Blood pressure is the pressure on the artery walls due to blood flow. The narrower and stiffer your arteries become, the higher your blood pressure will be. Normally, blood pressure is at 120/80. If your blood pressure is above this, you have high blood pressure (hypertension). After learning some basics about blood pressure, you can follow some easy steps to make lifestyle changes and lower blood pressure.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Recognizing High Blood Pressure
Step 1. Recognize the various levels of high blood pressure
If your blood pressure is above 120/80, you have high blood pressure. The level of high blood pressure changes according to the level of pressure in your heart.
- Blood pressure between 120-139/80-89 is included in the category of prehypertension.
- Grade 1 hypertension is 140-159/90-99
- Grade 2 hypertension is 160 or higher / 100 or higher.
Step 2. Diagnose high blood pressure
Blood pressure changes every day. Blood pressure is low when you are sleeping and resting, and increases when you are excited, nervous, or active. Therefore, the diagnosis of abnormal blood pressure can only be made when an increase in blood pressure is seen in at least three doctor visits conducted over a period of several weeks or months. In addition, you may have high blood pressure that affects only one of the two measured pressures.
The highest number is the diagnosis given to you. For example, if your blood pressure is 162/79, you have Grade 2 Hypertension
Step 3. Understand primary hypertension
There are two categories of hypertension, primary and secondary. Primary hypertension develops slowly over years. Usually this type of hypertension is caused by many factors and is strongly associated with several independent risk factors. Age is a major factor. The older a person is, the greater the risk for suffering from high blood pressure. This is a reaction to the narrowing and stiffening of the arteries over time. Family health history can also play a role. Hypertension in general is more common in people whose parents also suffer from hypertension. Studies show that up to 30 percent of cases of abnormal blood pressure are caused by genetic factors.
- If you are overweight, have diabetes, or have dyslipidemia, you have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure. Weight gain is a major risk factor. In the early stages, blood pressure results from an increase in heart production as your body has to work harder to deal with weight gain. Over time, the metabolism of fat and sugar is disturbed, which leads to an increase in blood pressure. Diabetes and dyslipidemia are also diseases of the deregulation of sugar and fat metabolism.
- People who experience severe stress or depression, or have a violent personality or tend to be anxious, have a higher tendency to suffer from hypertension.
- Hypertension is more common in black people and is usually more severe. There is an assumption that this is caused by environmental, socio-economic, and genetic factors.
Step 4. Study secondary hypertension
This type of high blood pressure occurs in response to an underlying condition such as kidney problems. This organ is responsible for regulating the composition of fluids in the blood and secreting excess water. Therefore, acute and severe kidney disease can cause dysfunction and result in excessive water retention, increased blood volume, and high blood pressure.
- You can also develop this type of high blood pressure if you have tumors of the adrenal glands, which secrete hormones that affect heart rate, blood vessel contraction, and kidney function, which can lead to an increase in blood pressure.
- Other factors include thyroid problems, which cause abnormal levels of thyroid hormone and can affect heart rate and increase blood pressure. Obstructive sleep apnea or obstructive sleep apnea interferes with the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, which in turn causes hypertension.
- Many drugs, whether they are prescribed by a doctor or can be purchased over the counter at a pharmacy, can increase blood pressure. These medications include some types of oral contraceptives, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antidepressants, steroids, decongestants, and stimulants. Likewise, the use of drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine can also increase blood pressure significantly.
Method 2 of 4: Making Lifestyle Changes
Step 1. Take a medical test
You can have high blood pressure for months or years without experiencing symptoms, but hypertension can cause serious health problems or even death. You could say the health problems that arise due to high blood pressure are the result of two stages. First, the blood vessels in your body constrict and become stiffer. Second, as a result of the first stage, the blood flow that flows is reduced to several organs and body parts such as the heart, brain, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. This can lead to severe complications and your life could be in danger if left untreated.
You should check your blood pressure frequently at the pharmacy to see how the numbers are changing. If you think your blood pressure is always high, you should see a doctor so he can monitor it further
Step 2. Exercise more often
To help lower blood pressure, you should exercise more often. You can try aerobic exercise such as walking, jogging, or swimming or weight training. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that adults get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least 5 days per week for a total of 150 minutes. You can also do 25 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity at least 3 times per week for a total of 75 minutes and moderate to vigorous weight training at least 2 times per week.
- If you feel this is too much for you, the (AHA) recommends that you exercise as often as you can to start a healthy lifestyle. Better to exercise a little than nothing. Try your best to exercise as often as possible. You can try taking a short walk outside which is better than sitting on the couch.
