Key tips to manage hypertension; control your blood pressure now!

Do you or any of your loved ones have hypertension? And, is it difficult for you to control blood pressure?

You apprehend the cause and also have an intrinsic diet to lower blood pressure, but it’s still affecting your health. So, how to manage hypertension or high blood pressure? Doctors consider the illness as a “silent killer” that does not have any such serious symptoms, but influences your health; especially your heart. Certainly, the health condition can lead to heart attack and stroke.

How to control blood pressure and how it works:

In the human body, blood pressure works on the amount of blood that a heart pumps, and the resistance of blood flow to the arteries. Consequently, if you have narrow arteries, that means your blood pressure is high!

Blood pressure is measured in mm Hg (millimeters of mercury). Doctors consider a range lower than 120/80 mm Hg as normal, whereas anything higher to 130/80 mm Hg is at risk. To manage hypertension or blood pressure level, it is integral to regularly check and track your blood pressure range; once in every one or two weeks.

What’s your recent blood pressure range?

Anything between the lower and higher reach is termed as “elevated blood pressure” that is easily treated without any medication. Your lifestyle is the utmost factor in treating the illness; engage yourself in physical activities and eat healthy food to reduce blood pressure level. If someone maintains a well-balanced lifestyle, they might not need any medication.

Some lifestyle changes to reduce blood pressure are:

1. Cut down some weight:

Obesity and increased body weight are the reasons for different serious illnesses including hypertension. For instance, people who are overweight face issues in breathing during sleep that gradually raise the body's blood pressure. Keeping weight in control is the primary lifestyle change that one should adopt. Consequently, if you improve your body weight, it would certainly result in reduced high blood pressure.

2. Add healthy food to your diet:

Apparently, your eating habits are one of the factors that influence your health; likewise the change in your meals impacts your blood pressure. A perfect diet to lower blood pressure include low-fat dairy products, fruits and vegetables. Certainly, you would need to cut off cholesterol and saturated fat. Begin your journey towards a healthy eating lifestyle with nominal food changes and follow it routinely; you would positively observe improved blood pressure level.

3. Eat less sodium:

As we know now, high blood pressure immensely affects our heart. Similarly, having less sodium in diet keep our blood pressure maintained and heart healthy. In simple terms, using less salt in food and restraining processed food will make things easier. As an estimate, the change in your eating lifestyle will reduce your blood pressure level by around 5 mm Hg.

4. Exercise and physical activities:

People with elevated BP can control blood pressure level by getting engaged in different physical activities. Even walking daily for 30 minutes is effective. Other integral aerobic exercises to bring down blood pressure are swimming, running, cycling and dancing. You can also try high-intense or strength training for better results. Consult with your health coach and add the physical activity to your routine; according to your current fitness status.

5. Limit or avoid caffeine:

It’s a health wrangle when we talk about caffeine as a cause of high blood pressure. Literally, it varies from person to person. For instance, if you regularly consume caffeine, then it might have a low or no effect on your health. Whereas, people who are not habituated to caffeine might observe a rise in their blood pressure level. To understand the effects, it is advised to examine your blood pressure within 30 minutes of having any caffeinated beverage. In the case of a sensitive person, the pressure might exceed 5-10 mm Hg.

6. Strict “NO” to smoking:

We can see people lighting a cigarette when they are tense or nervous. Many may consider it as a “stress-reliever” but in reality, it keeps your blood pressure high for minutes even after finishing. It is integral for people suffering with hypertension to strictly quit smoking. Or else, you are increasing the risk of various lungs and heart diseases.

7. Limit alcohol:

We cannot agree to fully restrict the consumption of alcohol. Moderate alcohol consumption certainly improves blood pressure level. Whereas, it works reverse when over consumed. Not only does it raise your BP level, but it also reduces the medicine's effectiveness. As suggested by experts, essential alcohol intake for women is 1 drink, and for men is 2 drinks per day.

8. Ease on your stress:

There could be different elements bringing stress to you; family demands, workplace pressure, and other things. Consequently, it is you who needs to find a solution and release your stress at the end of the day. Living or spending your day stressfully will end up troublesome to your heart and health. Release your stress to control high blood pressure. You can follow certain stress relief practices such as deep breathing, watch comedy movies, spending time with loved ones etc.

9. Having a restful sleep:

Struggling with a high blood pressure and staying awake late at night is not recommended. Generally, your blood pressure cools off during sleeping. Therefore, if you are not sleeping well, it's affecting your blood pressure. Try out a fixed routine to go to bed early; set up a comfortable bedroom and relax yourself before bedtime. Sleeping for 5 hours or less puts a risk of high blood pressure.

10. Never miss on your prescribed medicines:

If you have high blood pressure or are suffering from hypertension from a certain period of time, it is intrinsic to stay in touch with your doctor and continue with your medication. Your doctor is the best person to advise you on your health condition; whether you need to increase or reduce your dose.

Also Read: Thyroid disorders: Understanding in detail

Struggling With High Blood Pressure?

KR4ALL- India’s first discovery platform for all healthcare services, keep you connected with hundreds of specialised doctors from the country. Now, connect instantly with a doctor near you using your smartphone.

Enjoy online doctor consultation from anywhere, anytime!

Download the KR4ALL app from Google Play store or Apple store.