She was surprised when her doctor initially noted her increasing blood pressure. “I thought I was doing okay,” she notes.
After the first shock, though, Nessa promised herself she would start with food first and then turn to pharmaceuticals.
She wanted something she could really live with, not a horrible experience or a crash diet. Nessa began slowly, one meal at a time redesigning her diet. Lean meats, nutritious grains seasoned with fresh herbs and citrus gradually replaced salt-heavy snacks and processed meals.
She originally concerned that a “blood pressure-friendly” diet would be burdensome. She was surprised, nevertheless, by the whole new universe of tastes it unveiled. “Learning to season with garlic, lemon, and spices instead of salt totally changed my cooking,” she notes. “It was about discovering better flavor; it was not about less taste.”
Her numbers started to shift in the correct direction a few months ago, and her mood followed suit. She was powerful, invigorated, and most importantly, in a fresh sense connected to her health. “Food started to be my daily self-care ritual,” Nessa notes. “And every meal served as a reminder that little changes indeed add up.”
