Amara Aladel, physician: "If you have high blood pressure, you should reduce salt intake, but not eliminate it."

Hypertension is a sustained elevation of blood pressure levels over time. Also known as high blood pressure. It is a condition in which the force of the blood against the walls of the arteries is too high . This force is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and has two components: systolic pressure (the top number) and diastolic pressure (the bottom number) . Diet plays an important role in this context, although salt itself isn't responsible for "everything," according to one doctor.

Thus, emergency physician Amara Aladel published a video on social media in which she began by warning that "high blood pressure doesn't give warning," so the best measure of all is to maintain health with a balanced diet and exercise. If you're still diagnosed with high blood pressure, the specialist shares some tips for lowering it.

Taking medication and forgetting everything else is not an option; neither is giving up salt.

Aladel advocates a comprehensive approach to hypertension, which is influenced by a multitude of factors and which doesn't simply improve by taking a pill. "Taking antihypertensive medication isn't the complete solution, far from it, but it's essential to support treatment with appropriate lifestyle habits ."

Debunking some more stereotypes, the emergency room doctor talks about coffee, another product that is almost automatically eliminated when a diagnosis of hypertension is made. “ Quitting coffee isn't as decisive as we imagine. As long as you consume it in moderation and don't overindulge, it's not a problem.”

Nor is salt, which is believed to eliminate hypertension if completely eliminated from the diet. Definitely not. "We should reduce salt consumption, yes, but we shouldn't eliminate it completely because that would have negative consequences for the body, since sodium is necessary ," he warns.

These are the three measures that work best against hypertension

In third place among the expert's top three is the undeniable recommendation of practicing some form of regular physical activity, something that should be done routinely to keep blood pressure levels at the right level . Furthermore, making potassium-rich foods a dietary ally is another essential measure. "Both bananas and avocados are fantastic for combating hypertension."

And what would be the star measure, the one that Dr. Amara Aladel considers essential for controlling hypertension? Eliminate (in this case, yes, 100%) ultra-processed foods , the true enemies of desirable health. “ Eliminate ultra-processed foods and you'll see how your blood pressure practically regulates itself. And if you make excuses and tell me you don't have time, it's your heart that doesn't have time, nor your brain, nor your kidneys,” she concludes bluntly.

Finally, and as is logical, Aladel clarifies that this advice is of a general nature, that each case of hypertension is unique, and that under no circumstances will an informative video replace a consultation with a doctor.

References

Yiu-Hei Tse, Choi-Yee Tuet, Kui-Kai Lau, Hung-Fat Tse. 'Dietary modification for prevention and control of high blood pressure'. Published in National Library of Medicine. Consulted online at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37286197/ on July 28, 2025.

Paul K. Whelton, Robert M. Carey, Wilbert S. Aronow, Donald E. Casey jr, Karen J. Collins, Cheryl Dennison Himmelfarb, Sondra M. DePalma, Samuel Gidding, etc. 'Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults: Executive Summary: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines'. 2018 Jun;71(6):1269-1324. Accessed online at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29133354/ on July 28, 2025.