Below is a simple list of Actions that will help you control your High Blood Pressure.
1. Maintain a healthy weight
Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing high blood pressure. In fact, your blood pressure rises as your body weight increases. Losing even 10 pounds can lower your Blood Pressure.
One of the ways to determine your normal weight range is body mass index or BMI.
- Also you can Check with your health care provider to see if you need to lose weight.
- If you do, lose weight slowly using a healthy eating plan and engaging in physical activity. Lose no more than 1/2 pound to 2 pounds a week.
- For losing weight you have to eat fewer calories than you use up in daily activities.
2. Be physically active
Being physically active is one of the most important things you can do to prevent or control high blood pressure. It also helps to reduce your risk of heart disease. Use stairs instead of an elevator, get off a bus one or two stops early, or park your car at the far end of the lot at work.
- Engage in physical activity for a total of 30 minutes on most days of the week.
- Combine everyday chores with moderate-level sporting activities, such as walking, to achieve your physical activity goals.
3. Follow a healthy eating plan
- Set up a healthy eating plan with foods low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol, and high in fruits, vegetables, and lowfat dairy foods such as the DASH eating plan.
- Write down everything that you eat and drink in a food diary. Note areas that are successful or need improvement.
- If you are trying to lose weight, choose an eating plan that is lower in calories.
4. Reduce sodium in your diet
With herbs, spices, garlic, and onions, you can make your food spicy without salt and sodium. There’s no reason why eating less sodium should make your food any less delicious!
- Choose foods that are low in salt and other forms of sodium.
- Use spices, garlic, and onions to add flavor to your meals without adding more sodium.
5. Drink alcohol only in moderation
Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure. It also can harm the liver, brain, and heart. Alcoholic drinks also contain calories, which matters if you are trying to lose weight.
- In addition to hypertention, too much alcohol can add unneeded calories to your diet.
- If you drink alcoholic beverages, have only a moderate amount—one drink a day for women, two drinks a day for men.
6. Meditation or deep breathing Exercise
Stress over time may trigger hypertension. Practicing Meditation or deep breathing sessions daily reduces stress.
7. Take prescribed drugs as directed
If you have high blood pressure, the lifestyle habits noted above may not lower your blood pressure enough. If they don’t, you’ll need to take drugs. It’s important that you take your drugs as prescribed. That can prevent a heart attack, stroke, and congestive heart failure, which is a serious condition in which the heart cannot pump as much blood as the body needs
- If you need drugs to help lower your blood pressure, you still must follow the lifestyle changes mentioned above.
- Use notes and other reminders to help you remember to take your drugs. Ask your family to help you with reminder phone calls and messages
8. Get support
Supportive family and friends can help improve your health. They may encourage you to take care of yourself, drive you to the doctor’s office or embark on an exercise program with you to keep your blood pressure low.
If you find you need support beyond your family and friends, consider joining a support group. This may put you in touch with people who can give you an emotional or morale boost and who can offer practical tips to cope with your condition.
Understanding Blood pressure
Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of arteries. Blood pressure rises and falls throughout the day. When blood pressure stays elevated over time, it’s called high blood pressure. The medical term for high blood pressure is hypertension.
Hypertension is dangerous because it makes the heart work too hard and overtime may result in other conditions, such as congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and blindness.
Disclaimer
No content on this site should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinicians.
Credits:
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/heart/hbp_low.pdf
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