What Should You Know If You Have High Blood Pressure?

What Should You Know If You Have High Blood Pressure?

If you are battling high blood pressure there are some things you will want to know. First thing you want to understand is what the numbers mean. Your blood pressure will read with a top and bottom number. The top is your systolic pressure and the bottom number is your diastolic pressure.

Normal blood pressure is 120/80 so if your blood pressure reads 130/90 you are at risk for developing high blood pressure. This reading is called prehypertension which is basically a stage before developing high blood pressure.

By having your blood pressure checked and monitored often you can easily lower it where it needs to be. The best way to do this is by maintaining or adopting a healthier lifestyle. Have you always had normal blood pressure until recently?

If this is the case, consider what you have recently started doing different that may have caused it to rise. Did you change your diet? Have you been exercising less? Maybe you are on a medication; some medications can cause your blood pressure to rise.

If you do have high blood pressure you can easily monitor it at home if you choose. If you do this you still want to keep your regular doctor visits. You can share your own results and you can both see what is and isn’t working for you.

If you are on other medications consult your doctor. Chances are one of these could be raising your blood pressure and you want to take control as soon as possible. If your blood pressure gets too high without proper treatment you are at more risk of having a stroke or heart and kidney diseases.

If you have recently changed your diet you should talk to your doctor, especially if your blood pressure has risen since then. Lots of salt and sodium can cause high blood pressure and not enough fresh fruits and vegetables. If this is the case, try to limit your salt intake and get more vegetables in your diet.

Also physical inactivity can be a cause for high blood pressure. Have you recently stopped doing regular every day physical activity? If so, consider starting again. You might have stopped because of an inevitable reason; broken bone, etc. If this is the case talk with your physician. Together you can find a way to still get a little bit of physical activity in your daily routine.

You also want to cut off or limit your use of tobacco and alcohol consumption. Many people do not realize these cause high blood pressure. There are many over the counter medicines and even doctor prescribed medicines to help you quit smoking. There are also many different resources to help you quit drinking.

If your doctor prescribes blood pressure medicine for you, you want to be sure and remember to take it. Some people are bad at remembering to take medication. There are many different ways you can help yourself remember.

You take the risk of a stroke or heart disease by not taking your blood pressure medication. This should be reason enough to take your medicine, but sometimes people just forget. While it sounds like reason enough, if you are not used to taking daily medication it is rather easy to forget.

If you have certain questions or concerns talk with your doctor. They will gladly answer any questions you have and do their best to get your blood pressure at a normal rate again.

Taking Control of Your Blood Pressure

Do you have problems controlling your blood pressure? Is it like a roller coaster ride? You do not have to worry any more. In this article you will find out how to take control of your blood pressure and have the healthy lifestyle you want.

As you may know there are many things that can cause your blood pressure to increase and many ways to decrease it and keep it that way. Your lifestyle will play a major role in this and even your race, age and family history.

You cannot change your race or age or history but you can still gain control of your blood pressure. African Americans are more prone to developing high blood pressure as well as people over fifty-five. You definitely cannot make yourself younger or change your color but that doesn’t mean you cannot control your pressure.

Having a healthy diet will have a major effect on your blood pressure. If you like eating salty foods this might be hard for you, but well worth it. Having high blood pressure can lead to heart and kidney disease as well as a stroke.

Try cutting back on any salt and sodium in your diet. Your doctor will probably recommend a certain serving amount or intake amount of sodium for your diet. Also try to eat more vegetables and fresh fruit. These will make you feel a lot better along with decreasing your blood pressure.

Are you very active physical wise? Physical inactivity can play a huge role in high blood pressure. If you do not exercise regularly try to get in the habit. Thirty minutes a day is recommended but you can space the time out if needed. Do ten minutes here and there and before you know it, you’ve done thirty minutes of physical activity.

Do you smoke or drink? These will raise your blood pressure as well. Quitting either of these habits can be tough, but there are many helpful resources out there to help you. If you know you cannot quit right away, try limiting your consumption and use. Set a certain amount to smoke and drink a day.

Slowly lower the amount and before you know it you will be ready to quit. Try doing this along with medication or something that helps you quit. Doing small things like not being around anyone that smokes or drinks can help immensely. Also try replacing these habits with something else. If you get the urge to smoke or drink start doing something else you enjoy.

Do you have a stressful job or just a stressful lifestyle in general? Stress can increase your blood pressure. You want to find a way to de-stress and relax. Is there a certain hobby that does this for you? You might also try some relaxation techniques such as meditating, etc. Do this as often as you need to to help keep the stress away.

If you are still concerned about your blood pressure talk with your doctor. By telling them any concerns and asking any questions you might have, they can better help you find the best way to control your blood pressure. Sometimes medication works better than anything else.

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.

Are You at Risk for High Blood Pressure?

Do you know what the risks are of high blood pressure? How do you know if you are at risk? There are many different causes for high blood pressure. In this article you will find out if you are at risk and how you can help prevent and control your high blood pressure.

Your blood pressure is high if it is over 120/80, which is the normal level of blood pressure. There are many everyday lifestyle habits that raise your pressure that you might not be aware of. One of those is being overweight. If you are overweight you are at a greater risk of developing high blood pressure.

Try to start a healthy diet or start exercising. Even losing a measly ten pounds can help you drastically and keep your blood pressure normal. Physical inactivity is also another lifestyle habit that causes many Americans to develop high blood pressure.

If you are not very physically active, consider starting to be. You can easily adapt exercise to your everyday routine; you just have to plan it out. Try to do at least thirty minutes of exercise a day. This will help lower or control your blood pressure.

Many people are not concerned with what they eat, yet they want to be healthy. These two do not go together. If you want to stay healthy, you have to watch what you eat. Having unhealthy eating habits can cause high blood pressure as well. Try to eat less salt or sodium and more vegetables and fruits.

Using tobacco products is a great risk for developing high blood pressure. Smoking is a very common habit among the world and many of these people might have high blood pressure and not even know it. There are many ways to help rid the habit of nicotine or use of any tobacco product.

Every one is stressed at some point during their lives. You might be stressed every day or just once in awhile. Whatever the case may be, you can still develop high blood pressure through stress. If you find yourself stressed more often than not, consider some relaxation techniques. Meditation is a great way to start. If this doesn’t work, consider something different.

Drinking alcohol also causes high blood pressure. Do you drink quite a bit? More than two drinks for a man and more than one for a woman can raise their blood pressure. If you drink more than this, consider cutting back. Once again, if you are addicted to drinking, or smoking, you can find many ways to help you quit.

These are very common lifestyle habits that cause high blood pressure. If you are at risk for high blood pressure or already have it, consider purchasing a home blood pressure monitoring device. This can help ensure that whatever habits you are changing or modifying are working.

Sometimes this change is not enough. You might have to use medication or incorporate medication with your exercise routine, etc. The best way to know this is to visit your doctor. Ask any and all questions you might be concerned about. They will happy to assist you in helping you have a healthier and active lifestyle.