The Silent Killer: High Blood Pressure

What is High Blood Pressure

Image Source 

Blood pressure is defined as the force at which blood pumps from the heart into the arteries. The normal blood pressure reading is 120/80 mm Hg. When the blood pressure is high, the blood moves through the arteries more forcefully. This puts increased pressure on the delicate tissues in the arteries and damages blood vessels.

The condition is known as a "silent killer" because mostly it does not have cause symptoms until it has already done significant and great damage to the heart. Since most of the individuals have no visible symptoms, thus, they are unaware that they have high blood pressure. 

EXERCISE

1. Get moving 

Exercising 30 to 60 minutes a dayis an important part of living a healthy life. Aside from helping lower your blood pressure, regular physical activity can also benefits your mood, strength and balance and it decreases the risk of diabetes and other types of heart disease. 

Not a fan of the gym? Take your workout outside, like go for a hike,  hog or swim and still reap the benefits. The most important thing here is to GET MOVING! 

DIET

2. Follow the DASH diet

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet can lower your blood pressure by as much as 10mm Hg systolic. 

The Dash Diet consist of:

• Eating Fruits, vegetables and whole grains
• Eating low-fat dairy products, lean meats, fish and nuts
• Eliminating foods that are high in saturated fats such as processed foods, full fat dairy products and fatty meats 

It will also help to cut back on desserts and sweetened beverages such as soda and fruit punch. 

REDUCE SALT

3. Put down the salt shaker

Keep your sodium intake to a minimum can be vital for lowering blood pressure. In some people, when you consume too much sodium, your body starts to retain fluid resulting in a sharp rise in blood pressure. To decrease sodium in your diet, don't add salt to your food. 

LOSE WEIGHT

4.Lose excess weight

Weight and blood pressure go hand in hand. According to Mayo Clinic, losing atleast 10 pounds (4.5kg) can't help lower blood pressure. 

RELIEVE STRESS

5.Stress less

In today's fast-paced world that's filled with increasing demands, it can be hard to slow down and relax. It's significant to step away from your daily responsibilities in order to ease your stress. Stress can temporarily raise your blood pressure.

You may take steps to relieve your stress in a healthy way. Try taking a few deep breaths, meditating or practicing yoga. 

TAKEAWAY

The risks of high blood pressure

When left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to serious health complications which includes stroke, heart attack and kidney damage. Regular visits to your physician can help you monitor your blood pressure. Lowering salt intake and making dietary changes may lower blood pressure even more. 

Hope you learn something in reading this article. My purpose is to educate and give a simple awareness to my fellow steemians regarding this so called "silent killer" illness.

Regards,

@abchro