Our heart exerts a certain amount of pressure when it goes dub-lub-dub-lub. When it doesn’t, it’s obviously going to have negative effects on our body. If it exerts more pressure than required (workaholic), then it’s called hypertension or high blood pressure or high BP. This means your heart is pumping 140 or above millimeters of blood per every mercury. And trust me, I cross checked with a doctor, that’s a lot. This also means your heart is going to wear out sooner, increasing the risk of heart disease amongst other things.
Since there is so much to do on this planet here, you want to live a little bit longer, don’t you? Well, here are a few things you should keep in mind if you want to check off every single last item on your bucket-list.
10 Simple ways to manage High Blood Pressure
1. Losing Sucks, Really? Not here – Keep a track of how much you burden mother earth, make sure you’re fit, keep your stamina up, and listen to your mom when she tells you, your diet is not what you need in life. And while you’re shedding pounds, make sure your waistline reduces too. Pot bellies don’t get along with good hearts. Men, the threshold for your waist is 40 inches and women, yours is 35. So work on that vacation tummy and start fitting into your old clothes before it’s too late.
2. Work out – as simple as that – Okay okay, nobody expects you to look like a Greek statue but make exercise a part of your daily life. If there’s someplace you can reach on foot, take that path instead. If it’s just 3 floors, take the staircase (unless you really need to pee). Do some basic stretching and strength routines every day. Join a gym or a fitness club, maybe start playing a sport, but do what you must and do it now!
3. Eat healthy and jot it down – I know your brain is your favourite place to note things down, but keeping a food diary might help you keep a better track of what you’re taking in throughout the day. Noting it down will help you get a clearer picture of what you’ve eaten, how it’s affecting your body and what steps you should take to change it. But don’t forget to occasionally treat yourself to a piece of cake or some chocolate or you might start having low blood pressure problems.
4. Na means nah – Na is short for natrium that is the scientific name for the element Sodium. Reducing the intake of sodium could genuinely help boosting up your health and keeping those crazy pressure levels under control. Another should’ve-listened-to-mum moment here. Salt really is not so great for health, eh? Nor are all those potato chips and processed crap they call foods. Still not too late though since you’re alive and reading this, lessen your salt intake and put a stop to that chip-binging business.
5. You booze, you snooze. Forever. Maybe it’s time to reconsider what we define as occasional drinking. You honestly need to step it down to just occasions. In the right amount, alcohol can be good for you and lower your blood pressure till around 2-4 mm/Hg but in excess, it’s fatal. Don’t act cool by trying to get it all down in one glug, sip on it slowly so your blood pressure doesn’t shoot up suddenly. Keep a diary to track your drinking patterns too so you can gauge how much you actually drink.
6. Nicotine, no more. The nicotine in tobacco products makes your blood pressure rise. If you’re a chain smoker, this means your blood pressure is at a constant high level throughout the day. Yes, even secondhand smoke is something you got to steer clear of. It’s as bad as active smoking if not worse, you don’t get the cigarette and you still get the cons.
7. Cut down the caffeine. It’s still under debate whether caffeine can have a long lasting effect on blood pressure but it does give you a temporary spike. That’s why those beverages make you feel so fresh. You can still go have your regular cup of coffee every morning, and noon, and evening, and night, all I’m just saying that you shouldn’t let it become jars of coffee. (It’s ironic how I’m writing this with a cup of tea on my desk 😆 ).
8. Take a chill pill. Teenagers are annoying but this is one thing they do right. Don’t bust your balls. Kick back, relax, and take a chill pill. Stress and anxiety rapidly increase your blood pressure levels, faster than anything else. Find time for yourself and try figuring out what causes you to get tense and work on eliminating these factors.
9. Doctor is a friend – Don’t cancel your appointments or skip your checkups thinking it’s unimportant. Go to your doctor, understand what goes on under your skin and ask questions till you’re personally escorted out of there. It’s the age of DIY, self monitor your patterns and care for yourself.
10. Find support in your peers – If your friend has the same problems, join the gym together or go for a stroll to the park in the evening with them. You can even consider being a part of a support group if you need help outside of your family and friends.
Don’t start acting like a paranoid person who can’t think beyond health issues, but do start caring of your body and its organs.