What is blood pressure? Quite simply, blood pressure is the force with which your blood pushes against your artery walls. When your heart beats and pumps blood into your blood vessels, your blood pressure is the highest. This is called systolic pressure. The blood pressure between beats is called diastolic pressure. It falls because the heart is at rest here. These two readings give you your blood pressure. If your arteries are narrow, your blood pressure will be higher. A reading of 130/80 mm Hg or more signifies high blood pressure. If your blood pressure reaches over 180/120, you should seek medical assistance immediately because it’s extremely dangerous.
Why does one need to control their blood pressure? While it rises and falls throughout the day, if it stays high for too long, it can become a serious problem, with many negative effects on your health. Blood pressure is one of the leading causes of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. High blood pressure has become a very common problem. According to research, about one in three adults in America suffer from it.
Due to the fact that high blood pressure has barely noticeable warning signs, it’s called the “silent killer,” which makes it an even bigger threat. It’s imperative, then, that you make sure you take regular blood pressure checks, so as to know if it’s getting above the normal range. The good news is that just like many other health issues, high blood pressure or hypertension is one that can be controlled, or even avoided altogether with some simple but effective lifestyle changes. In this article, we will be having a look at some of the ways to manage blood pressure and live a healthier life.
1. Be Mindful of Your Weight
Being overweight has many negative consequences. Amongst these is high blood pressure. As your weight increases, you’ll be more at risk of getting hypertension. Put in some effort in losing the extra pounds you might have accumulated. Generally, with each kilogram of weight you lose, you may reduce your blood pressure by 1 mm Hg. This is, hands down, the most effective tip to manage your blood pressure.
Being overweight means that your heart has to work harder to do its job. This extra strain on it can lead to high blood pressure and also damage your blood vessel. When you lose weight, your blood vessels will find it easier to expand and contract.
To shed some weight, engage in more physical activity, make sure you take in fewer calories and be more careful about what you incorporate into your diet.
