Blood Pressure Blog

Blood Pressure – Five tips to keep it normal

What is blood pressure anyway?

Blood pressure shows the amount of work your heart has to do to pump blood around the body. It is very important to keep it controlled because high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

The normal level of blood pressure is 120 (systolic) over 80 (diastolic). Systolic (upper) number indicates the amount of pressure the blood is exerting against the artery walls when the heart beats.

Diastolic (lower) number indicates the amount of pressure the blood is exerting against the artery walls while the heart is resting between beats. Blood pressure is measured in mm Hg. Mercury was used in the first accurate pressure gauges and is still used as a standard unit of measurement for blood pressure in medicine. 

Negative effects of high blood pressure.

If you’ve been told your blood pressure is 140/90 or higher (130/80 if you’re diabetic) then it is important to discuss it with your GP. High blood pressure can be attributed to: 

  • Stroke
  • Heart Attacks
  • Heart Failure
  • Kidney failure
  • Poor circulation 

5 Tips to keep your blood pressure normal:

Lifestyle intervention can help bring down blood pressure and is often a first step in treatment as it can have a big impact in helping control blood pressure. The following are a few tips that can help: 

1.Improving diet:

We have all heard about how important a healthy diet is … right? Well when it comes to high blood pressure there are certain foods you should avoid such as:

  1. Pickles
  2. Canned Chicken Noodle Soup
  3. Sauerkraut
  4. Fast Food French Fries
  5. Bacon
  6. Whole Milk
  7. Frozen Pot Pies

These foods are high in sodium and fat and should be avoided.

2. Decreasing stress levels:

There are plenty of ways to do this such as: Yoga, gym work outs, walking, meditation and some over the counter remedies can assist in relaxation.

3. Losing weight:

Obesity has been linked to high blood pressure. If you’re not sure how much you should weigh click this link for a general guideline to what your weight should be compared to your height.

https://www.rush.edu/health-wellness/quick-guides/what-is-a-healthy-weight

4. Decrease alcohol intake:

A glass of wine a day may not be all that bad with dinner, but most people rarely stop at one glass. Be sure to limit you’re alcohol and never binge drink.

5. Decrease caffeine intake:

We all love and need caffeine, but too much has been known to increase our blood pressure. If you have any questions about the should drink please see your G.P or a dietician. 

References

www.irishheart.ie

Nice Guidelines 2016

www.heart.org

 

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