High blood pressure is a common ailment these days. That doesn’t necessitate you to treat that casual! Being diagnosed with blood pressure issues means you need to be regular with your medication if you care to regain normalcy. While age is definitely a potent factor that pushes the blood pressure to a high level, lifestyle is equally important. Once you start maintaining a healthy lifestyle, which includes daily intake of food at the right times, cutting down on aerated beverages, getting proper sleep, and most importantly, not missing out or delaying or simply reducing the medicines- you can be sure of putting the numbers down. For those who feel the need to lower their blood pressure levels, here are few ways to adopt.
Stick To A Healthy Diet
There’s no alternative to this. Include fruits, vegetables, dairy products that contain low fats, and whole grains religiously in your diet. Once the cholesterol and saturated fats are lowered, your blood pressure will also reduce by no less than 11mm Hg. Better known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or DASH diet, a healthy diet, is an eating plan that truly works wonders. To adopt a healthy diet, write down whatever you consume in a food diary.
This way, you can monitor your intake, and what, when, and how much you eat. Try boosting your potassium levels. If needed, consult a doctor and include supplements, alongside your regular foods. Above all, become a smart shopper. Read the food labels thoroughly before you purchase your food items. In addition to that, try maintaining your eating plan as much as possible even when you dine out.
Cut Down On Sodium
A minuscule reduction in the sodium levels indicates better heart health and subsequent reduction in blood pressure levels ( at least 5 to 6 mm Hg) for patients battling with the same. Speaking in general, sodium levels shouldn’t exceed 2300 milligrams every day. Most adults would do fine if they have about 1500 mg daily.
Few other intelligent moves that you can employ to cut down on sodium would be not adding salt in your daily diet additionally, choosing alternatives of low sodium for foods and beverages, and decreasing consumption of processed foods.
Don’t Forget To Exercise
Brisk walking for 140-150 minutes weekly or let’s just say, 30 minutes daily can actually diminish blood pressure levels by no less than 5 to 8 mm Hg. However, you might cause greater issues in the future if you happen to stop exercising randomly. Maintaining consistency is the key in exercising, at least from the standpoint of all those having elevated pressure levels.
If walking isn’t enough, include aerobic exercises like swimming, jogging, cycling, and dancing, and so on. Besides, you can opt for high-intensity interval training or strength training. Visit your expert or the doctor before you embark on your customized exercise regime.
Avoid Caffeinated Items
There are visible long-term effects that caffeine has on blood pressure. But often the levels can slightly increase, depending on your intake. Studies show caffeine can pull up blood pressure levels by 100 mm Hg.
On the other hand, those who stick to coffee will not experience the effect it has on blood pressure. What you can do to check your blood pressure level is measuring the same within half an hour of drinking caffeine. If there is a visible increase like 5mm to 10 mm Hg, it implies you’re sensitive to caffeine.
Quit Smoking And Restrain Your Drinking Habits
Every cigarette smoked is a testimony to how your blood pressure can simply spike up after you finish it off. By quitting smoking, you make a concerted effort towards bettering your heart health. The moment you stop, you can gauge how quitting this habit also helps people live a longer life.
In much the same way, alcohol consumption in moderation for both males and females lowers blood pressure by about 4mm Hg. Preferably one peg for women and a couple of pegs for men is considered the best fit. By continuing with the usual drinking habits, there are chances of the efficacy of medications getting lost.
In addition to these necessary changes, try finding support from friends and family too. Remember the more stress-free you are, the lesser your chances of getting high blood pressure are.