| How's Your Blood Pressure?
If youre like many people, you dont have a clue. But given the risks associated with high blood pressure, you really should know where you stand. One in four, or 50 million Americans, have high blood pressure, placing them at increased risk of heart disease and early death.
Many people feel fine and look great without knowing that they have high blood pressure. It can exist for years without any visible symptoms. If high blood pressure is left uncontrolled, the heart and blood vessels eventually become damaged, leading to heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. Along with smoking, high blood cholesterol and physical inactivity, high blood pressure is a major risk factor in the development of heart disease and strokes.
Keep your blood pressure under control by having your blood pressure checked and by learning what you can do to manage it.
This guide will help you:
- Know how blood pressure can affect your health.
- Identify ways to manage blood pressure.
- Set a workable goal to maintain your blood pressure at a healthy level.
When your heart beats, it contracts, pumping blood through the arteries to every part of your body.
If your systolic pressure is 120 and your diastolic pressure is 80, your blood pressure is written as: 120/80
This is the normal blood pressure you want to have or lower.
The first number, the systolic pressure, is the force against the walls of your arteries when the heart contracts. The second number, or diastolic pressure, is the force on the arterial walls when your heart is relaxed.
Blood pressure can fluctuate with a person's daily activities. High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when the blood pressure stays too high. In general, if the systolic pressure is consistently 140 or higher, or the diastolic pressure is consistently 90 or higher, a person is considered to have high blood pressure. A reading of 120 over 80 is the ideal.
Find out what your blood pressure is. If its high — see your doctor. Most high blood pressure cannot be cured, but it can be controlled by lifestyle changes or medications.
There are some factors that put you at greater risk of developing high blood pressure that are not within your control. Determine your level of risk by reading each statement and identify the categories that apply to you.
Heredity. People with a family history of high blood pressure are twice as likely to have problems with high blood pressure.
Race. High blood pressure is more common, and can be more severe, in blacks than in whites. African-Americans — especially males — tend to develop hypertension.
Pregnancy. During pregnancy, some women may develop hypertension, even if they have never had trouble with high blood pressure before.
Age. Your risk increases with age, especially for men over the age of 35 and women over the age of 45.
Checking one or more of these statements does not mean that you will develop high blood pressure. It simply means that you might be at greater risk.
Here are some lifestyle steps you can take to help reduce and maintain a healthy blood pressure.
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Measure up. The only way to detect high blood pressure is to have it measured regularly. If you are under the age of 65, have it checked every one to three years. After 65, have it checked yearly. Ask your doctor what the numbers mean and the range that is safe for you.
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Dont smoke. Smoking damages your lungs and blood vessels, and speeds up hardening of the arteries. The combination of high blood pressure and smoking doubles your risk of heart disease. It is never too late to quit! As soon as you stop smoking, you significantly reduce your risk of premature death while your heart and lungs begin to heal and function better.
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Eat a balanced diet. Calcium, potassium and magnesium play important roles in maintaining normal blood pressure. While all the facts are not yet known, your diet should contain the recommended amounts of these minerals. Skim milk, spinach kidney beans and artichokes are examples of mineral-rich foods. A diet that includes fruits and vegetables can provide you with important nutrients to help you maintain a normal blood pressure.
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Limit alcohol intake. The more alcohol people drink, the higher their blood pressure will tend to be. People with high blood pressure who stop drinking often reduce their blood pressure to normal levels. If you choose to drink, do so in moderation, no more
than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. (One drink is equal to 12
ounces
of beer, 4 to 5
ounces
of wine, or 1
ounce
of hard liquor.)
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Exercise regularly. Schedule 30 minutes of moderately intense activity, like brisk walking, into your daily routine. This can help to lower blood pressure. Exercise sessions may be broken up into shorter 10-minute intervals throughout the day. Exercising aerobically for 30 or more minutes, most days of the week, burns extra calories for weight loss, and improves the efficiency of the heart. It also increases stamina and strength, and boosts self-image — often leading to other positive health changes. Losing weight is often the only thing people need to do to lower or control their blood pressure. Your goal should be to reduce weight gradually and maintain a weight that is right for you. (The recommendation for safe weight loss is 1/2 to1 pound per week.) Remember to talk with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.
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Eat fewer processed and canned foods. Processed foods are usually very high in fat and sodium and low in nutrition. Dont make them a regular part of your diet. Enjoy more home-cooked meals instead. Make cooking a family activity so that it takes less time. Use natural herbs and seasonings that increase the flavor but not the sodium content.
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Learn to relax.
Stress raises blood pressure temporarily. Chronic stress appears to cause a consistent rise in blood pressure, but its long-term effect is hard to measure and may vary greatly. When you relax, your heart rate slows and body tissues require less oxygen. Although more studies are needed, it's a good idea to recognize stressors in your life and learn ways to diffuse them.
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Enjoy more home-cooked meals. Frozen dinners and canned foods, may taste good, but theyre usually loaded with sodium. Make cooking a family activity so that it takes less time. Use natural herbs and seasonings that increase the flavor but not the sodium content.
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Work with your doctor. If you have high blood pressure, work with your doctor to set up a treatment plan. You may or may not need to take medication. If you do, keep in mind that individuals respond differently to various medications, and you may need to try several before finding the one that's right for you. Follow your doctor's instructions carefully, and consult your doctor before taking over-the-counter medications, which could interact with your blood-pressure treatment.
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Your body needs some sodium (salt) to regulate fluids and perform other critical functions. You need about one teaspoon of salt a day (2,400 milligrams), but the average American consumes between three and four teaspoons daily. Extra sodium in the diet causes the body to retain fluids and in some people, contributes to high blood pressure.
While cutting back on sodium may not reduce the risk of high blood pressure for everyone, it can do no harm, and it may protect as many as 35 million Americans from the risk of stroke, heart attack and kidney failure.
Here are common ingredients that add sodium:
- Baking powder and baking soda.
- Additives that include the word sodium, such as monosodium glutamate, sodium benzoate, sodium caseinate, sodium phosphate and sodium saccharin.
- Onion salt, garlic salt and celery salt.
- Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and steak sauce.
- Mustard, catsup, relish and salad dressings.
Nows your opportunity to put your knowledge and skill to practical use. Start managing your cholesterol today by creating your own personalized action plan.
Take our blood pressure quiz and see how much you learned.
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