When your heart beats, it pumps out a wave of blood all over your body. The traveling blood pushes against the blood vessels called arteries, that carry the vital oxygen and nutrients that you need. The resulting force of this process is what we call blood pressure.
In Canada, the Heart and Stroke Foundation estimates that approximately six million people have elevated blood pressure. That is almost around 19% of the Canadian population. Among them, 66% have consulted health professionals to treat it, while 17% do not even know that they have it.
High blood pressure or hypertension is referred to as a “silent killer” because you will not usually feel the symptoms until there is already considerable damage to your heart. That is why this condition must be seriously considered by all Canadians.
If you are suffering from increased blood pressure levels, here are the things you can do to manage it:
1. Lower your sodium intake.
Sodium is one of the primary causes of elevated blood pressure. When your daily consumption of sodium goes way more than the recommended intake, your body will retain extra water to get rid of the salt in your circulation. Over time, this causes blood pressure levels to rise and it strains the blood vessels and the heart.
An adult only needs around 2,300 milligrams of salt a day. If you are not careful, it is very easy to exceed the recommended daily allowance. Some instant noodle brands have 2,770 mg of salt content in one serving. If you are not looking at your sodium intake, it is possible for you to get high blood pressure and other complications in the long run.
2. Lose some weight.
Blood pressure can increase as you gain weight. Obesity can also make you prone to sleep apnea, which further increases blood pressure. If you are way beyond your body mass index, you should lose some weight to avoid further complications.
The best way that you can do this is by creating a daily exercise regimen. Getting physically active at least 150 minutes a week or 30 minutes a day can already make a difference. But if you are really serious about losing weight, you can consult fitness experts to advise you about the exercise routines you can do effectively shed pounds.
Consistency is the key here. Once you stop your regular physical activities, you can gain weight again, so make sure that you are exercising consistently.
3. Load up on nutritious food.
If you are doing good on your exercise regimen, you should also begin forming a diet plan. Remember, you can only shed some pounds if you are losing calories more than you are taking them in.
Incorporate more whole grains, vegetables, and fruits in your meals. Stay away from food high in saturated fat and cholesterol. If you are consuming dairy, try getting the low-fat products. Otherwise, there is a whole range of plant-based milk alternatives that are not only saturated fat-free and cholesterol-free – they are also packed with the nutrients that you need.
Initially keep a food diary to keep track of what you are eating in a day and a week. This can help you monitor what and how much you are eating. The next time you see that burger or steak, think of your arteries.
4. Learn to de-stress.
Stress hormones can temporarily cause your heart to pump faster and blood vessels to thin triggering a surge in blood pressure. However, there is no study saying conclusively that stress per se can cause long-term hypertension. It’s your unhealthy reaction to stress that you have to watch out for.
Stress is a normal part of life. But how you react to it can cause high blood pressure or even heart attack stroke.
Take for example this scenario: You’ve been working overtime and suddenly your colleague walks in and slams some folders on your table and yelled at you saying you have botched some reports. You may do either of these things: You can yell back at your officemate or you can squeeze a stress ball, do breathe in and breathe out exercises, and relax for 30 minutes before looking over those files. The latter reaction is you managing the stress. The first reaction is stress, managing you. Now, which do you think is the reaction that can cause elevated blood pressure?
5. Limit your alcohol and ditch the smoking habit.
Drinking alcohol is a double-edged sword. Do it in moderation – two drinks for men and one drink for women – and it can cause lowered blood pressure levels. One drink is equivalent to five ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, and 1.5 ounces of liquor that is 80-proof. But drink too much and it causes the opposite! Additionally, drinking too much alcohol can also lessen the effectiveness of your maintenance medications.
Cigarette smoking can increase blood pressure for several minutes even after finishing your stick. The more stick you smoke, the longer the condition stays. If you love yourself and want to manage your hypertension, you have to start your journey to ditching those nicotine sticks.Do these things if you want to effectively manage your hypertension. If you need professional help to treat and manage your high blood pressure, you can contact an online doctor Vancouver. An online clinic is a one-stop health care provider that offers convenient access to doctors anytime, anywhere.