How To Lower Your Blood Pressure?

Have you been diagnosed with high blood pressure lately? Are you unable to keep calm thinking about the medicines you will be asked to take to keep numbers low? Experts say that you can effectively delay and eliminate the need for blood pressure-lowering medicines if you opt to make healthy lifestyle changes.

Lowering your blood pressure and maintaining it at an optimum number, diametrically reduces the risk of contracting a cardiac disease.

There is little doubt that a good and healthy lifestyle can help you keep your high blood pressure in the tab. Let us tell you 9 very achievable lifestyle changes that you can bring about effortlessly to make sure that you keep the blood pressure on its foot.

1. Knock off those extra pounds:

Your waistline and your blood pressure are directly proportional. What this means is that being overweight and especially around the mid ridge spells imminent danger. Blood pressure increases with an increase in weight. Disruption in breathing during sleep, which is a condition called “sleep apnea” is a direct result of being overweight, which can raise your blood pressure.

The average scale for losing weight vis a vis lowering high blood pressure is that you can reduce your blood pressure by 1 mm of Mercury for every 2.2 pounds of weight lost.

Men should make sure that their waist measurement is not more than 40 inches, and women should maintain their waist measurement at 35 inches to keep high blood pressure at bay.

2. Hit off on the gym floor every day:

A minimum of 30 minutes every day of the week is a good place to start with. Regular exercising can bring down blood pressure optimally by 5 to 8 mm of mercury. But the catchphrase is regular exercise. This is because the moment you will stop exercising, the blood pressure will go back to rising even more than what it was.

For patients who have elevated blood pressure, regular exercise will help in it not developing into hypertension. Following an exercise routine strictly is known to bring the blood pressure to safe levels.

3. Eat healthily – stay healthy:

A diet rich in wholesome grains, fruits, and vegetables is best to maintain ideal blood pressure levels. Do not forget to add toned dairy products. The plan is technically called DASH or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and has had applauding results.

Here is a list of things that you can do to concentrate on new eating habits:

Maintain a food record: noting down what you eat even over a short period can help put the finger on where you need to change. There should be three columns that state

What you eat
The quantity of food consumed and
Why you ate

Increase your potassium intake: potassium reduces the effect that sodium has on blood pressure. Gorge on fruits and vegetables and give supplements the slip. You must talk to your doctor about the ideal potassium levels for you.

– Remember to put nothing into your shopping cart without you reading the label on it first. If you are dining out, be conscious about what you are putting on your plate.

4. Sodium levels have to be bare minimum:

Reducing even a few sodium counts from your diet can reduce up to 6 or 7 mm of mercury in your blood pressure count. Keep the max amount at 2300 mg a day. Strive to make it to 1500mgs in a day, its unanimously thought to be ideal for adults.

Choose food with low to very low sodium in them
Eat less readymade food and prefer to eat fresh food
Do not add salt. Add spices and herbs in case you are short of flavor.
There is no rush to reduce the sodium level at one go. Also, Take your time and reduce it little by little so that your palate will gradually begin adjusting to the new taste.

5. Limit alcohol:

Alcohol in moderation can lower blood pressure by a minimum of 4 mm of mercury. One or two glasses at the most should be fine. Sipping over more is not recommended if you want to keep the numbers from soaring. Over drinking can raise blood pressure by several mm and potentially even reduce blood pressure meds’ efficacy.

6. Say no to smoking:

Cigarette smoking increases blood pressure for a lot of them. Quitting smoking is an ideal way to bring blood pressure back to normalcy again. It reduces the risk of contracting heart diseases and improves life expectancy.

7. Reduce caffeine:

Caffeine and its role in managing ideal blood pressure count in the body are debated. Caffeine can raise blood pressure in people who are not used to drinking it often. Some people do not show that kind of sensitivity to it.

The best way to determine your sensitivity to caffeine is to check your blood pressure within 30 minutes of consuming a caffeinated drink. If you find there is an increase in the count, you must try to limit its intake.

8. Bid adieus to stress:

Stress contributes to high blood pressure. What is worse than stress can contribute to binge eating and can also lead to drinking and smoking. Write down all the reasons you feel stressed about and then create a blueprint to understand how you will eliminate them.

Although, It is not easy to eliminate stress, but you can try to cope with it.

Plan your day in advance

Do not over expect.

Focus only on the things that you can change. Leave the rest.

Consciously avoid stress triggers.

Relax. Enjoy your leisure activities.

Express gratitude

9. Monitor your blood pressure at home and see your doctor regularly:

Use a blood pressure monitor to keep a tab on your health. Make sure that you also rope in your doctor and regularly update your blood pressure count to him. Regular visits to the doctor will also be beneficial to understand how much progress you are making.

Bottom line:

Do not be afraid to seek support:

This is important. If you need any kind of support beyond your immediate family and friends, consider a support group to meet people sailing in the same boat as you. Emotional bonding with such people will boost your morale and help you with important tips and tricks.

Cardio exercises are the best way to keep a tab on your health and keep the blues at bay. If you are interested in knowing more information, book an appointment with us today!