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Ways To Control High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
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Healthy Living

Ways To Control High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

Sam  Views: 2511  4 min read

Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood in arteries. Hypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 140 mmHg or more, or a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 90 mmHg or more. In other words, high blood pressure is blood pressure higher than 140/90 mmHg.

High blood pressure is dangerous  because it makes heart work too hard, stiffens the walls of arteries. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can eventually lead to heart and kidney diseases, stroke and blindness.

High blood pressure can be lowered by following ways.

Maintain healthy body weight

Maintaining healthy weight improves the overall functioning of the body. It offers several benefits such as, easy digestion, less strains on joints, less strain on heart and arteries. Studies show reducing a little weight can help lower blood pressure. Blood pressure often rises as weight increases. Furthermore, obesity can cause disrupted breathing while sleep, which further raises blood pressure,

Maintaining healthy body weight is one of the  effective lifestyle changes for controlling blood pressure. Losing just 10 pounds ( 4.5 kilograms) can help lower blood pressure.

Along with losing extra pounds, keeping an eye on waistline is an another way to control blood pressure. Too much weight around the waist is a risk factor for high blood pressure. Men are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches and women are at risk if their measurement is greater than 35 inches.

Regular physical activity

Regular physical activity at least for 30 minutes most days of the week can decrease blood pressure by 4 to 9 mmHg. Moreover, it also helps to lose weight. The best types of exercise are walking, jogging, cycling, swimming or dancing.

Regular physical activity strengthens heart and helps heart work more efficiently. Heart does not have to work hard to pump blood which in turn lowers the force on arteries.

Eat a healthy diet

DASH  diet is highly recommended for controlling high blood pressure. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It is rich in fruits, vegetables, fat- free or low fat milk and milk products, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, seeds and nuts. It also contains less sodium, sweets and added sugars. This heart healthy way of eating is low in saturated fat, trans fats and cholesterol and rich in nutrients that are associated with reducing blood pressure- mainly potassium, magnesium, calcium, protein and fiber. Following this diet can lower blood pressure by up to 14 mmHg.

Reduce sodium intake

Small reduction in the sodium intake can lower blood pressure by 2 to 8 mmHg. The American Heart Association recommends people with high blood pressure to keep sodium intake below 1500 milligrams per day. Consider following tips to lower sodium intake.

-Eat fewer processed foods.

Most sodium is added during processing. Only small amount of  sodium occurs naturally in foods. Preparing food at home is one of the effective ways to lower sodium intake.

-Do not add salt.

Use spice instead of salt to add flavor to food.

-Read food labels carefully.

Select low sodium containing foods and beverages if possible.

-Ease into it.

Cut back sodium gradually.

Limit alcohol intake

Studies show that consumption of more than two drinks a day increases the risk of hypertension for both men and women. Men should not drink more than two drink a day and women should not drink more than one drink a day.

Quit smoking

Quitting smoking lowers blood pressure and prolong life. Studies show that people who quit smoking, regardless of age, have substantial increase in life expectancy.

Relax

Chronic stress is one of the factors which contributes to high blood pressure. Occasional stress also can lead to high blood pressure, if react to stress by consuming unhealthy food, drinking alcohol or smoking. Find out the cause of stress such as, work, family, illness and consider how they can be dealt with.

Try mind body exercise like yoga. Listen to calming music or make music. Sitting in sun can boost feel good chemicals called endorphins and lower blood pressure. Meditation can also help with stress.


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Sam
Sam
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