The figures are astounding! Approximately 63 million Americans have been or are being treated for high blood pressure. Rounding it up, this figure represents at least 25% of the whole American population! What is even more frightening is the report that every year, at least 32,000 of these people die as a direct result of the condition while the other 147,000 might die from stroke, a condition associated with high blood pressure – or hypertension!
However, the situation is not that bleak. There is still a ray of hope for each one of us, even if you might be suffering from this condition at present. Together with your doctor’s help, high blood pressure can be controlled. It surely wouldn’t be easy but all your efforts will definitely pay off in the long run.
To start you off on your journey towards a better health, here are some insightful tips that might help you in controlling your blood pressure.
Accept that you have a problem. Perhaps the most important step in regulating your blood pressure is to accept first that you have a problem. After you have fully come to terms with your condition, the healing begins.
Maintain a healthy weight range. It was noted that excess weight can significantly contribute to the elevation of your blood pressure. Consequently, a reduction in weight was observed to exert a favorable effect by lowering the blood pressure in most individuals. Can you believe that just by losing one pound off your weight, your blood pressure will likewise go down by at least two points? Severely hypertensive individuals, as well as borderline hypertension patients, will definitely reap a lot of benefits just by losing some weight!
Get your body moving! If you are just suffer mildly from hypertension, you should perform aerobic exercises for at least 20 to 30 minutes three times a week. This will help you in keeping off all those excess weight and will help in lowering your blood pressure by no less than 8 points! Well, if that isn’t reason enough to get on with an exercise program, I don’t know what else is! In choosing an aerobic exercise, go for one that you will truly enjoy. There are a lot of activities to choose from – from walking, jogging and stair-climbing to aerobic dancing, bicycling, skating, skiing, swimming and tennis! What is important is that you start moving and get your pulse rate elevated.
However, if you suffer severely from hypertension, it would be best to wait until you have your blood pressure regulated before trying on any aerobic exercises. A word of caution – avoid doing non-aerobic exercises such as weight lifting and push ups since they can rather be dangerous for people with hypertension. And as always, consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program.
Cultivate a taste for a healthier diet. Your choice of foods can actually influence how your blood pressure behaves. So, it would be wise to start adopting a healthier diet. Try lowering your daily salt intake and use polyunsaturated oils such as canola and safflower oils in cooking your food. Potassium is also known to reduce blood pressure so you will greatly benefit in increasing your potassium intake. For best results, supplement your daily diet with at least 3 to 4 servings of potassium-rich foods such as bananas, currant, orange juice, raisins and yogurt.
Drink your milk. Calcium can also have a favorable effect in lowering your blood pressure so be sure to drink a few extra glasses of non-fat milk daily!
Live a healthier life. Limit your alcohol intake to one drink per day. Anything higher than this can trigger the onset of hypertension. And quit smoking, too. Nicotine not only elevates your blood pressure, it also increases your risk of stroke.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Hypertension
