What is High blood pressure? / How to control High blood pressure:
High blood
pressure is the strength or force of the blood that is pushing against artery
walls. When the pressure is too high, the heart works double-time. After a
while, high blood pressure can weaken the blood vessels, kidneys, heart, and
other organs in your body.
It is
sometimes called the silent killer because of the absence of symptoms, as well
as the serious health risks it causes. Some of the health risks associated with
high blood pressure are kidney disease, heart failure, heart attack, stroke,
peripheral artery disease, or vision loss. If the blood pressure becomes too
high, a hypertensive crisis may happen and can be life-threatening.
Hypertensive Crisis Symptoms
Having a
nosebleed is a hypertensive crisis symptom that must not be taken lightly. In a
statement posted on their website, the American Heart Association said that
high blood pressure does not normally cause nosebleeds or headaches. The
strongest indication you are already experiencing a hypertensive crisis is when
blood pressure shoots to as high as 180/12mmHg or more.
If your
blood pressure is abnormally high and you are starting to suffer from headaches
or having a nosebleed, the AHA recommends waiting for at least five minutes and
retesting. When severe headaches or nosebleeds occur, and you are not feeling
well, you should immediately get in touch with your doctor as these could be
symptoms of other medical conditions.
Being Aware of the Condition
High blood
pressure is dangerous in the sense that most of those who have it are not even
aware of it. According to health organizations, almost one-third of the
population in the UK suffers from high blood pressure, yet they do not know
they already have it.
One surefire
way to know if you are suffering from high blood pressure is to undergo regular
checkups. If your blood pressure is unusually high, try to observe if you start
feeling symptoms like fatigue, chest pain, vision problems, irregular
heartbeat, and pounding in the neck, chest, or ears. Seeing blood in the urine
and difficulty breathing are also indications of high blood pressure.
Lower Blood
Pressure Readings
High blood
pressure is caused by many factors. One of the biggest factors, however, is
lifestyle choices. You can successfully manage your blood pressure by opting
for a healthy lifestyle. Doing so could prevent, delay, or minimize the need
for blood pressure control medication.
Perform
physical activities for at least 150 minutes each week. Divide it into chunks
of 30 minutes per day. This can reduce blood pressure readings by around five
to eight mmHg.
High blood pressure: Foods you should avoid if you want to lower your reading
It advises eating a low-fat diet that includes lots of fibre, such as
wholegrain rice, bread and pasta, and plenty of fruit and vegetables to lower
blood pressure.
The Dietary
Approaches to Stop Hypertension or DASH diet, designed by experts in the US,
has also been shown as an aid to lower high blood pressure.
As part of
the diet, certain foods should be avoided as they could raise blood pressure.
The diet
advises to avoid:
Processes
meats wherever possible
Too may
cured foods such as bacon
Pickled
foods, anything tinned in brine and salty condiments
Adding salt
when cooking rice or pasta
Ready meals
and frozen convenience foods
Tinned tuna
and beans - before eating remove excess salt
Eating too
much meat - reduce your intake by using it as a smaller part of a meal instead
of the main focus
Too much alcohol
DON'T MISS
Salt has
been shown to raise blood pressure - the more salt you eat, the higher your
blood pressure.
The plan
emphasises foods rich in nutrients and known to have a positive effect on blood
pressure, such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, protein and fibre.
Other ways to lower blood pressure
Being active
and taking regular exercise can also lower blood pressure, according to the
NHS, as it keeps the heart and blood vessels in good condition.
No comments:
Post a Comment
please do not enter any spam link in the comment box