High blood pressure is a common condition that many people don’t know they have because symptoms don’t always show. If left untreated, there are serious and life-threatening complications that can occur. There is a greater risk of a heart attack and you may also increase the likelihood of suffering from a stroke. If aware of the condition, high blood pressure can be prevented, managed and reduced by making some prudent changes to how you live your life.
High blood pressure is believed to affect one in four people within the United Kingdom. Across the Atlantic Ocean, nearly one-third of Americans suffer from elevated blood pressure and hypertension.
Unfortunately, many of those who are experiencing high blood pressure are unaware of their condition, this is because their symptoms are not visible. Signs of hypertension and high blood pressure can easily be dismissed as suffering from everyday stress or headaches.
The best way to find out if you suffer from high blood pressure is to have your readings regularly checked. A trained health professional can measure your readings, or you can use home testing monitors. Items such as Fitbit style fitness tracker also have the facility to measure your readings at any time of the day.
Remember if high blood pressure if left untreated, your arteries can thicken and harden. This will increase the risk of heart attack or a stroke.
The following changes to your lifestyle can help keep blood pressure at safe levels, which will prevent the condition from developing to a point that will seriously impact your quality of life.
Indulge in Physical Exercise.
Being physically active regularly can help lower your blood pressure. Exercising helps to strengthen your heart and encourage steady blood flow throughout your circulation. Cycling, swimming and running are a great way to improve your wellbeing. Walking each day also helps your blood pressure drop and it can be at a pace that does not wear you out.
Try to avoid over strenuous exercises such as weightlifting and weight training sd this can often make your high blood pressure worse.
Lose Some Weight.
Losing any excess weight can help to lower your blood pressure. A streamlined body is a healthier body and a good diet will cut down on the fats that may be causing your arteries to become constricted.
Experts encourage you to keep your body fit, healthy and in good shape.
They recommend that a male should have a waist that measures no more than 102cm (40 inches).
If you are a female, then they would like you to have a waist that is less than 88cm (35 inches).
Beware of Caffeine.
Drinking less caffeinated drinks such as coffee can lower your elevated blood pressure. Other caffeinated drinks like cola can also make an impact on both blood sugar levels an blood pressure. The raising of blood pressure after drinking a beverage that contains caffeine is temporary. Health professionals recommend that you switch to decaffeinated coffee and tea.
Manage Your Diet Better.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet can also keep blood pressure in check. Certain foods can upset your blood pressure. Liquorice contains glycyrrhizinic acid that causes your blood pressure to rise in response to biochemical reactions.
Many government bodies and health organisations advise us to consider eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. These can be either fresh, frozen or tinned. This combined with eating at least one portion of oily fish, such as salmon, sardines and mackerel, can improve your health.
Reduce the Level of Salt in Your Diet.
It has been suggested by some studies that eating less salt is key to eating a healthy diet and lowering your high blood pressure.
You should aim to have less than 5g (one teaspoon) a day. Of course, checking with a health professional will help you to understand how much salt you should be eating. If you have an active lifestyle and live in a hot climate, you may need to keep an eye on those levels.
Reduce Your Alcohol Intake.
Cutting down on alcohol is also important for controlling your blood pressure. In the United Kingdom, they encourage people to reduce their alcohol intake to less than 4 units of alcohol per day and they encourage people not to drink to excess or every single day.
Just three drinks of alcohol can increase your blood pressure for a measured period. Yet, consuming alcohol over a longer-term tends to permanently raise your blood pressure and it also leads to other negative effects to your physical health.
The best way to find out if you suffer from high blood pressure is to have your readings regularly checked. A trained health professional can measure your readings, or you can use home testing monitors. Items such as Fitbit style fitness tracker also have the facility to measure your readings at any time of the day.
Remember if high blood pressure if left untreated, your arteries can thicken and harden. This will increase the risk of heart attack or a stroke.
The following changes to your lifestyle can help keep blood pressure at safe levels, which will prevent the condition from developing to a point that will seriously impact your quality of life.
Indulge in Physical Exercise.
Being physically active regularly can help lower your blood pressure. Exercising helps to strengthen your heart and encourage steady blood flow throughout your circulation. Cycling, swimming and running are a great way to improve your wellbeing. Walking each day also helps your blood pressure drop and it can be at a pace that does not wear you out.
Try to avoid over strenuous exercises such as weightlifting and weight training sd this can often make your high blood pressure worse.
Lose Some Weight.
Losing any excess weight can help to lower your blood pressure. A streamlined body is a healthier body and a good diet will cut down on the fats that may be causing your arteries to become constricted.
Experts encourage you to keep your body fit, healthy and in good shape.
They recommend that a male should have a waist that measures no more than 102cm (40 inches).
If you are a female, then they would like you to have a waist that is less than 88cm (35 inches).
Beware of Caffeine.
Drinking less caffeinated drinks such as coffee can lower your elevated blood pressure. Other caffeinated drinks like cola can also make an impact on both blood sugar levels an blood pressure. The raising of blood pressure after drinking a beverage that contains caffeine is temporary. Health professionals recommend that you switch to decaffeinated coffee and tea.
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| A poor diet can raise blood pressure. |
Manage Your Diet Better.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet can also keep blood pressure in check. Certain foods can upset your blood pressure. Liquorice contains glycyrrhizinic acid that causes your blood pressure to rise in response to biochemical reactions.
Many government bodies and health organisations advise us to consider eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. These can be either fresh, frozen or tinned. This combined with eating at least one portion of oily fish, such as salmon, sardines and mackerel, can improve your health.
Reduce the Level of Salt in Your Diet.
It has been suggested by some studies that eating less salt is key to eating a healthy diet and lowering your high blood pressure.
You should aim to have less than 5g (one teaspoon) a day. Of course, checking with a health professional will help you to understand how much salt you should be eating. If you have an active lifestyle and live in a hot climate, you may need to keep an eye on those levels.
Reduce Your Alcohol Intake.
 |
| Exercise can lower blood pressure. |
Cutting down on alcohol is also important for controlling your blood pressure. In the United Kingdom, they encourage people to reduce their alcohol intake to less than 4 units of alcohol per day and they encourage people not to drink to excess or every single day.
Just three drinks of alcohol can increase your blood pressure for a measured period. Yet, consuming alcohol over a longer-term tends to permanently raise your blood pressure and it also leads to other negative effects to your physical health.
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