High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects more than 1 in 4 adults in the UK and is a risk factor for heart disease, failing eyesight, chronic kidney failure and stroke. People with high blood pressure are often prescribed a combination of various treatment options and medicines to lower blood pressure effectively. However, most patients are unaware of lifestyle and dietary changes that can help lower blood pressure and maybe even eliminate the need for drugs. Luckily, with a few lifestyle changes and diet management, many people can bring down their blood pressure to a great extent and maintain healthy levels.
Let’s have a look at certain lifestyle changes you can make to lower your blood pressure.
Walk it out
Walking regularly can help lower your blood pressure. In fact, walking at a brisk pace ensures the heart uses oxygen more efficiently and therefore doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood. Start by incorporating about 15 to 20 minutes of exercise in your daily routine and slowly increase the time and difficulty level. Talk to your doctor about a safe exercise routine. Be careful not to over-exercise if your blood pressure is dangerously high as it can have adverse affects.
Go for fruits and veggies
Eating your fruits and vegetables right can go a long way in lowering your blood pressure. You can make a list of fruits and veggies, which are rich in potassium, magnesium and fibre, as they are good for lowering blood pressure, these include apples, green beans, dates, grapes, potatoes, etc. Foods rich in calcium and vitamin D are also great supplements to control blood pressure levels. Eliminate foods that are high in saturated fats and cut back on desserts and sweetened beverages.
Give up smoking
Nicotine present in tobacco stimulates your body to produce adrenaline, which makes your heart beat faster and raises your blood pressure for several minutes. It can also cause clots in blood vessels, requiring the heart to work harder to provide sufficient oxygen around the body, increasing your blood pressure. Even exposure to second-hand smoke can be dangerous for your heart.
Indulge in Dark Chocolate
Good news for chocolate lovers, eating small amounts of dark chocolate regulalry can help lower blood pressure for people suffering from hypertension. Dark chocolates having 50-70% cocoa contain flavonoids, found in unsweetened chocolates, that cause dilation of the blood vessels, and decrease blood pressure. Be careful not to overindulge, blowing your calorie budget.
Cut salt intake
Cutting down on salt in your daily diet, can lower your blood pressure by as much as 8 mmHg. The majority of salt in our diets comes from restaurants and packaged foods. Excess salt leads to water retention in your body, causing an increase in blood pressure. It is recommended to have no more than a little over half a tea spoon of salt per day. Limit the use of salt, trying seasoning your food with spices, herbs and lemon instead.
Experts at The Online Surgery provide you information on how to control blood pressure by changing daily routine and planning a proper diet. If needed medication and tests kits are also delivered to your doorstep at your convenience. To get our GP consultation, consult us now.