Lifestyle changes you can make to manage high blood pressure

It is a known fact that hypertension is one of the greatest contributors to a heart attack. It occurs as a result of various factors that lead to an increase in blood pressure, thereby putting you at risk. If you have been diagnosed and the result shows that you have an increase in your blood pressure, how do you attempt to reduce or manage it if you already have blood pressure? For more information on heart-related disease you could visit ReviewsBird.com.

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Reduce your Weight

There is a direct relationship between your body weight and your blood pressure. For obese people, they run a higher risk than slim or skinny people. Also if you have excess fat within your waist region you must seek help on how to reduce the fats.

Exercise

Engaging in exercise for about 150 minutes a day can reduce your blood pressure by 5 to 8 mm Hg. For people already having an increase, then you need to maintain a regular exercise routine as a relapse would result in an increase in your blood pressure. Exercises that you can perform do not have to be running, jogging, or other strenuous exercises, rather walking for long distances at intervals and engaging in a heat-generating household or work-related chores can help stabilize your blood.

Healthy Food

There are healthy foods that can help lower your blood pressure drastically. These foods include whole grains, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and fruits and avoiding cholesterol-rich and saturated fat-rich foods.

  • Food diary: Ensure to pen down the meals you eat, the quantity, time, and reason for eating them. Doing this and observing them would reveal your eating habit and help you know where to make changes.
  • Potassium: Potassium has a counteractive effect on sodium which when in excess in your meals increases your blood pressure. Foods that are rich in potassium are vegetables and fruits such as bananas or taking potassium supplements.
  • Shop Wisely: Before picking any item when shopping ensure that you read the label for foods that have ingredients that can increase your blood pressure.

Sodium

The amount of salt you put in your meal should be reduced if you have been diagnosed with running a risk of HBP. To reduce sodium in your meal, buy foods and beverages that are low in sodium or have alternatives, avoid processed foods that are fortified with sodium during processing, and do not add salt to your meal rather use spices if you desire a flavor-rich food.

Alcohol

Alcohol has been shown to help in reducing your blood pressure when taken moderately but excessive intake of alcohol has a reverse effect.

Smoking

Smoking has been attributed to contributing to mist diseases including cardiovascular disease. The chemical used in tobacco damages the blood vessel walls, narrowing, and inflames the blood arteries all resulting in increased blood pressure even for second-hand smoke.

Garlic

Garlic either fresh or extract can help reduce your blood pressure. Garlic helps increase the production of nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide aids the blood vessels to dilate and the smooth muscles to relax.

Stress

Engaging in stressful activities such as work, thinking about family, finances or illness have been related to blood pressure. To help eliminate stressful elements you need to avoid stress triggers, practice gratitude, change your expectations, engage in stress-free activities, and focus on things you can control while making plans to resolve them.