What Is High Blood Pressure?
What is considered high blood pressure(HBP)? Blood pressure is the force and pressure given by your blood towards the walls of your arteries when it is pumped from your heart to your body. If the pressure is too high, then your likeliness to suffer a stroke, heart attack and kidney disease is more. It is often described as the “silent killer” as it rarely produces any obvious symptoms. Most patients who suffer from hypertension do not realize that they are having it until it gets worse. Older people are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure problem, especially if they are overweight or an alcoholic. Generally, blood pressure is measured in two figures :
- Systolic pressure – the pressure of blood when your heart beats to pump out blood
- Diastolic pressure – the pressure of your blood when your heart rests in between
The reading of your blood pressure(BP) will be like this: systolic pressure/diastolic pressure. When you BP reading is 130/80mmHg, it means that your systolic pressure is 130mmHg and your diastolic pressure is 80mmHg. This reading however shows that your BP is normal. Your BP is considered high when the reading is 140/90mmHg or higher( 140/90mmHg – HBP reading).
Also read : Foods That Help Lower High Cholesterol
What Causes High Blood Pressure?
What exactly causes HBP is not know. However, experts have identified several factors that increase its risks:
- Smoking
- Overweight or obesity
- Extra consumption of salt
- Lack of exercise
- Consumption of alcohol
- Stress
- Genetics
- Thyroid disorders
- Age ( people of older age are associated with increased risks of hypertension)
- Also read : Causes Of Obesity And The Solutions Available
What Are The Symptoms Of High Blood Pressure?
Like I said earlier, HBP is a “silent killer’. It rarely shows obvious symptoms, which makes it harder for people to identify its presence. Most people come to know about their hypertension when they check their BP on a random occasion. But however, there are few symptoms that might show when you are having a HBP. Few of the signs of HBP include fatigue, severe headaches, anxiety and sometimes nosebleeds. These symptoms rarely occur in a patient, and even if they do, they might also be connected with other illnesses.
Also read : 10 Simple Home Remedies To Treat Diabetes
How To Treat High Blood Pressure?
Here are five effective ways to treat your HBP :
1. Medications
There are variety of medications available for HBP nowadays. They work in different ways to lower down the pressure. Some help to remove the extra fluid and salt in the body. Some slow down the heartbeat and widen the blood vessels. Both types however result in lowered blood pressure. Some patients may experience minor side effects due to the medications. Make sure to talk to your doctor when you experience them.
Also read : Exercises To Get Rid Of Belly Fat
2. Managing stress
This is very important to keep your blood pressure normal. Stress is often the most common factor of high blood pressure. That is why you need to learn to manage your stress first. You may go for yoga and meditation classes, or listen to some music when you feel stressed. Remember to always take deep breaths and relax.
3. Also read : How To Deal With Stress?
3. Quit smoking
All that smoking does is only worsening your health. Smoking is not only associated with HBP, but also few other diseases and disorders. Hence, quit smoking. They will damage the walls of your arteries and increase the risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Also read : 6 Most Effective Ways To Handle Anxiety Attacks
4. Maintain an ideal weight
If you obese or overweight, do more physical workouts and cut back your calorie intake. Eat in smaller portions and always avoid foods that contain large amount of calories. This will reduce the risks of strokes and heart attacks. If you’re a smoker, and also obese, then heart attacks and strokes are at higher chances for you. But however, don’t lose weight rapidly, it might leave a shock to your body system and worsen your BP.
Also read : Top 10 Weight Loss Diet Myths Debunked
5. Healthy diet
Eat foods that are low in calories, fats and salt. Limit your sugar and salt intake and always go for foods that are rich in protein, fiber and vitamins. Fruits and vegetables are encouraged to be eaten raw, or half cooked. Also, drink more than eight glasses of water per day and avoid alcohol.
Also read : How To Gain Weight Fast?
These are the ways to lower down your blood pressure. Always consider having your blood pressure checked more often, at least once a year. Not only that, also check the progress of you other health problems. HBP added with other health problems, especially high cholesterol and diabetes can lead to severe heart attacks, strokes and kidney failures. But other than treatments, there are also several foods that lower blood pressure such as skim milk, spinach, unsalted sunflower seeds, beans and baked white potatoes. There are also many natural remedies for high blood pressure. You can try them too. But however, remember to stick with your medicines. They work the best. If there are any other information regarding high blood pressure that you know, do share them with us here in HNBT.
