
Finally, for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, a common question is raised: why is there a high incidence of cardiovascular diseases in summer, in addition to diet, are there other factors?
The answer is yes. In summer, the temperature is high and the human body sweats a lot, which can easily lead to electrolyte imbalance in the body, especially the imbalance of potassium and sodium ions, which affects the normal function of the heart. At the same time, high temperatures can also cause blood vessels to dilate, leading to unstable blood pressure and increasing the burden on the heart.
Therefore, to prevent cardiovascular disease in summer, we should not only pay attention to diet, but also maintain good living habits, avoid long-term exposure to high temperatures, properly replenish water and electrolytes, measure blood pressure regularly, maintain a good mood, and avoid mood swings.
Through the experience of Zhang Ming's family of five, the public is reminded that health is no trivial matter, and diet and living habits are closely related. I hope that everyone can pay attention to their own health, prevent diseases, and enjoy a healthy and happy life.
What do you have to say about this? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section!
References:
[1] Anqi He, Global Impact of Molefiable Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease, China Rehabilitation, 2024-05-25