In our daily routine life, most people are unaware that they have high blood pressure. The reason being that Hypertension, also known as ‘Silent Killer’ does not show any symptoms. But unknowingly it raises your chances of having both a heart attack and stroke.
What causes hypertension or High Blood pressure?
Hypertension is the result of the forceful movement of blood through arteries. This increases the pressure on the delicate tissue in the arteries and damages the blood vessels.
Have you done a blood pressure check?
Men above the age of 45 and women above 55 should undergo a blood pressure check regularly even if they do not experience any symptoms. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury and is considered to be normal if it is lower than 120/80 mm Hg. But if your pressure exceeds 130/80mm Hg you’re at risk for developing high blood pressure. One should not panic in this situation; just consult your doctor or online chemists they can advise you on how to maintain your blood pressure.
Here are 7 easy changes you can make in your lifestyle to maintain normal blood pressure.
1. Reduce weight and Exercise regularly:
Overweight is a major factor in causing high blood pressure. Thus losing weight is most effective for controlling blood pressure. Even losing as little as 10 pounds is helpful. Blood pressure reduces by about 1 mm of mercury with 2.2 pounds of weight loss.
Monitoring weight around the waistline is also simultaneously important. More weight around your waist causes a greater risk of high blood pressure. Men should not have waist measurement greater than 40 inches and women should not cross 35 inches.
The best way of reducing weight and lowering high blood pressure is through exercise. Regular exercise helps the proper pumping of the heart and keeps it strong. This lowers the pressure in your arteries, forty minutes of daily exercise is recommended. Hiking, jogging, and swimming are beneficial. Also, weight lifting and pushups help in building lean muscle mass. If your busy schedule does not permit exercising you can increase activities like climbing stairs, walking instead of driving, doing household chores, gardening, and playing a team sport frequently.
2. Develop healthy eating habits and increase potassium intake:
Eating a diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables lowers your blood pressure. And potassium intake lessens the effect of salt in your system and eases tension in blood vessels. Leafy vegetables, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, melons, bananas, oranges, apricots, milk, yogurt, tuna, Selam, nuts, seeds, and beans are rich in potassium and should be included in your daily diet.
However, an individual with kidney disease should consult a doctor before increasing potassium intake in the diet.
3. Reduce sodium intake in your diet and Cut back on sugar and refined carbohydrates:
A minimum intake of sodium is important for lowering blood pressure. Eating too much sodium retains fluids and leads to a sharp rise in blood pressure. Even a small reduction in sodium intake improves heart health and reduces blood pressure. One teaspoon of salt has 2300mg of sodium, so use herbs and spices instead of salt to add flavor to your food. Avoid eating processed foods and food items like bread and rolls, pizza, canned soup, chips, sandwiches, cured meat, and poultry which has a high amount of sodium.
Also restricting sugar and refined carbohydrates help in losing weight and it lowers blood pressure. A low carb diet lowers blood pressure by 4.5mm/5.9mm.
4. Quit smoking:
Smoking causes an immediate and temporary increase in your blood pressure and an increase in heart rate. The chemical in tobacco damages your blood vessel walls, causes inflammation and narrows your arteries which causes high blood pressure. A chain smoker is at a greater risk for developing high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. People who quit smoking reduce the risk of heart disease, live longer, and improve overall health.
5. Limit alcohol:
Depending upon the consumption alcohol can be both good and bad for your health. A low to moderate amount of alcohol can potentially lower blood pressure by about 4 mm Hg and protect your heart. A moderate drink is limited to one drink a day for women and two a day for men. One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, and 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.
But drinking an excessive amount of alcohol can lead to a lot of health issues including high blood pressure. It also reduces the effectiveness of certain blood pressure medication.
6. Stress Less:
In today’s fast-paced world it is difficult for people to slow down and relax. Thus people are constantly in stress to meet their increasing demands. Chronic stress can contribute to high blood pressure. Occasional stress can also temporarily raise your blood pressure as you may develop drinking and smoking habits to relieve stress. Finding reasons for one’s stress is helpful in coping with it in a healthier way. Stress can be relieved by practicing deep breathing, reading a book, watching a comedy movie, listening to light music, or taking a walk. Practicing yoga and meditation helps in reducing stress. A restful and scheduled sleep also reduces stress and thus lowers blood pressure.
7. Eat dark chocolate or cocoa and cut on caffeine:
Dark chocolate and cocoa powder contain a plant compound (flavonoids) that helps relax blood vessels. Eating one or two square of dark chocolates lowers blood pressure and inflammation and reduces the risk of heart disease
Caffeine raises your blood pressure but the effect is temporary and it varies from person to person. Thus it is recommended that people with high blood pressure should reduce caffeine intake as caffeine raises the blood pressure which is already high.
Conclusion:
Home monitoring also helps in keeping a constant watch on your blood pressure and keeps you alert about potential complications related to your health. Blood pressure monitors are easily available from any of the authorized UK Pharmacy.
High blood pressure is not a panic situation if proper care and medication are followed, all you need to do is bring a change in your lifestyle by following these easy steps and live a healthy and fruitful life.
