If you have been informed that your blood pressure is quite high (that is, that you have hypertension), then what you were actually being told was that your lifestyle is not especially healthy. This is because, unless your hypertension has come about because of ethnicity, age, sleeplessness or medication, you are doing something incorrect in your daily life.
Blood pressure control for most individuals means initiating lifestyle changes for the better or taking tablets for life. If you have hypertension but you cannot go to see your doctor as frequently as you would like, you could always purchase a home blood pressure monitor and keep tabs on your blood pressure yourself.
The best type to get is an automatic digital monitor with a self-inflating cuff. It ought to also have a pulse monitor and several memories, although you can always use good old-fashioned pen and paper. They are not costly any more and ought to cost between $30 and $100.
Some have a lifetime warranty and are as accurate as your GP's sphygmomanometer, which is the gold standard of blood pressure monitors. You should take your readings at the same time every day (or two or three times a day at the same times) and keep a record of it or them. In this way you can compare your progress (or lack of it).
The first thing to do is quit smoking (if you smoke, obviously) and then cut down on heavy drinking sessions, if you do that). Doing that will improve your general health whether you have high blood pressure or not.
The next thing to do is to reduce your weight, if you are overweight by dieting and exercise. If you are not overweight, you will still need to raise your level of exercise and change your diet for the following reasons. Exercise decreases your blood pressure and too much salt (also called sodium) will increase your blood pressure.
So, whichever way you look at it, you will have to exercise more and take on a low-sodium diet. One of the methods of decreasing sodium in your diet is by eating fresh fruit and vegetables and give up eating canned and other fast foods, which are stuffed with salt.
These lifestyle alterations are not easy, so if you have to take some of them on board, consider getting help. For instance, you could use patches to help you stop smoking. You could visit the pub less frequently or simply go there later in the evening. You could ask your spouse to go on the diet too or you could join a support group on or off line.
There really are plenty of resources out there to help you avoid hypertension, but if you really cannot be bothered, then nip along to your GP's and order your first batch or high blood pressure tablets and be certain to create a repeat appointment, because you will be going back and forth for the remainder of your life.
Blood pressure control for most individuals means initiating lifestyle changes for the better or taking tablets for life. If you have hypertension but you cannot go to see your doctor as frequently as you would like, you could always purchase a home blood pressure monitor and keep tabs on your blood pressure yourself.
The best type to get is an automatic digital monitor with a self-inflating cuff. It ought to also have a pulse monitor and several memories, although you can always use good old-fashioned pen and paper. They are not costly any more and ought to cost between $30 and $100.
Some have a lifetime warranty and are as accurate as your GP's sphygmomanometer, which is the gold standard of blood pressure monitors. You should take your readings at the same time every day (or two or three times a day at the same times) and keep a record of it or them. In this way you can compare your progress (or lack of it).
The first thing to do is quit smoking (if you smoke, obviously) and then cut down on heavy drinking sessions, if you do that). Doing that will improve your general health whether you have high blood pressure or not.
The next thing to do is to reduce your weight, if you are overweight by dieting and exercise. If you are not overweight, you will still need to raise your level of exercise and change your diet for the following reasons. Exercise decreases your blood pressure and too much salt (also called sodium) will increase your blood pressure.
So, whichever way you look at it, you will have to exercise more and take on a low-sodium diet. One of the methods of decreasing sodium in your diet is by eating fresh fruit and vegetables and give up eating canned and other fast foods, which are stuffed with salt.
These lifestyle alterations are not easy, so if you have to take some of them on board, consider getting help. For instance, you could use patches to help you stop smoking. You could visit the pub less frequently or simply go there later in the evening. You could ask your spouse to go on the diet too or you could join a support group on or off line.
There really are plenty of resources out there to help you avoid hypertension, but if you really cannot be bothered, then nip along to your GP's and order your first batch or high blood pressure tablets and be certain to create a repeat appointment, because you will be going back and forth for the remainder of your life.
About the Author:
Owen Jones, the author of this article writes on a number of subjects, but is currently involved with work on foods for high blood pressure. If you want to know more or check out some great offers, just go to our site at High Blood Pressure Recipes.
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