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High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a medical condition that affects the arteries and leads to complications, such as stroke, heart failure, heart attack, and kidney damage, if untreated. WHO estimates that at least one in four adults in India has hypertension, but only around 12% of patients have their blood pressure under control.
Hypertension causes more cardiovascular deaths than any other risk factor worldwide. Thus, if you are looking for ways to lower your blood pressure, according to an internal medicine specialist in Salem, making lifestyle changes and medications are a great place to start as they are highly effective in controlling your BP.
What Is High Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is calculated as the systolic over the diastolic pressure in millimetres of mercury wherein 120/80mmHg is considered normal blood pressure. Hypertension is BP above 140/90 and is considered severe if the pressure exceeds 180/120.
Types of Hypertension
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Stage 1 Hypertension
The highest value is between 130 and 139 mmHg, while the bottom is between 80 and 89 mmHg.
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Stage 2 Hypertension
The highest number is 140 mm Hg or higher, and the bottom is 90 mmHg or higher.
A hypertensive emergency occurs when blood pressure exceeds 180/120 mmHg. Anybody with these readings should seek emergency medical attention immediately.
Dietary Changes and Blood Pressure
People with high blood pressure must follow a few things to control it. Eating healthy, exercising more, and changing other daily habits can keep the numbers in check, preventing you from taking medication to keep your levels in check.
Here Are Some of the Dietary Changes an Individual Can Make:
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Have a Healthy Diet
Eating nutritious grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy decreases blood pressure significantly. The Diet Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) nutritional plan advocates for low-fat and cholesterol options. This wellness scheme comprises poultry, fish, nuts, and lean meats. It is a major provider of protein and fibre, eliminating desserts, red meat, and sugary beverages.
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Control Your Salt Intake
Too much salt increases your blood pressure. Strive for at most 1,500 milligrams each day. You don't obtain sodium from the salt you put in your food; it is also present in processed foods and is heavy in sodium, which is why it is suggested to limit their intake.
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Limit Alcohol
Alcohol is filled with calories, causes weight gain, and raises blood pressure. Drinking too much alcohol regularly can elevate your blood pressure over time. Staying within the prescribed limits is the most effective way to lower your chance of developing high blood pressure. Men and women are advised not to consume more than 14 units per week routinely. And one must distribute the drinks across three days or more if you exceed 14 units per week.
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Caffeine
Regularly drinking coffee, soda, and other drinks with caffeine does not affect BP much. But if rarely consumed, it can cause a short spike in blood pressure.
What’s the Relationship Between High Blood Pressure and Physical Activity?
Physical exercise is the first cure to maintain cardiovascular health and reduce blood pressure. Incorporating exercise into your routine gives numerous health perks, including safeguarding from high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases.
Research indicates that a mere 5 mmHg decrease in systolic blood pressure can lead to a 14% decrease in stroke fatalities and a 9% decrease in fatalities due to coronary heart disease. Regular exercise is the solution for maintaining good blood pressure and combating hypertension.
Exercises to Help Control Hypertension
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Swimming
For novices, freestyle is the easiest stroke to learn. If that stroke is too difficult for you, try aqua jogging. You can also use an aqua jogging belt or pool noodles to improve buoyancy.
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Treadmilling or Pedal Pushing
A study discovered that participants' blood pressure figures improved even more if they walked at a modest 1-mile-per-hour pace for at least 10 minutes or pedalled stationary cycles beneath a desk every hour.
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Walking at a Brisk or Moderate Pace
Blood pressure lowering is apparent immediately following exercise. While exercising, it is preferable to take a 10-minute rest every 10 minutes. Experts believe distributing your activity throughout the day is an efficient strategy to manage high blood pressure.
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Dancing
Taking a dancing class, such as Zumba, is the finest exercise. Any dance that incorporates full-body movement and increases heart rate is suitable.
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Cycling
Cycling for at least 10 minutes each day counts as exercise. Cycling is the best approach to staying active, even with high blood pressure.
Tips for Exercise Safely
While exercising, it is also important to do it rightfully and safely. Following are some of the tips to exercise safely.
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If you are not active, see a doctor or other healthcare expert to have a personalised physical exercise plan.
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Choose moderate activities like walking, swimming, or cycling. Then, gradually increase the intensity and duration.
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To avoid injuries, warm up before exercising.
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End your physical activities gradually. Cooling time is essential, just like warm-ups. It gradually gets back to average pre-exercise heart rate and blood pressure levels.
Lowering your blood pressure can be done by effectively adopting lifestyle modifications. It is critical to understand you cannot only focus on decreasing your diastolic blood pressure, but your overall blood pressure needs to be reduced. When doing lifestyle changes and sustaining a healthy lifestyle, focus on structured meal plans and systemised exercises. People with high blood pressure must visit the doctor and discuss achieving the right blood pressure treatment in Salem.
FAQs
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How to Reduce Blood Pressure Naturally?
Medications are the first line of the BP management program. Along with it, exercise, nutrition, and stress-reduction measures can help reduce blood pressure over time.
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How can Losing Weight Influence Blood Pressure?
For many, decreasing weight is enough to lower blood pressure, since the heart does not have to work as hard. Losing 5 or 10 pounds is one of the easiest ways to reduce blood pressure.
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Which Foods have the most Sodium and are Unhealthy for our BP Levels?
Of course, there's table salt, but sodium may also be present in various processed goods. Even if you don't think processed meals are salty, they are heavy in sodium, which is why it is suggested to have them only in moderation.
