High blood pressure, medically called hypertension, is one of the most significant risk factors for cardiovascular disease. About 54% of strokes and 47% of coronary heart diseases worldwide are attributable to high blood pressure.
Yet, high blood pressure is often preventable, and when unavoidable, it can be well-managed to prevent medical complications.
At Plainsboro Princeton Medical Associates PC, Dr. Aruna Chakrala advocates preventive medicine. In this blog, she aims to help you take charge of your blood pressure for optimal health.
Read on to learn the six steps you take right now to lower your risk for hypertension.
You can’t change your family medical history. If people in your family have hypertension, your risk is higher—similarly, your age, gender, race.
Whether or not you have these risk factors, you can minimize your risk. Here’s how.
You already know smoking is bad for your health. Using tobacco raises your blood pressure and damages your arteries. If you’ve struggled to quit using tobacco in the past, Dr. Chakrala can help. Many of her patients have kicked the habit with the use of prescription medications. She can also direct you to support groups.
Dr. Chakrala recommends the DASH diet (DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), which limits salt to 2,300 milligrams (mg) a day. That's about the amount of sodium in 1 teaspoon of table salt.
Many patients assume their sodium consumption is lower than it is. That’s because even though they may not cook with salt, many prepared foods, such as bread and canned soups, contain much more sodium than most people realize. The Food and Drug Administration estimates that about 70% of dietary sodium comes from packaged and prepared foods.
Most Americans eat around 3400 milligrams daily, way above the recommended amount.
Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. Men who drink more than two drinks per day and women who drink more than one alcoholic beverage per day are at a greater risk of chronic high blood pressure.
You don’t need to be a triathlete. Still, regular physical activity that elevates your heart rate, such as walking briskly, playing a sport you enjoy, swimming, or another movement, will help keep your blood flowing and your heart pumping.
Watching your diet and exercising regularly can help you maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese is another risk factor for hypertension!
It’s much easier to tell people to lower their stress levels than actually to do so. If you live with chronic stress, you increase your risk level for numerous health conditions, including high blood pressure.
Here are a few tips to help you reduce stress:
Certain health conditions increase your risk of developing hypertension. These include:
Cholesterol can build up inside your arteries, making them stiffer and narrower. Lowering your cholesterol can reduce your risk of high blood pressure.
If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, taking steps to treat it can also help lower the chance you’ll develop high blood pressure.
About 6 out of 10 people with diabetes also have high blood pressure. Diabetes causes sugars to build up in the blood and increases the risk of heart disease.
To learn more about preventing high blood pressure or managing your already diagnosed hypertension, schedule an appointment at Plainsboro Princeton Medical Associates PC today. Call the office at (609) 799-5000 or request a consultation online.
