High blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension, is the leading preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It affects approximately 1.3 billion people worldwide and contributes to as many as 10 million deaths every year. Needless to say, controlling your blood pressure is not just something you should consider doing — it is something you should be actively working on every day. The good news is that taking control of and maintaining a healthy blood pressure does not have to be hard. In fact, there are simple lifestyle changes you can begin making today to enjoy better heart health tomorrow and long into the future.
Most people are aware of the terms “high blood pressure” and “hypertension,” and most people even get their numbers read every time they visit a health clinic. However, not many people are aware of what their numbers actually mean.
If you want to take control of your blood pressure, you need to first understand where you stand. You can begin to do this by familiarizing yourself with two key terms and healthy number ranges:
When writing down your blood pressure, the nurse or doctor will write it as a ratio of systolic over diastolic. For example, if your blood pressure were normal, or ideal, your blood pressure would read 120/80 mmHg.
Most health care professionals will consider your blood pressure “high” if either number exceeds the normal range. However, at what point a doctor will diagnose you with high blood pressure depends on his or her guidelines for doing so. Generally speaking, however, most doctors follow one of two guidelines:
By understanding your numbers and tracking them on a regular, if not daily, basis, you can become an informed partner in your own health journey.
High blood pressure is no minor matter. High blood pressure contributes to a number of serious, chronic and often life-threatening health problems. The top consequences of failing to take high blood pressure seriously are as follows:
Now that you know how to read your numbers, what constitutes as “too high,” and what can happen if you do not take steps to lower your blood pressure and keep it low, consider lifestyle changes you can make for better heart health. Below are the most effective ways to control your blood pressure without medication.
Salt is one of the biggest culprits of elevated blood pressure levels. When sodium enters the bloodstream, the kidneys must work harder to retain water. Even when you consume salt in small amounts, the excess effort your organs must exert can cause your blood pressure to increase.
Even small reductions in sodium intake can improve your blood pressure by about 5 to 6 mmHg. Depending on what your numbers look like, this minor decrease can be huge.
Regardless of where your numbers stand and the status of your current health, you should strive to keep sodium to a minimum. For healthy people, a limit of 2,300 milligrams per day is recommended. However, Mayo Clinic suggests cutting that nearly in half, aiming to consume no more than 1,500 mg or less a day.
Maintaining a healthy diet is one of the best things you can do for all aspects of your health, including heart health. When you eat a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and healthy dairy products — and one that is low in cholesterol, saturated fats and processed sugars — you can reduce your blood pressure by up to 11 mmHg. Though a healthy diet can come in all varieties, one of the best for controlling high blood pressure is the Mediterranean diet.
Another way to control your blood pressure through your diet is by adding potassium to it. Potassium lessens the effects of sodium on blood pressure and, as a bonus, reduces bloat (which is also another effect of sodium). The best sources of potassium are natural foods, but, if necessary, talk to your doctor about adding a supplement to your diet. Depending on your blood pressure levels, you want to consume between 3,500 and 5,000 mg of potassium per day.
By making exercise a part of your daily routine, you can reduce your blood pressure by between 5 and 8 mmHg. The CDC recommends that a healthy adult engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. This breaks down to less than 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily. If you already have elevated blood pressure, taking this tip to heart can prevent it from going into the hypertension range. If your doctor diagnosed you with hypertension, exercising daily can bring you back to safer levels.
“Moderate” exercise does not have to be time intensive or extreme. In fact, just about anyone can engage in moderate exercise safely and comfortably. Examples of moderate exercise include but are not limited to the following:
If you really want to maximize the effects of exercise, consider joining a high-intensity interval training class or strength training a couple of days per week. If your hypertension has you on your doctor’s radar, consult with him or her about developing a safe and effective exercise plan.
If you make the aforementioned lifestyle changes, losing and maintain a healthy weight should not be an issue. However, note that obesity is one of the top causes of hypertension. This is because excessive weight causes a number of health issues that put strain on the entire bodily system, including the heart and blood stream.
That said, because being overweight is one of the biggest contributing factors to high blood pressure, it makes sense that losing weight is one of the most effective ways to bring your levels to normal. In fact, if you are overweight, losing even just a few pounds can make a world of difference in both your systolic and diastolic levels. Generally, individuals experience a 1 mmHg decrease in blood pressure for every 2.2 pounds they lose.
If you smoke, stop. Smoking is a major risk factor for several health conditions, including high blood pressure. By quitting smoking altogether, you can improve your blood pressure levels and contribute to other areas of your health.
As for alcohol, though the research is out as to whether a glass a day is good for heart health, you should still drink conservatively. If you need a beverage at the end of the day to unwind, limit your intake to just a single glass if you are a woman and two if you are a man. By keeping alcohol intake to a minimum, you can reduce your blood pressure by about 4 mmHg. However, if you drink too much, your levels may go in the opposite direction, so drink wisely.
When you stress, your body produces a surge of hormones that raise your blood pressure temporarily. If the stress continues, so, too, will your high blood pressure.
That said, there is currently no evidence that shows a direct link between stress and chronic high blood pressure. However, studies do show that reacting to stress in unhealthy ways can and does negatively impact blood pressure levels in chronically stressed individuals. Examples of unhealthy ways to react to stress include drinking alcohol in excess, smoking and binging on unhealthy foods. Examples of healthy ways to cope with stress, on the other hand, are as follows:
Another major contributing cause of high blood pressure is poor or lack of sleep. If you get less than six hours of sleep per night several nights of the week, your risk of hypertension increases. This is also true if you experience sleep disturbances, such as restless leg syndrome, insomnia and sleep apnoea.
If you struggle to sleep, it is important that you take steps sooner rather than later to improve your slumber. Some helpful tips for achieving a better night’s sleep are as follows:
If your doctor did diagnose you with high blood pressure, become a partner in your own health and monitor your levels daily. In doing so, you can determine what tips work for you and which do not. You can also determine if you need more aggressive help, such as medication or more drastic lifestyle medication. You can find blood pressure monitors at just about any drug store or pharmacy, and you can purchase them without a subscription.
In addition to monitoring your health at home, maintain regular visits with your primary care physician. He or she can monitor your levels as well and advise you of what more you should do to keep your blood pressure in the healthy range.
If your doctor does prescribe blood pressure medications, take them as directed. Medications help manage the underlying cause of your high blood pressure and keep it in a normal range.
Managing your blood pressure does require lifestyle changes, but those changes do not have to be difficult or disruptive to your life. In fact, most of them should fit seamlessly into your daily routine. By taking these nine tips to heart, you can reduce your blood pressure to healthy levels and keep them there.