- If you follow the AHA's advice, you can lose weight too. A healthy diet and exercise can lead to weight loss, which can significantly lower blood pressure.
Step 3. Reduce stress
Stress, anxiety, and depression can increase the risk of hypertension. Learning how to manage and deal with stress can improve your mental and physical health. Try doing your hobbies, meditation, and yoga, which can help you relax and rest.
If you're struggling with anxiety or depression, see your healthcare professional
Step 4. Reduce the amount of alcohol consumed
If you're a boy, try to limit the number of drinks you drink per day to no more than 2.
Heavy drinkers who wish to limit their alcohol consumption should do so slowly over a period of several weeks. If they immediately reduce the number suddenly, the risk of developing high blood pressure becomes high
Step 5. Quit smoking
Smoking is one of the most common factors in cases of death caused by cardiovascular problems. Chemicals in cigarettes cause an increase in heart rate and constrict blood vessels which causes an increase in blood pressure. In addition, over time, smoking also causes the arteries to become stiffer and even after quitting smoking, this condition will continue for years.
Step 6. Limit caffeine consumption
Caffeine causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, especially for those who consume it frequently. High doses of caffeine can cause an irregular heartbeat. You should not consume more than 400 grams of caffeine per day.
To find out how much caffeine you can consume per day, you need to know the amount of caffeine in the food or drink that you consume frequently. 226.8 grams of coffee contains 100-150 milligrams of caffeine, 28.3 grams of espresso contains 30-90 milligrams of caffeine while 226.8 grams of tea with caffeine contains 40-120 milligrams of caffeine
Step 7. Use herbal medicines
Although it has not been scientifically proven, there are several herbal medicines that are considered to be able to treat hypertension. But don't use these herbal remedies as a substitute for scientifically proven medicines or medical advice. You can take these herbal medicines as supplements if approved by your doctor.
- Try holly leaf extract which is used as a tea in China and can help blood vessels in improving circulation and blood flow to the heart.
- You can also try hawthorn berry extract which can increase the heart's intake of blood and help support the heart's metabolism.
- Consuming garlic extract can help prevent heart disease. There is an assumption that high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels can also be controlled by garlic.
- Hibiscus, which you can get in the form of supplements or tea, can stimulate urine production and can have an effect similar to the effects of drugs such as ACE inhibitors or Angiotensin Conversion Enzyme Inhibitors. You can also try ginger tea and cardamom which are used in India to lower blood pressure naturally.
- Drink coconut water which contains potassium and magnesium which can help normal muscle function.
- Consuming fish oil, which is a concentrate of omega-3 fatty acids, can help metabolize fat and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Method 3 of 4: Trying the DASH Diet
Step 1. Try the DASH Diet or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)
This diet is designed and studied medically with a focus on reducing blood pressure. Studies show that this diet lowers blood pressure significantly. This diet is rich in vegetables, fruits, products made from low-fat milk, products made from whole grains and low-fat protein. This diet is also low in salt, added sugar and fat.
Most of the diets recommended for people with high blood pressure use the DASH diet as a role model. If you want to know more about the DASH diet and other diets, see your doctor
Step 2. Limit sodium consumption
Sodium can increase blood pressure significantly. The main goal of the DASH diet is to limit the amount of sodium that patients get through table salt or the food they eat.
- The 2010 United States Dietary Guidelines suggest that we should limit our sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams per day. If your doctor says you should stick to the low-sodium DASH diet, try limiting it to 1500 grams per day. This amount is less than a teaspoon of salt per day.
- Most processed foods contain high amounts of sodium. Be careful with processed foods if you're trying to limit the amount of salt you eat. Although processed foods don't taste salty, they can contain unhealthy amounts of salt. You can check the food packaging for sodium content. On every nutrition label, sodium is stated in milligrams.
- Pay attention to nutrition labels and monitor your daily sodium intake and keep it from exceeding 1500 milligrams.
Step 3. Include whole grains in your diet
The DASH diet recommends eating 6 to 8 servings of whole-grain foods, preferably whole grains, per day. In choosing foods made from wheat, try to choose whole grains rather than refined grains. There are some smart options that you can choose to avoid refined grains so that you eat very healthy foods.
If you can choose, choose whole grain pasta instead of regular pasta, brown rice instead of white rice, and whole wheat bread instead of white bread. Always look for foods labeled "100 percent whole grain" or "100 percent whole wheat."
