There is a dietary mnemonic for preventing high blood pressure: "Half a pound of milk, two ounces of meat; one pound of vegetables, eight ounces of grain. One egg, five grams of salt; fruits and green tea bring you a peaceful life. No smoking, less alcohol; be optimistic and cheerful, free from worry. A morning run every day will keep your waistline from growing." In terms of diet, one must adhere to the principle of "moderation in the five flavors":
1. Food should not be too salty: limit salt.
The daily salt intake for healthy adults should not exceed 6 grams, which includes the salt consumed through seasonings such as soy sauce, pickles, and MSG.
2. Food should not be too sweet: limit sugar.
Foods high in sugar mainly include rice, noodles, and pastries. It is recommended to combine whole grains with refined grains, such as corn, millet, beans, buckwheat, and tubers. It is best to avoid or eat less of fried cakes, youtiao (fried dough sticks), fried pastries, cream cakes, chocolate, and dairy ice cream.
3. Food should not be too greasy: limit foods high in fat.
Wang Qinghai suggests limiting the intake of high-fat foods such as livestock meat (especially fatty meat), animal fats (like lard), cream pastries, palm oil, and high-cholesterol foods such as egg products, egg yolks, animal organs, roe, and chicken or duck skin. Daily intake of fresh milk or yogurt should not exceed 250 grams. Meat consumption should be limited to 75 grams per day, mainly lean meat such as from pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, and ducks.
4. Food should not be too pungent: limit alcohol consumption.
Alcohol is also considered a "pungent" food. For those who love to drink, Wang Qinghai recommends that men consume no more than 30 grams of alcohol per day, which is less than 100-150 ml of wine (about 2-3 liang); or less than 250-500 ml of beer (about half a jin to one jin); or less than 25-50 ml of liquor (about 0.5 to 1 liang). Women should consume half of that amount, and pregnant women should not drink. High-proof spirits are not recommended.
5. Food should not be too bitter: overconsumption can lead to loss of appetite.
Bitter foods mainly include bitter lettuce, celery, mustard greens, bitter melon, and coffee. Bitterness can clear heat. The climate in Guangzhou is hot, so eating some bitter vegetables can be beneficial, helping to clear "hepatitis fire" and "heart fire." However, bitter foods are inherently cooling. Overconsumption can damage the spleen and stomach, leading to loss of appetite, abdominal pain, or diarrhea, affecting the digestion and absorption of food.
It should be noted that many elderly people are afraid of eggs, believing their cholesterol content is too high and bad for their health. In fact, except for those with very high cholesterol who should eat fewer egg yolks, there is no major problem for others eating eggs. It is also important to emphasize that moderation in diet also means not overeating. "When one eats double the amount of food, the stomach and intestines will be injured," a saying that should not be ignored. It would be even better if this could be combined with appropriate exercise and a cheerful mood.