High Blood Pressure also known as Hypertension is a chronic disease that has no cure. It is referred to as the “silent killer” as many persons do not know they have high blood pressure before something adverse happens like a heart attack or a stroke.
A person is diagnosed with hypertension when they have a blood pressure reading that is persistently above the normal.
Being diagnosed with Hypertension is however not a death sentence as it can successfully be controlled, which can ensure you have a long fulfilling life. Here are a few ways in which you can control your High Blood Pressure:
- Have regular doctor’s check-ups to ensure blood pressure readings are maintained in normal range and also for antihypertensive medications to be discussed and prescribed after thorough medical evaluations.
- Take medications as prescribed for efficacy of same.
- Modify lifestyle practices (if applicable); quit smoking, stop the intake of alcohol as this cannot be had with prescribed medicine, stop illicit drug intake.
- Exercise regularly or as tolerated. This helps to get your heart rate up and heart muscles stronger, a stronger heart pumps blood better and improves blood flow thus normalizing your blood pressure.
- Eat healthy; lessen fat intake to the recommended daily amount, so you could try having baked meats instead of fried or substitute some of your meat intake with vegetables, whichever you prefer. Also, try as best as possible to lower your sodium intake to the recommended daily amount as sodium rich foods stimulate an increase in blood pressure.
- Treat other conditions like Diabetes Mellitus, Obesity, Kidney Diseases and Thyroid Diseases as they can cause increase in blood pressure levels.
- Reducing stress can help lower high blood pressure.
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