The Effect of Chinese Food Therapy on Community Dwelling Chinese Hypertensive Patients with Yin-deficiency

Objectives: The objectives of this study are to evaluate the effectiveness of Chinese food therapy in correcting the Yin-deficiency and to examine its impact on the patients' quality of life and hypertension control.

Background: Epidemiological studies have shown 14-50% of people with hypertension have Yin-deficiency. Whether restoring the Yin-Yang balance by means of Chinese food therapy can help to better manage patients with hypertension has yet to be examined.

Design: Two groups randomised controlled trial.

Methods: Eighty-five hypertensive patients recruited from two community health service centre were divided into two groups. The intervention group (n = 48) received specific dietary instructions and corresponding management of their antihypertensive medication if indicated and brief health education, whilst the control group (n = 37) received routine support involving only brief health education. Data were collected at baseline, after intervention at four, eight, 12 and 16 weeks follow-up. Comparisons were made to examine the effects of Chinese food therapy on Yin-deficiency symptoms, blood pressure and quality of life of hypertensive patients.

Results: The intervention group had reduction in the numbers of antihypertensive medication taken as well as improvement in most of the Yin-deficiency symptoms after 12 weeks of Chinese food therapy and mean scores of several SF-36 dimensions were higher than that of in the control group after 12 and 16 weeks follow-up. Significant difference was found in systolic blood pressure in the intervention group when it was compared from baseline to after four and eight weeks respectively.

Conclusion: Chinese Food Therapy can restore body constitution with Yin-Yang imbalance and may potentially improve hypertensive patients' quality of life. It is also beneficial in controlling blood pressure in hypertensive patients.

Relevance To Clinical Practice: Chinese food therapy may become a complementary therapy in health care and it should be a component of nursing education and health education.