Hypertension & Diabetes

Diabetes and hypertension occur together so frequently that they are considered as "comorbidites" or diseases likely to be present in the same patient. Unfortunately, high blood pressure makes diabetes even more dangerous while diabetes makes high blood pressure more difficult to treat

The two diseases are likely to occur together because they share a common set of risk factors. One of which concerns Body Mass. Being overweight significantly increases the risk of both diseases. Another factor is Diet. High fat diets rich in salt and processed sugars are known to contribute to the development of organ problems that can lead to both hypertension and diabetes. Activity Level is another factor. A sedentary lifestyle makes insulin less effective which can lead to diabetes and can lead to the development of stiff blood vessels, increasing the risk of hypertension.

Statistics have it that diabetics are six times more likely to suffer a first heart attack and three to eight times more likely to die from heart disease than those without the disease. Because of the complications that diabetes can bring to those with or without hypertension, it is but wise to take efforts to avoid the risk factors leading to the disease. Aside from engaging in regular exercise to manage one's weight, one should also avoid food rich in fat, sugar and salt. Fortunately, controlling one's salt intake need not be difficult as PANSALT^®, the low-sodium salt from Finland is now available in the market. Having the taste of common table salt while having a lower sodium content makes it the wise choice for hypertensives, diabetics and for everyone who wants to enjoy the full taste of common table salt without the unhealthy side effects.

PANSALT®, NOW Available at U.E.R.M

PANSALT^®, the low-sodium salt from Finland, is now available to the patients of U.E.R.M. Memorial Medical Center!

A Healthier Salt Alternative For Our Favorite Dishes

by Toni Tiu

Having a warm bowl of soup on a rainy day is always comforting. One of my favorite comfort foods is miswa noodle soup. I like my miswa with patola (sponge gourd), but recently our family has been enjoying the noodles with kalabasa (squash). It’s a simple dish that’s big on comfort and vitamin A.

I recently wrote about PANSALT^® , a healthier salt alternative. PANSALT^® looks like common salt, has the texture of common salt and tastes like common salt. It is however lower in sodium and rich in magnesium, potassium and iodine. We tried it on this comfort dish to see if it would yield the same flavor. The verdict? Our miswa soup with kalabasa was just as delicious.

In my head it was even more delicious because we had seasoned it in a healthier way.

Miswa Soup with Kalabasa (Squash)

 2 bunches of miswa noodles

3 slices of squash, roughly chopped (around 2 cups)

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

5 cups water(or less, depends on how thick you want your soup to be)

¼ kilo ground pork (you can omit this for a vegetarian option)
1 tbsp oil
PANSALT^® to taste

pepper to taste

Heat oil. Saute onions and garlic until translucent. Stir in ground pork and cook till almost brown. Add water and bring to a boil. Add squash and cook until tender. Add miswa noodles, stirring constantly so the strands separate. Season with pepper and PANSALT^® to taste. Serve hot. 

We also tried PANSALT^® on fried fish, a good companion to this light yet filling soup. Instead of rock salt, the tilapia was seasoned with PANSALT^® prior to frying. Upon tasting the fried fish, I was happy to learn that it was just as appetizing.    

Why are we so conscious about our seasoning? I recently shared that my husband and I are trying to be more proactive in having healthy lifestyles. High common salt intake usually results to hypertension and other health problems. My friends and relatives who have hypertension take maintenance drugs that are expensive, and they have to drink the medicine for life. Their experiences are part of the motivation my husband and I want to live more healthily. We have become more aware of how we eat, and this definitely includes how we season our food. Investing in good ingredients that promote a healthy lifestyle is worth it.

Learning about a healthier salt alternative appealed to us, and we were excited to give it a whirl. After trying PANSALT^® on some of our favorite everyday dishes, it looks like we have got a new mainstay in the kitchen pantry.

PANSALT^® is a product of Finland, so I am glad that it’s available locally. It is available in selected outlets of Mercury Drug, Landmark supermarkets, Rustan’s supermarket and many other major supermarkets. 

Here’s to healthier meals with healthier seasonings! 

Learn more about PANSALT^® from their website: http://www.pansalt.ph.  

Finding A Healthier Salt Alternative

by Toni Tiu

My husband and I have been on a healthy eating kick lately. We are trying to be healthier parents for our toddler. Today it’s about catching up with the baby as he learns to walk, and tomorrow it’s about staying strong for him even in our old age.

Our last physical check-up yielded normal results, but we knew we could still live healthier. A big chunk of living healthy is eating healthy. Given that, my husband and I have cut soft drinks out of our diet. While I’m cutting down on my rice intake, my husband is now a salad convert. We’ve said our goodbyes to table liquid seasoning. I thought we would find the transition difficult, but I’m pleasantly surprised we’ve been quite successful at it. Neither one of us is cranky too.

I think it helps a lot that there are a lot of healthier options in the market now. Before, diets meant cardboard-tasting crackers and bland-tasting slimming drinks. Now, you can savor good food without the guilt. I believe a lot of it comes with good planning and carefully assessing your ingredients. Eating healthy does take more effort but it goes without saying that it sure pays off better.

PANSALT^®, a healthier salt alternative, was something we were both interested in upon learning about it from a friend. We still love big flavors in our food, but we were pretty concerned about the dishes’ salt content. We read up on PANSALT^® and learned that it’s a low-sodium mineral salt with iodine, magnesium and potassium. It’s a product of Finland, but distributed locally too. Excited about this healthier salt, we bought a box from Mercury Drug. Initially we thought it was pricey, but we decided to treat it as an investment in good health.

One favorite treat of ours is a bowl of diced pineapples sprinkled with salt. We did the same drill with PANSALT^®,  dusting the fruit with the same amount of  PANSALT^® as we would have with regular salt. To my relief, it tasted just like regular salt with no metallic or bitter aftertaste. Surprisingly, it had the same bold flavor of regular salt. Needless to say, my husband and I were excited that we could still enjoy our flavorful dishes with a healthier salt alternative which contains only 56-57% Sodium Chloride.

I love it when I find a product that’s a great fit with my family’s lifestyle. My husband and I are looking forward to trying PANSALT^® on our favorite dishes. Right now I’m thankful that we have a healthier salt option and that we can enjoy our favorite savory dishes with less guilt!

Learn more about PANSALT^® from their website: http://www.pansalt.ph.