One of the most important things you can do for your overall health is to keep your blood pressure (hypertension) under control. 140/90 should be the goal for a healthy person’s blood pressure reading, and lower if you have a medical condition such as diabetes or kidney disease. One of the first things you should do is change your lifestyle. If that’s not enough, medication can help.
Among the changes you need to implement, diet and exercise are first on the list. Here are some things you can do to help lower your blood pressure.
Decrease the amount of sodium and salt in your diet – Sodium is a major factor that could significantly raise your blood pressure, and it’s virtually hidden in many of the foods we eat today, such as soups and frozen dinners. Read all the ingredients on food labels to ensure you don’t consume more than 1500 mg of sodium per day.
Follow a dietary approach to stop hypertension, also known as DASH. -This diet was formulated specifically for people who suffer from high blood pressure and includes a diet of vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy products and whole grains. It would also be a good idea to reduce saturated fats and to increase your intake of potassium-rich foods.
Smoking and alcohol – Tobacco causes hardening of the arteries and alcohol may raise your blood pressure. Ask your doctor about helpful tips to quit smoking and limit your alcohol consumption to no more than one or two drinks per day.
Reduce your body weight. Even if you only need to lose a little bit of weight, it will help you regulate your blood pressure.
Leave stress to others. High stress can lead to high blood pressure. Both exercise and meditation can help you maintain good physical and mental health, so you should commit to at least thirty minutes a day to either.
Lifestyle changes can certainly help to keep your blood pressure under control, but it may not be enough. If your blood pressure is still high after you have changed your lifestyle, it may be necessary for you to talk to your doctor about taking medications to lower it further.
Diuretics, or water pills, are among the medications that are usually prescribed for high blood pressure. They help your kidneys flush out the sodium and water in your system and reduce blood volume. Diuretics are often used to decrease the chances of stroke and heart attack, especially in older age.
Your doctor might prescribe beta blockers to control your blood pressure. Beta blockers serve the purpose of dilating blood vessels, making the heart’s job easier. Your doctor might even prescribe enzyme inhibitors, channel blockers and receptor blockers.
You might need to take a combination of medication to lower your blood pressure, and once you finally get it at the right level, you will probably need to take aspirin to keep it where you want it.
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