Blood Pressure

I just saw a headline in the BBC news stating that about half the people with diabetes in the UK are failing to control their blood pressure, which puts them at greater risk of heart disease, kidney failure, and stroke (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17626129).   People with diabetes often focus on controlling their blood sugar, but it is just as important to maintain a healthy blood pressure.  The numbers may look better in the US but I thought it was an important message to highlight. For some people controlling blood pressure can be a matter of lowering their salt (sodium) intake, but only some people are salt-sensitive.  For others it is important to make changes to their overall diet, lose weight, and/or exercise more.  Ideally blood pressure should be maintained below 120/80 mm Hg.  Two key studies conducted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute revealed that following a diet plan referred to as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or DASH diet can help lower blood pressure.  The DASH diet can be a healthful diet even for people who do not have high blood pressure.