If you discover that you’re diagnosed with hypertension (hypertension) in accordance with the new guidelines of the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, you may be wondering what to do. The guidelines cut down the definition for high blood pressure down to 130/80 millimeters instead of 140/90 millimeters mercury (mm Hg) This means that a greater number of individuals now meet the criteria of stage I hypertension.
While it’s important to not dismiss the changes, there’s no need to worry. “Obviously, nothing happened within a woman’s body or to her health prior to the announcement of the new guidelines.” claims Dr. Naomi Fisher, director of hypertension service and hypertension innovations at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension and an associate medical professor at Harvard Medical School.
The change, however, will encourage you to consider taking your blood pressure very seriously. “These guidelines were anticipated for years and are highly regarded by most hypertension experts. Although they may appear drastic but by putting the research we’ve learned from large trials into practice, they’ll assist thousands of people,” says Dr. Fisher.
What are the implications of hypertension?
If you’re in the 130/80 range, decreasing your blood pressure can help protect you from heart attack as well as stroke, kidney diseases eye diseases, strokes as well as cognitive decline. The objective of the updated guidelines is to help individuals to manage their high blood pressure seriously and take steps to reduce it principally through lifestyle modifications. “It is widely known that lifestyle changes can decrease blood pressure by as much as pills can, sometimes greater,” states Dr. Fisher.
Making those changes can be difficult. There have been women who woken up in the morning with a commitment to eating healthy only to be derailed by a bowl of cookies on a table in the workplace or an evening out with friends.
How lower your blood pressure through small adjustments
There is no need to undertake a massive life overhaul to make an impact on how your blood pressure is measured. Here are six basic suggestions to take to get your blood pressure back within an acceptable range.
1. Lose weight
The most efficient means of reducing elevated blood pressure is to shed weight, according to Fisher. This doesn’t require massive weight reduction to see a difference. Just losing 10 pounds can reduce your blood pressure.
2. Read labels
Americans consume a lot of sodium from their diets. It can be as much as triple the amount of 1,500 milligrams (mg) daily for individuals with high blood pressure says Dr. Fisher. It’s not that much sodium to reach the 1,500 mg daily limit — only 3/4 of a teaspoon worth of sodium. It’s about half of sodium in one Egg McMuffin breakfast sandwich. You can avoid high-sodium foods by reading labels with care. “It is extremely difficult to reduce the amount of sodium consumed by not reading the labels in the event that you cook all your food yourself,” says Dr. Fisher. Beware in particular of what the American Heart Association has dubbed the “salty six,”” food items that are commonly consumed and contain the highest levels of sodium could be lurking:
Breads and rolls
cold cuts and preserved meats
pizza
poultry
soup
sandwiches.
3. Get moving
It’s not hard to boost your overall health. You should aim for a half hour at least five days a week. “Make sure you’re engaged in activities that you enjoy, or it will not stick,” says Fisher. “For some , dancing is a must and for others, cycling or walking briskly with a buddy.” Even simple activities like gardening can help.
4. Get some iron
“Add an element of weightlifting into your workout routine to help reduce weight and keep you healthy. Women lose muscle mass steadily as they age, and weightlifting is a common part of an exercise plan for women in general,” says Fisher.
5. Limit alcohol to 1 drink per day.
Too much, and too often, can raise your blood pressure, so practice moderation.
6. Relieve stress with daily meditation or deep breathing exercises
Stress hormones can enlarge your blood vessels, and may result in temporary spikes in blood pressure. In addition that, as time goes by stress can trigger unhealthy habits which put your heart well-being at risk. It could be due to overeating, poor sleep, and drinking alcohol and drugs. These are all reasons why managing stress should be a priority when you’re trying to lower high blood pressure.