Lifestyle Tweaks to Keep Your Blood Pressure in Check
High blood pressure, commonly known as hypertension, affects more than in four adults in the UK - according to the NHS. This condition has rarely noticeable symptoms, but if untreated, it can seriously increase the risk of life-threatening health problems, particularly stroke, kidney disease, and heart disease.
It is not always clear what causes high blood pressure. But experts agree that poor diet and inactivity are among the biggest factors.
Hypertension is a silent killer. So it is important to have your blood pressure checked regularly by your GP. Also, making some changes in your diet and lifestyle can significantly lower your chances of suffering from hypertension. Here are some diet tweaks and tips you may want to consider.
Lie low on sodium.
Too much salt in your diet wrecks the delicate sodium balance in your bloodstream, which lowers the ability of your kidneys to reduce water. The extra water stored in your body then raises the strain on your blood pressure. Regulating salt intake can be tricky because almost every food available in the grocery store contains salt, particularly processed meats, as well as boxed and canned goods. So you may want to lessen your consumption of processed foods and enjoy more whole foods instead, such as fresh produce. This way, you can easily track how much sodium you are eating.
Cut back on alcohol.
If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure, your GP must have told you already to reduce your alcohol intake. Basically, alcohol can either be good or bad for your health, depending on the amount you take on a regular basis. In small amounts, alcohol (particularly red wine) can actually lower your blood pressure by 2 to 4 mm Hg. But going overboard (which what happens most of the time) can have a serious effect on your BP. Not only that. It can also reduce the effectiveness of blood pressure medications.
Take vitamin C.
You know that vitamin C helps protect you from flu and cold. But did you know it can also help normalise your blood pressure? In a review of 29 short-term trials, scientists found that people who took vitamin C for eight weeks improved their blood pressure. Specifically, there was a reduction (on average) of 3.84 mmHg for systolic blood pressure and 1.48 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure. However, if you are at risk of kidney stones, you must be cautious of your vitamin C intake. Excess vitamin C is excreted via the kidneys and can contribute to the formation of kidney stones.
Eat more fibre.
Fibre is not only good for your waist. It is also good for your heart and blood pressure. Fibre, which is abundantly present in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, work directly to lower blood pressure. Substituting oats or bran with your usual high-calorie breakfast can be a one great step towards preventing hypertension.
Lose some weight.
If you have a normal BMI and you are physically active, you are less likely to develop hypertension. Weight loss is one of the most effective lifestyle changes for controlling blood pressure. Besides losing weight, you also want to keep an eye on your waistline. It has been found that having excess fats around the waist can increase one’s risk of hypertension.
Keep sweating.
Physical activity works like a medicine for regulating blood pressure. Exercising at least 30 minutes three or more times per week can reduce your blood pressure by 4 to 9 millimetres of mercury (mm Hg). If you already have hypertension, regular exercise can pull down your blood pressure down to safer levels.
High blood pressure can be a scary thing. But it’s something you can manage. Hope you can incorporate some if not all of these lifestyle tweaks as early as you can. Remember - prevention is always better than cure.
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