A healthy lifestyle can help people with various ailments and diseases to better manage their health and achieve a better quality of life. High blood pressure is one of the diseases that can be best managed by living a healthy lifestyle. For some people, a healthy lifestyle can prevent the development of high blood pressure.
Many of us have often heard it said to "lose weight and get some exercise" because it will help a person to maintain a better life. Maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly can do much to prevent and control high blood pressure.
High blood pressure and weight are closely related. Obesity greatly increases a person's risk of developing high blood pressure. An overweight person increases their risk by up to six times. However, as a person begins to lose weight, his blood pressure often drops.
Try to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean protein.
Exercise is another important factor in preventing and controlling high blood pressure (http://www.gothypertension.com/managing/highbloodpressureandexercise). Exercise makes the heart stronger and able to pump blood throughout the body with less effort. When it is easier for the heart to pump blood, it becomes easier for the arteries.
Regular exercise helps a person to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. The latest organizational guidelines recommend moderate exercise for 30-60 minutes a day, 5-7 days a week. Walking is good physical activity, especially for people who have just started exercising. Swimming, cycling, and running are also great ways to exercise. In addition, government regulations recommend that a person engage in vigorous physical activity, such as strength training, at least 20 minutes a week at a time.
Smoking is hard on the heart and nicotine builds up in the arteries, narrowing the arteries and making the heart work harder to pump blood into the body. Smoking also interferes with certain blood pressure medications, making them less effective. Quitting smoking reduces the risk of high blood pressure, will help control high blood pressure, and will also reduce a person's risk of developing lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Quitting smoking is very difficult, perhaps the most difficult thing a person can do, but doing so goes a long way in improving one's health.
Avoiding too much sodium is suggested to help control and prevent high blood pressure, although there has been controversy in recent years about whether or not reducing sodium intake will have a significant impact on blood pressure. It may not have the greatest impact, but even a small reduction in sodium can have a positive effect on a person’s health.
Take any high blood pressure medication as prescribed - do not skip doses or stop taking them altogether. If, after taking the medication for some time the blood pressure returns to normal, it does not mean that the person's blood pressure is normal. It means that the drug does its job and regulates blood pressure. Blood pressure medicine needs to be taken permanently, often for life.
Avoid drinking too much. Not only does it cause high blood pressure, it is also bad for the liver and kidneys.
Although studies have not shown whether or not caffeine affects high blood pressure, other studies have shown that people who consume caffeine daily have higher blood pressure than people who do not. On the other hand, some studies have shown that people end up tolerating caffeine and that it no longer affects their blood pressure. As a precautionary measure, doctors will often advise high blood pressure patients to reduce their caffeinated diet.
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