Step 4. Eat more vegetables
Vegetables are delicious, have a lot of variety, and are great for blood pressure and overall health. The DASH diet recommends that you eat 4 to 5 servings of vegetables each day. Pumpkin, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, artichokes, and carrots are examples of vegetables that are high in fiber, potassium and magnesium.
These vitamins are needed so that the body can continue to function and well and help lower high blood pressure
Step 5. Increase your intake of fruits
Your body needs vitamins, minerals and antioxidants contained by fruits. You can use fruit as a natural dessert and substitute for processed sweets if you want. DASH recommends that you eat 4 to 5 servings of fruit per day.
Do not peel the skin of edible fruits for added fiber intake. The skins of apples, kiwis, pears, and mangoes can be eaten along with the filling
Step 6. Eat low-fat protein
Adding low-fat protein to your diet is great, but you have to make sure you don't overeat. DASH recommends that you eat no more than 6 servings of low-fat meats such as chicken breast, or soybeans and dairy per day.
- When eating low-fat protein, make sure you remove the fat or skin from the meat before cooking it.
- Never fry meat. Try burning it, boiling it or grilling it.
- Make sure you eat lots of fish. Fish like salmon contain omega-3 fatty acids that help lower high blood pressure, not increase it.
Step 7. Eat peanuts, seeds, and legumes
In addition to containing omega-3 fatty acids, peanuts, seeds, and legumes are also rich in fiber and phytochemicals, which are chemicals that can be found in plants and are used to protect them. DASH recommends eating about 4 to 6 servings of these foods per week instead of per day.
- Consumption of these foods is limited because nuts, seeds, and legumes are high in calories and should be limited in their intake.
- Consume foods such as almonds, flaxseeds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, lentils, and kidney beans.
Step 8. Reduce the number of snacks you consume per week
You should only eat about 5 servings of sweets per week if you want to follow the DASH diet properly. If you eat sweet snacks, choose low-fat or no-fat foods such as sorbets, fruit ice, or unsweetened biscuits.
Method 4 of 4: Taking Medication
Step 1. Try to find out if you need medication
Often, lifestyle changes alone are not enough to reduce blood pressure to healthy levels. In many cases, the patient must take the medication prescribed by the doctor. If this is the case, you should combine medical treatment with lifestyle changes. Sometimes, more than one drug is prescribed by a doctor. There are several types of drugs that can be used in the early stages of healing.
Step 2. Ask your doctor about thiazide diuretics
These drugs, such as chlorthalidone and hydrochlorothiazide, are believed to reduce fluid volume and relax your blood vessels. This medicine is taken once a day.
- Side effects of this drug include decreased potassium levels, which can cause muscle weakness and an irregular heartbeat, and decreased sodium levels, which can make you feel dizzy, vomit and tired.
- These drugs can be consumed by black patients.
Step 3.
Try taking a calcium channel blocker.
This drug, which is sometimes referred to as amlodipine, nicardipine, nifedipine, verapamil, or dilithiazem, can cause dilation of the blood vessels. These drugs work by relaxing the muscles of the blood vessel walls. Usually consumed 1-3 times per day.
- Side effects of this drug include swelling in the feet and hands and a decreased heart rate.
- This drug can be consumed by black patients.
Try an ACE inhibitor or Angiotensin Conversion Enzyme Inhibitor. ACE inhibitors and ARBs or Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers are types of drugs that block a hormone called Angiotensin II that causes blood vessels to constrict. This medicine may also increase fluid absorption. Usually consumed 1-3 times per day.
- Side effects of this drug include low blood pressure so you may feel dizzy or faint. These drugs also increase potassium levels, causing muscle weakness and an irregular heartbeat and coughing. Up to 20 percent of patients taking ACE inhibitors develop a dry cough, usually within 1-2 weeks of taking the drug for the first time.
- This drug is good for younger patients with an age range of 22-51 years.
Use beta blockers and alpha blockers. These medicines can be taken if other medicines do not give the desired effect. These drugs work by blocking signals from nerves and hormones in the body that cause blood vessels to narrow. Usually consumed 1-3 times per day.
- Side effects of beta blockers include coughing, shortness of breath, low blood sugar levels, high potassium levels, depression, fatigue, and sexual dysfunction.
- Side effects of alpha blockers include dizziness, nausea, weakness, and weight gain.
- Beta blockers are suitable for younger patients with an age range of 22-51 years.
Tips
If you manage to keep your blood pressure at a normal level for a year or two, it's likely that your doctor will decide to reduce the dose of your medication and eventually stop it altogether. This can happen if you continue to have good control over the changes you make
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