High Blood Pressure / Hypertension

High Blood Pressure: The Healthy Lifestyle Approach

High Blood Pressure: The Healthy Lifestyle Approach

High blood pressure (also referred to as Hypertension) is a health condition that significantly increases a person’s risk for heart disease and stroke. For some, hypertension may be controlled by lifestyle changes alone, while others may require medication. In most cases, there is no cure, so treatment is usually life long. Since most people cannot ‘feel’ their blood pressure to be high, it is considered to be the ‘silent killer’.

Do you have high blood pressure?

Your blood pressure reading consists of two numbers: the first number is the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and the second number is the diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Units for these numbers are mm/Hg which stands for millimeters of mercury. Systolic pressure is the higher pressure within the blood vessels when the heart is contracting. The diastolic pressure is the lower pressure within the blood vessels between contractions. A diagnosis of hypertension cannot be established on the basis of one single high blood pressure reading. A high initial reading must be confirmed by at least two more readings on a different day usually several weeks later. This is due to the fact that your blood pressure is always changing, and can be affected by many different factors. Exercise, measurement technique, drugs, and even some foods can cause your blood pressure to rise. It is a good idea not to smoke or drink any beverages containing caffeine prior to having your blood pressure reading. Your results may be affected. Hypertension diagnosis is confirmed upon having several blood pressure readings with average values of the systolic blood pressure above 140 and/or diastolic blood pressure above 90.

What causes high blood pressure?

For most people the cause of their high blood pressure is unknown. In a smaller number of people, hypertension is caused by a disease or certain medications. In these situations, treatment may be different.

The Healthy Lifestyle Approach

Treatment without medications is the most important method for reducing your blood pressure and all the risks associated with it. The Healthy Lifestyle approach is usually the first step to successful results.

Reduce your salt intake!

Blood pressure can be reduced in most people by limiting the amount of daily salt intake. Foods high in salt content should be avoided such as potato chips, canned soups, and peanuts. Also be aware of certain medications such as some antacids that may contain salt. By limiting the amounts of certain foods you eat, and reading product labels carefully, you can significantly reduce your daily salt intake. Obviously it’s not easy to remove all forms of salt from your diet. However, you can help reduce the salt by just removing the salt shaker from the dinner table and choosing foods that contain less salt.

Eat healthy and exercise regularly!

Diet and exercise can also have an effect on your blood pressure. People who are overweight appear to be at a higher risk for developing hypertension. For some, weight loss through diet and exercise may help to lower blood pressure. It may even be normalized without the use of any medications! Food Guide to Healthy Eating is a useful tool for helping you choose a healthy diet. Potassium and calcium appear to also play a role in blood pressure reduction, so foods rich in these minerals should be maintained.

Reduce! Reduce! And Quit!

Or do even better: Quit! Quit! Quit!

Alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, in combination or independently can increase blood pressure. Alcohol intake should be reduced to no more than two drinks each day. Coffee or other caffeine containing beverages should also be limited to two cups daily. Smoking increases your risks for hypertension as well as many other health conditions. Ask your Pharmacist or Doctor about different ways to help you quit.

Always take time to relax

Stress may also play a role in high blood pressure. A poor diet, lack of physical exercise, smoking, and/or excess alcohol consumption can be the result of stress. Since these factors may lead to hypertension, it is important to find ways of managing stress effectively.

Next steps

The Healthy Lifestyle approach to reducing high blood pressure is recommended for many patients with this condition. For some people this type of treatment is sufficient, while others may require medication. Take note of the factors that affect you, and may be contributing to your high blood pressure. Speak to your doctor on how to reduce or eliminate these risks. By doing so, you are on your way to improving your overall health and reducing your risk for heart disease and stroke.