subject: Five Tips To Maintaining A Healthy Blood Pressure [print this page] Although many people are only familiar with this term in a negative context, blood pressure is simply the force that the blood exerts on your artery and vein walls. The pressure is vital in ensuring blood reaches every part of the body. The problem comes in when the blood pressure goes either above or below the optimum level.
High blood pressure however presents the greatest risk and is much more widespread than low blood pressure. When one's blood pressure is measured and found to be beyond this optimum level, the doctor and chemist will place the patient on medication as well as recommend a healthier diet.
One of the things that make high blood pressure such a major health worry is that it has few or no early symptoms and yet can lead to serious health repercussions such as heart attacks and strokes. Certain groups, such as the elderly are at greater risk of high blood pressure.
Other factors, such as a high blood pressure running in the family, or being a certain race or ethnicity can also put you at risk of higher blood pressure. For instance, if you have an African Caribbean or South Asian background, you are more likely to experience high blood pressure levels.
The following list are five tips that can help you maintain your blood pressure at a healthy level.
1. Lower your salt intake. Sometimes just this one action is all that is needed to lower one's blood pressure without the need for any prescription medication. Choose low salt foods when shopping. Practice not adding salt to readymade foods or when you are cooking. Find other ways of giving flavour to the food.
2. Eat more fruits and vegetables - It is recommended that you should eat at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables every day. A portion is roughly the size of a clenched fist. Try eating a variety of green vegetables to make sure you are not missing out on any nutrients. For processed greens, check the packet for the level of sugar, salt and fat they contain before you buy.
3. Lose weight - If you are overweight or obese, take measures to reduce your body weight. Too much weight leads to not only heightened pressure in blood vessels but is also the source of many other serious medical conditions such as cancer and diabetes. Eat foods with low calories and low fat. Go for meals that contain brown rice and pasta and incorporate beans, fish and only lean meats in your diet.
4. Reduce alcohol intake and cigarette smoking - Too much alcohol and tobacco can increase blood vessel pressure. Staying away from these is the best approach but one can always start by gradually reducing intake. Your local chemist can help provide you with items to help you stop smoking.
5. Physical exercise - This does not necessarily mean visiting the gym. About 30 minutes each day, five times a week of simple exercise sessions done at home can be built in your routine. It can be as simple as taking a walk around your local park.
