Tag: High blood pressure

How Does Exercise Help Your Blood Pressure?

Do you want to take control of your blood pressure? If so, exercise may be the key for you to do just that. Many people may not realize exercise can help you control your blood pressure. Fortunately, it is all rather simple.

As you probably know, you are more prone to high blood pressure as you age. Unfortunately, we all age and this cannot be helped. But controlling your blood pressure can be helped.

By exercising you can prevent risks of high blood pressure which can cause stroke and kidney disease. If you already have high blood pressure, exercising can help you get it under control.

As you exercise your heart gets stronger. When your heart is stronger it can pump more blood more easily causing less pressure on your arteries. While exercise may not work for everyone you can easily lower your blood pressure by around ten millimeters.

Even if you do not have high blood pressure, you can take these precautions to prevent from getting it. Along with controlling your blood pressure you can lose weight or maintain your desired weight which also affects your blood pressure.

Overweight people are prone to having high blood pressure and an increased risk of stroke or kidney or heart diseases. If this is you, get moving and start exercising! This doesn’t mean you have to overdo yourself, take it slow at first and work your way up. You will start feeling better as you continue a regular routine.

It is suggested to do at least thirty minutes of exercise a day if possible. Thirty minutes can be hard to do for some people, mainly because they can’t find the time. If this is the case, you can do short bursts of exercise. You could exercise for ten minutes at a time throughout the day. At the end of the day you’ve done thirty minutes.

Like with starting any exercise routine, you will want to talk with your doctor first. There are certain things you will have to have your doctor’s okay for. If you are a man over forty or a woman over fifty it might be better to talk with your doctor first.

Smoking increases blood pressure as well as makes it hard for some people to exercise. Being overweight has an effect on everything and you definitely want to consult your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Having a chronic health condition or high cholesterol and even high blood pressure can put you at risk when exercising. Be sure to talk to your doctor first. If you do not visit the doctor regularly, do so now. It is better to know exactly what health you are in before doing any strenuous activity or even exercising.

Always warm up before starting an exercise routine. Begin slowly so you can slowly build the intensity. Be sure to continuously breathe throughout your routine. Holding your breath can cause your blood pressure to increase and the key of exercising to help control or lower your blood pressure.

If you experience any discomforts or pain while exercising notify your doctor immediately. It is better to take full precaution even if it ends up being something little. Once you start your exercise program, you want to track your progress.

A great way to do this is if you can’t see your doctor regularly; purchase a home blood pressure monitoring device. You want to check your pressure before you begin and when you are finished. You want to make sure it’s working and how much it’s working.

By exercising you are lowering your chances of getting high blood pressure and if you already have it, you are helping to control it. This means you are lessening your risks of strokes or heart diseases. It is never too late to start, no matter your age, gender, or ethnicity. Talk with your doctor today about an exercise program that is right for you. Your body will thank you in the end.

Diet and Food Affect Your Blood Pressure

Are you aware that what you eat can affect your blood pressure? Watching your diet can be very beneficial to keeping your blood pressure normal. Even if you have never had a problem with high blood pressure, taking necessary precautions can be beneficial.

You could try a Vegetarian diet. In this diet you will get many of the following:

Calcium
Magnesium
Vitamin A & C
Potassium
Complex Carbohydrates
Polyunsaturated Fat
Fiber

All of these can have a great influence on your blood pressure.

Sugar can increase your blood pressure, especially the common table sugar sucrose. Try to limit your intake of this. A diet high in fiber has been proven effective in lowering blood pressure. Along with lowering your blood pressure this diet will also help you reduce your cholesterol levels and even promote weight loss.

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is very important as well. Any diet that includes consuming fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy foods and is low in total fat, cholesterol and saturated fat has proven to be effective in lowering blood pressure.

Many people use more salt than they are aware of. Maybe because some of us are just used to automatically salting our food unaware if it was salted when being cooked. (If eating out) Reducing your salt intake will also help lower your blood pressure.

A diet high in potassium and low in sodium reduces your blood pressure rise by reducing the effect of adrenaline. If you reduce your sodium intake you must also increase your potassium intake.

There are some vegetables and spices that help control your blood pressure. Many of these are very common vegetables and spices so you may be helping your blood pressure and not even know it.

Onions’ essential oil is very beneficial. If you have two to three tablespoons of this essential onion oil a day, it could help reduce your systolic levels. Tomatoes are also a beneficiary to controlling blood pressure. They are high in GABA, a compound that helps lower your blood pressure.

Broccoli contains several blood pressure reducing ingredients. Carrots also have many compounds that do the same. Introducing these vegetables to your diet will do wonders for your blood pressure. Even if you don’t suffer from high blood pressure, it’s best to keep it at a safe level and take the extra precautions to get there.

Garlic and celery are also great to add to your diet. Garlic is good for the heart which you’ve probably been told before. Eating just one clove of garlic a day has been proven to be beneficial.

