According to the American Heart Association, 1 in 3 adults in the United States has high blood pressure. High blood pressure, or hypertension, puts you at risk for heart disease but, in many cases, is preventable. Here, we will address the risks of hypertension and offer tips for how to lower your blood pressure to protect your overall health.
Understanding Hypertension
For your organs and tissues to function properly, they need oxygenated blood.
When your heart beats, it creates pressure to push blood through your blood vessels. This pressure is the result of two forces creating systolic pressure (blood leaving the heart) and diastolic pressure (the heart at rest between beats). Systolic pressure is the top number of your blood pressure reading and diastolic pressure is the bottom number.
What Is High Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is the force of your blood pumping and pushing against the walls of your blood vessels. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is when your blood pressure is consistently too high or above normal.
For blood pressure to be considered normal, the level should be below 120/80mmHg. Your blood pressure may be affected by your activity level, foods consumed, stress, time of day, and more. While your numbers may rise and fall throughout the day, consistently high measurements may result in a diagnosis of hypertension.
Primary hypertension tends to develop over time and has no known cause. Causes of secondary hypertension include:
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
- Kidney disease
- Thyroid problems
- Adrenal gland tumors
- Congenital defects
- Certain medications
Why Does High Blood Pressure Matter?
Having high blood pressure can cause your heart to work too hard or lose strength. Over time, this increased force of blood flow causes damage to your vessels and leads to organ damage. This damage can cause health complications.
High blood pressure has been linked to the following conditions:
- Artery damage
- Heart disease or heart failure
- Stroke
- Dementia
- Kidney failure
- Damage to the eyes
- Sexual dysfunction
High blood pressure also puts you at risk for developing severe COVID-19 symptoms.
Tips to Lower Your Blood Pressure
Controlling your blood pressure naturally may help you avoid certain medications and lower your risk of the diseases above. It also helps you get your health back on track for optimal wellness. The tips that follow may help you naturally lower or control your blood pressure.
Control Your Weight
Being overweight puts you at risk for a host of health problems, including high blood pressure. Losing weight reduces the strain on your heart so that it does not have to work or pump as hard. This keeps your blood vessels healthy by reducing the constant pressure and damage. Even a small amount of weight loss can impact your blood pressure.
Eat the Right Foods
The foods you eat have an impact on hypertension. A healthy diet is essential for optimal health and lowering your blood pressure levels. Foods with certain nutrients such as potassium or magnesium can have a positive impact on your health. The following foods may help lower your risk of high blood pressure:
- Citrus fruits
- Salmon or fatty fish
- Swiss chard
- Lentils and beans
- Pumpkin seeds
- Berries
- Whole grains
- Pistachios
- Carrot and celery sticks
- Broccoli
- Yogurt
Exercise
Regular exercise is another important piece of maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle and reducing your blood pressure. Exercise for 30 minutes per day for 5 days per week. For improved heart health, consider cardiovascular activities, strength training, or stretching. Stick to your exercise plan by making your workouts fun or finding a workout partner to help you stay motivated.
If you are not currently physically active, consult your physician before beginning a new exercise regimen.
Limit Alcohol and Quit Smoking
Alcohol and smoking may increase your risk of a heart attack or heart disease. The risk is related to the consumption or use of each product; higher use is correlated to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
Smoking is bad for your lungs but also increases the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. The nicotine in cigarettes raises your blood pressure and heart rate, narrows and hardens your arteries, and stresses your heart. This increases your risk of a heart attack.
Alcohol can increase your blood pressure to unhealthy levels. Consuming more than 3 drinks in one sitting causes a temporary increase. However, regular binges lead to long-term effects on your heart.
Quit smoking and reduce your alcohol intake to help lower your blood pressure.
Reduce Your Stress
Today’s high-paced world and work demands can put pressure on your mental and physical health. Your stress level impacts your blood pressure. When your body is stressed, hormones are released that make your heart beat faster and constrict your blood vessels. This then raises your blood pressure.
While this is only a temporary increase, chronic stress may have longer-term impacts on your blood pressure.
Find ways to manage or relieve your stress, such as:
- Manage your time
- Know your stress triggers
- Learn to relax
- Develop supportive relationships
- Participate in activities that bring you pleasure
- Practice deep breathing or meditation
Monitor Your Blood Pressure
If you are at risk for high blood pressure, it is important to know how to accurately measure your numbers. Monitoring your blood pressure at home provides insight into the daily pressure your heart is facing.
For proper monitoring, select a home monitor that measures blood pressure on your upper arm as this gives more reliable results. Automated devices are easy to use and read. Simply put on the cuff and push a button, the cuff engages, and the results are displayed digitally.
Since your blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day, check your readings at the same time each day for more accurate measurements.
See Your Family Doctor
The good news is that you can keep your blood pressure under control!
If you have or are at risk of high blood pressure, it is important to maintain regular visits with your family doctor. Your primary care physician in Pineville can help you manage your blood pressure through lifestyle changes or, if necessary, blood pressure medications.
Controlling your blood pressure is important for your long-term health.
Contact Carolina Medical Associates
For more tips on how to lower your blood pressure or for blood pressure management in Pineville, schedule an appointment with Carolina Medical Associates.
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