Guiding Principle To Reduce Blood Pressure
As most of us are aware, blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of arteries and the blood pressure fluctuates. When blood pressure continues to be high over extended periods of time, the person is said to suffer from high blood pressure which doctors call hypertension.
High blood pressure is a very risky health condition because it makes the heart work too hard and leads to hardening of the arteries. It increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, which are the chief causes of death among Americans. High blood pressure can also result in other illnesses such as congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and blindness.
A blood pressure level of 140/90 mmHg or higher is considered high. If your blood pressure is between 120/80 mmHg and 139/89 mmHg, then you have pre-hypertension. This means that you do not have high blood pressure now but are likely to develop it in the future. If you suffer from high blood pressure, you and your doctor need to work together to lower it. Monitoring your blood pressure at home between visits to your doctor can be helpful.
If you are advised to lose weight, its important to do so slowly. Lose no more than 1/2 pound to 2 pounds a week. This is the healthiest way to lose weight and theres no magic formula for weight loss. You have to consume fewer calories than you are able to burn up in daily activities.
Being physically active is of paramount importance to lower high blood pressure. It does not take a lot of effort to become physically active. All you need is 30 minutes of brisk walking, bicycling, raking leaves, and gardening.
A healthy eating plan can both reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure and lower a blood pressure that is already too high. You can reduce your blood pressure by eating foods that are low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol, and high in fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy foods. The food should include whole grains, poultry, fish, and nuts, red meats, sweets, and sugared beverages. Eating foods with low salt and sodium content also can reduce blood pressure.
Drinking excessive alcohol can raise blood pressure. It also can harm various vital organs like the liver, brain, and heart. If you can not avoid alcoholic beverages, drink only a moderate amountone drink a day for women two drinks a day for men.
If you suffer from high blood pressure, changing the lifestyle habits as detailed herein should lower your blood pressure to acceptable levels. If not, you will be required to take drugs. Even if you need drugs, you still must make the lifestyle changes. Doing so will help your drugs work more effectively. There are many drugs available to lower blood pressure and your doctor will prescribe the ones suited for your condition.
To summarize, here are the guidelines for lowering blood pressure:
- Maintain a healthy weight. Check with your health care provider to see if you need to lose weight.
- Be physically active. Engage in physical activity for a total of 30 minutes on most days of the week.
- 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 low fat dairy foods.
- Reduce sodium in your diet. Choose foods that are low in salt and other forms of sodium.
- Drink alcohol only in moderation. If you drink alcoholic beverages, have only a moderate amountone drink a day for women, two drinks a day for men.
- Take prescribed drugs as directed. Even if you need drugs to help lower your blood pressure, you still must follow the lifestyle changes suggested here...
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