If we have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, our doctor may recommend that we adopt a few healthier lifestyle habits to help get it under control. Studies have shown that making certain changes in the way we live can significantly lower our blood pressure. Most of these lifestyle changes can also help prevent high blood pressure if we do not already have it — the guidelines for hypertension prevention and management are often one and the same.
Here are some healthier lifestyle habits we should adopt.
* Eat healthily.
There is evidence that people who consume a healthy diet can prevent high blood pressure or lower blood pressure if they already have hypertension. We should aim for a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, nuts and seeds and lean protein sources, such as skinless poultry and fish. It should also be low in saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol and added sugars — and skip the trans fat altogether.
* Reduce Salt Intake
. Limiting the amount of sodium (salt) in our diet can also help control high blood pressure. As a general rule, we should consume less than 2,400 milligrams of sodium(less than a teaspoon) per day, but if we already have high blood pressure, that amount will be lower. The target is between 500mg and 1000mg (quarter to half teaspoon). The lower our sodium intake, the better it is for our blood pressure. We must remember to count the amount of sodium in packaged foods as well as any table salt used, when we are calculating how much we are eating. Ingredients like baking soda, soda, brine, mono sodium glutamate (MSG) and baking powder have high sodium content.
* Maintain a healthy weight
If we are overweight, losing as few as 10 pounds can lower our high blood pressure. Carrying extra weight not only increases our risk of high blood pressure, it also makes us more likely to develop cholesterol problems and diabetes, which are two more risk factors for heart disease. Talk with your doctor about our weight. If we are overweight, our doctor can recommend a safe weight loss program of healthy eating and increased physical activity.
* Keep active
An active lifestyle is one of the best ways to prevent or control high blood pressure. In addition to its effects on hypertension, regular exercise can also help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce stress. As long as our doctor says that exercise is safe for us, aim to get at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity on most days of the week and incorporate flexibility (stretches) and strengthening exercises into our weekly routine.
* Limit alcohol or stop drinking all together.
Drinking alcohol in moderation is generally not harmful and may even have some heart health benefits, but drinking too much has been shown to lead to high blood pressure and other serious health problems. We must limit our alcohol intake to one drink per day females or two drinks per day for males. One drink is 12 ounces of beer or 4ounces of wine or one and a half ounces of 80-proof liquor, or 1 ounce of 100-proof liquor.
* Stop smoking to limit artery damage
Smoking is not considered to be a cause of high blood pressure, but it can damage the walls of our blood vessels and harden our arteries, making it especially dangerous for us who have high blood pressure. If we don't smoke, don’t start and if we do smoke, make quitting a top priority. Studies have shown that our risk of having a heart attack is reduced just one year after we quit smoking.
* Monitor our blood pressure at home.
There are often no warning signs that we have high blood pressure before it damages our body. That is why it is important to keep track of our blood pressure, to make sure it is under control and being managed properly. Since our blood pressure can fluctuate between doctor visits, we should consider investing in a home monitoring kit and then regularly record our blood pressure readings so our doctor can have a clearer picture of our blood pressure over time.
* Manage stress to manage hypertension
Stress can cause temporary increases in high blood pressure, but scientists are still not sure how stress affects blood pressure over the long term. However, there is evidence that stress can lead to overeating, smoking, drinking and other blood pressure-raising activities. So, we should pay attention to our stress levels and avoid unnecessarily stressful activities and events. We must remember that regular exercise reduces stress as it improves heart health.
* Practice relaxation
Taking time out to unwind each day may help us control our high blood pressure. Find some relaxation techniques that we enjoy and practice them regularly. Examples of relaxation practices include meditating in a peaceful place for 15 to 20 minutes, expressing our gratitude for the positive things in our life and engaging in soothing physical activities such as yoga.
Remember, High blood pressure is the greatest risk factor for death in the Caribbean and in the world. We may not know we have high blood pressure unless we get it checked.
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