Reversing the Risk Levels of Hypertension

Hypertension is a common lifestyle disease that affects a large majority of the world’s population. Poor dietary choices, a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy habits are said to be major causative factors of this disease. Hypertension increases one’s risk of developing cardiac diseases, kidney ailments and stroke.

Keeping hypertension under control is important to enjoy a healthy life. There are various ways by which you can keep your numbers in check, including prescription medication, modifying your lifestyle, changing your eating habits and getting physically active. This proves that most of the risk factors of hypertension are actually modifiable.

Risk Factors of Hypertension that Can Be Reversed

Highlight the fact that several risk factors that lead to high blood pressure are, in fact, reversible.

Regular monitoring of your blood pressure levels is recommended if you are a hypertensive patient. Before we explore how some risk factors of this lifestyle disease are reversible, we must get acquainted with the risk factors themselves.

Risk factors that lead to high blood pressure or hypertension include:

• Being overweight or obese
• Smoking
• Chronic stress
• Excessive salt in your diet
• Deficient intake of potassium in the diet
• Old age
• Lack of exercise or physical activity

While there is no one way of telling the exact cause of your hypertension, it is usually a complex interplay of two or more risk factors. However, most of the above-mentioned risk factors for high blood pressure are reversible. Here’s how!

• Dietary modifications

High sodium and poor potassium intake have been linked to an increase in blood pressure. Reducing your sodium intake and increasing potassium in your diet is a good place to begin. Include low-fat dairy products like milk and yoghurt, fish, fruits and vegetables in every meal. Also, cut back on your carbohydrate intake and limit your consumption of processed foods and those rich in saturated fats.

• Get active

Lack of physical activity or exercise is a known risk factor for high blood pressure. According to the American Heart Association, moderate to vigorous intensity exercises are recommended for 30 minutes every day or 150 minutes a week to bring down your blood pressure levels.

• Quit Smoking

Smoking is said to cause a temporary increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Chronic smoking damages your blood vessels, causing inflammation and narrowing of the arteries. This causes high blood pressure. Therefore, quitting smoking can reverse the damage done to some extent and help bring your blood pressure down.

• Weight management

Being overweight or obese is a common risk factor for hypertension. If you wish to reduce your blood pressure, work on reducing your weight and achieving a healthy BMI (Body Mass Index) number.

• Stress

Apart from the sedentary lifestyle that we live today, our day is filled with various kinds of stresses. Chronic stress is known to push your blood pressure numbers high. However, stress management is an effective way to reduce your high blood pressure. Practising yoga, meditation, and other such methods are effective ways of stress management.

Wrapping It Up

If you are hypertensive or are struggling to keep your numbers in check, consult with your doctor, and follow their advice consistently. For more information and insights into hypertension management, visit Bp in Control.

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.