Whatever diet you choose or whatever foods you try to limit, remember you are doing it for your health. Many people learn to enjoy healthier foods as they get older. If you have any questions or concerns about your blood pressure get with your doctor. They will be happy to assist you and answer any questions you might have. Taking care of your health is very important and will make you feel much better.

Children and Blood Pressure

Did you know that even babies can develop high blood pressure? Many might think of this as uncommon but it isn’t. When babies have high blood pressure it is usually because they are premature or have kidney or heart problems. When an older child has high blood pressure it is usually a result of their family history.

As you might have noticed today, there is an increase in obesity in children. This also increases their blood pressure putting them at health risks. A great way to prevent this is to have your child’s blood pressure checked often as they grow older.

More ways to help are watching your child’s diet and making sure they get plenty of exercise. Some kids are not as active today what with the video games and all. Try to get your child involved in regular activities from the start. It will benefit their health as well as their self esteem later down the road.

Just like adults, you can easily help control your child’s blood pressure. Watch their diet. Be sure they are getting the right nutrition and limit their salt intake. Get them eating vegetables and fresh fruits. While many children do not like vegetables, there are many ways to overcome this. You can spice up a recipe that involves vegetables.

Physical activity is the key to any healthy lifestyle. Getting your child involved in physical activity when young will help ensure they stay active and healthy as they age. Involve them in sports of their choosing and take walks with them. You can both benefit from this.

If your family has a history of high blood pressure, be sure your child gets routine check ups. This will help ensure they do not develop high blood pressure and if they do, you can start controlling it. Remember stress can raise blood pressure and while some kids shouldn’t be stressed, they are.

Children deal with stress just like adults, just in different ways. Talk with your child and stay active in their life and what goes on. You want them to have a happy healthy life and you can help them achieve that goal.

If you are unable to control your child’s blood pressure through their diet and exercise, you might have to turn to medication. Talk with your doctor and let them know what you have already tried. Sometimes this is not enough alone, but with medication, can help control it.

Try to exercise with your child every day. Exercising alone sometimes is harder for children and adults alike. You can get involved with your child this way and it will benefit you both.

Talk with your teenager about smoking and drinking. These both cause high blood pressure and once they know the risks they are less likely to try them. Do not think your child is invisible from developing any health problems along with high blood pressure.

Remember that blood pressure increases with age until you are around fifty. If you get a head start on watching yours and your child’s at an early age, you will both benefit very well in the end.

Benefits of Early Blood Pressure Monitoring

Did you know that your blood pressure increases as you age? By taking control of your blood pressure at an early age you can have the benefit of a longer healthy life. In this article you will find ways to monitor your blood pressure and the benefits that come with it.

If you are unable to have regular check ups at your doctor’s office, you can purchase a blood pressure monitoring device. If you have a history of having high blood pressure a monitor is a great way to keep an eye on it.

Since blood pressure increases with age it is best to start monitoring it as early as possible. Many young people do not worry about things like this, but if your family history involves high blood pressure, it is best to start now.

The first thing when monitoring your blood pressure is to know what makes it increase. The following are just a few things that can cause it to increase.

Smoking and Alcohol

Tobacco use and alcohol can drastically increase your blood pressure. The best way to prevent this is to sustain from using tobacco or drinking alcohol. If you do not desire to do this, you can try limiting your use of tobacco and alcohol consumption. If you have tried quitting either before there are many available resources to help aid you in completely quitting.

Overweight

Being overweight will also drastically increase your blood pressure. If you can try to lose at least ten pounds this will help significantly.

Physical Inactivity

Do you exercise regularly? If not, you might want to start doing so. Exercise can help lower your blood pressure. Try doing at least thirty minutes of physical activity every day. If you cannot set aside thirty minutes at one time, try doing ten minutes at a time. As long as you get thirty minutes a day you will see results.

Stress

Yes, stress can raise your blood pressure. If you find yourself stressed every day, consider doing something to help you relax and de-stress. Meditation or a similar relaxation technique will do wonders with dealing with stress.

Your Diet

If you have an unhealthy diet, this could be the cause of your blood pressure increase. Try to limit your salt intake and introduce more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Read nutrition labels and try to eat less fat, etc.

Sleeping Disorders

Sleeping disorders can raise your blood pressure because your breathing is interrupted while you’re sleeping. You can fix this by talking with your doctor about medication to help you sleep. There are many available medicines that have proven to be effective in helping sleeping disorders.

Over-the-counter drugs, substances and supplements

Some over the counter medicines and other supplements can trigger high blood pressure. Specifically antidepressants, cold medicines, oral contraceptives and nasal decongestants. If you are worried about a certain medication you are currently taking, consult your doctor. Ask any and all questions you may have concerning your blood pressure.

By watching all this you can stay away from the risks of high blood pressure including stroke and heart or kidney disease. It is never too late to start taking care of your health.