All About the World Hypertension Day 2021

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is the cause of fifty per cent of all strokes and heart attacks. Thus, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recognises hypertension as one of the biggest health risks globally. World Hypertension League (WHL) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to preventing and controlling hypertension globally. 

WHL celebrates World Hypertension Day on 17th May each year to spread awareness about the disease’s detection, prevention, and control. World Hypertension Day was first inaugurated back in May 2005, and it has been celebrated each year diligently ever since then.

World Hypertension Day: The Theme for the Year 2021

The organisation seeks to enhance awareness about the dangers of hypertension. So, the theme for this year is “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer.” It builds on the general call of the organisation to “Know Your Numbers”: you need to monitor your blood pressure regularly to know if you are at risk or not.

This World High Blood Pressure Day focuses on combating low awareness rates worldwide, especially in low to middle-income regions, and showing precise blood pressure measurement techniques. WHL has added several new resources on blood pressure measurement and checking the accuracy of BP monitors.

How to Reduce the Risks of High Blood Pressure

There are several factors causing hypertension that are beyond our control, such as a family history of high blood pressure and age. But there are several aspects that we can still bring into our lives that will help us control hypertension:

• Exercising
• Weight reduction
• Giving up on smoking
• Limiting alcohol consumption
• Controlling the daily salt intake
• Including more veggies and fruits in your diet

One of the most effective ways of preventing hypertension is to have a healthy lifestyle. We need to be ready to make the changes and improve our quality of life with simple and necessary adjustments to our lifestyle.

What all can be done to control hypertension?

The first and foremost thing to do if you’ve been diagnosed with hypertension is to work out a proper plan for controlling it with your doctor or an expert cardiologist. Hypertension is definitely manageable, provided you chart out a plan that includes regular blood pressure monitoring, doctor visits, a healthy high blood pressure diet and an active lifestyle. Here are some changes in your diet that can help you begin.

• Having More Home-Cooked Food rather than Fast Food

  A little salt consumption is okay, but too much of it disrupts the balance of fluids in the body. If you have more home-cooked food rather than processed, ready-to-eat food, you will be able to control your salt intake. All kinds of processed foods are loaded with sodium, even the ones that are labelled low-fat.

• Including Coconut Water in Our Diet

  Coconut water is rich in potassium, magnesium, and vitamin C. It helps in balancing out the sodium in our blood by bringing it to a controllable level. The rich concentration of minerals in coconut water is also helpful for the body.

• Consuming Fish High in Omega 3 Fatty Acids

  Fish oil happens to be a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids that can help in reducing our blood pressure. So, we must include fish like tuna, sardines, mackerel, and salmon in our diet because these have a high amount of omega 3 fatty acids.

There’s a good reason why hypertension is called a lifestyle disease. If you make some lifestyle changes, it can definitely be kept in control. As per this year’s theme for World Hypertension Day, it’s easily possible to Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, and Live Longer.

Note of Caution: This article is for information purpose only. Always consult your doctor in case of any blood pressure or other health-related problems.