Tag: stroke

Lowering Your Blood Pressure

Do you have high blood pressure? Maybe you want to prevent getting high blood pressure, no matter what the case is, there are everyday things you can do. What you eat, how much you exercise, even your habits can effect your blood pressure.

If you see your doctor regularly you more than likely have your blood pressure checked every time. This is a necessary procedure to monitor your pressure and be sure you don’t have high blood pressure. There are different reasons one has high blood pressure and different things you can do to help lower it.

If you have high blood pressure it damages your blood vessels increasing your risk for stroke or heart and kidney diseases. In other words, having high blood pressure is very harmful to your health and you want to treat it right away.

Making lifestyle changes is the first way to go when you want to lower your blood pressure. If doing these simple changes does not help and you have to use medication, continue doing the changes along with the medication. The lifestyle changes alone may just not be enough and added with medication could help significantly.

If you use any tobacco of any kind, stop your use or decrease it significantly. Nicotine makes your blood vessels constrict resulting in a faster heart beat. This faster heart beat raises your blood pressure. You can easily find products that help quit smoking or help quit the use of other tobacco products.

If you are overweight you are at a high risk of high blood pressure. Start a diet program and start eating healthier. Exercising regularly is very beneficial to lowering your blood pressure. Plan an exercise routine and track your progress. This will show you what is working and what is not.

Eat plenty of fruit and veggies and try a low fat diet. Try to stay clear of sodium, alcohol and caffeine or at least limit your intake. Sodium isn’t harmful to everyone’s blood pressure but until you know for sure, it is better to take precaution.

Alcohol can cause high blood pressure in some people as well. Try to only drink one or two alcoholic beverages a day. If you know this is increasing your blood pressure, try to quit altogether. Your health might be at risk.

Stress can sometimes affect your blood pressure. Stress is very common and there are millions of ways to help reduce stress. Try some relaxing techniques first and if none of these work talk to your doctor. They may have some better suggestions.

If all else fails you may have to turn to medication. There are many types of medicine to help you lower your blood pressure. You may end up taking this medicine for the rest of your life but if it helps keep you healthy, it is worth it.

If you are still unsure of how to handle your blood pressure talking with your doctor is the best solution. Tell them of your concerns or ask them any questions you might have. No question is stupid when it comes to your health. You could even do some research online and find out many things about blood pressure. You are not the only one curious about taking care of your health. Take the necessary steps to live a long healthy life.

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.

High Blood Pressure 101

Knowing about your body can be very beneficial to your health as you age. Knowing about your blood pressure can help prevent strokes, heart disease and kidney disease. In this article you will find everything you should know about your blood pressure.

Anyone can have high blood pressure. It doesn’t matter your age, race, ethnicity or gender. Many people suffer from high blood pressure and have a higher risk of strokes and heart diseases than those with regular blood pressure.

What is high blood pressure?

High blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of your arteries. Your blood pressure is always rising and falling throughout the day and if it rises and stays that way over time, you have high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is usually referred to as hypertension. When you have high blood pressure it puts more pressure on the heart, making it work harder than usual. This is why you end up at risk for strokes or heart disease.

What is the normal blood pressure level?

The normal blood pressure level is less than 120 over 80 or less. The first number is your systolic pressure and the second number is your diastolic pressure. Your numbers are read 120 over 80, etc. If your pressure is 140 over 90 or higher you have high blood pressure.

What is systolic blood pressure? This is the force of blood in your arteries when your heart is beating.

What is diastolic blood pressure? This is the force of blood in your arteries when your heart is relaxing.

What are the risk factors of high blood pressure?

The most common risks of high blood pressure are stroke and heart disease. There are a few other risk factors that can be modified and some that cannot be. The following are some risks:

Tobacco
Physical Inactivity
Diabetes
Abnormal Cholesterol
Being overweight

Who can get high blood pressure?

Unfortunately anyone can get high blood pressure but it is more common among African Americans. Nearly one in three American adults has high blood pressure. African Americans also have a much higher death rate from kidney disease and stroke than white Americans. Even so, with treatment you can help lower your blood pressure.

How can I lower my blood pressure?

Fortunately there are many different ways of helping to lower your blood pressure. Exercise is a great way to lower it. Doing physical activity will make your heart stronger over time. If you have a stronger heart it can pump blood easier lessening your risks of stroke and kidney diseases. It is never too late to start exercising!

If you are concerned about your blood pressure consult your physician. Ask any and all questions you might have and find the best way for you to lower it. If all regular ways fail, consider medication. Talk with your doctor about your health and lifestyle so he can choose the best medicine for you. If you want to live a healthy life, taking control of your blood pressure is very important.

Finding the Right Blood Pressure Home Monitor

If you are checking your blood pressure from home you have the choice of choosing your own monitor. You can use either an aneroid monitor or a digital one. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

An aneroid monitor has a dial gauge and your blood pressure is read by a pointer. You inflate the cuff by hand using a rubber bulb. With a digital monitor you can choose a manual cuff or an automatic one. You can read your blood pressure reading on a screen digitally as well. You want to choose the one you are more comfortable using.

An aneroid monitor is very portable. The cuff that comes with this monitor also has a stethoscope built into it. The aneroid blood pressure monitors range cheaper in price compared to the digital ones. A down side to this monitor is that it may be too hard for some people to hear as well as too hard to squeeze the bulb.

Digital monitors are the more popular blood pressure monitoring devices because they are automatic. Unlike the pointer on an aneroid device, the digital device shows your numbers on a screen. This makes it a lot easier to read. You can even purchase a digital monitor that comes with a paper print out feature. This would make it easier to keep a record of your blood pressure readings.

The digital monitor has a gauge as well as a stethoscope. With the digital monitor it has an error code which can be very beneficial and automatic deflation of the cuff. With a digital monitor you have to use batteries and depending on the model you may have to use your left arm. You can purchase a digital monitor anywhere from thirty dollars to ninety and higher.

You want to choose a blood pressure monitoring device with a cuff that is the right size for you. The right cuff size will ensure correct blood pressure readings. Ask your doctor if you are unsure of what size you need. Be sure you can easily read and operate the device.

If money plays a factor in your decision choose a device that fits your needs as well as your budget. When it comes to your health you have to decide if you can really put a price on it. While you do not want to spend an unreasonable amount of money on something like this, you still might have to splurge a little extra.

Look around and see what your options are. You might know someone that has a home blood pressure monitor. If so, ask them what they might recommend. They might recommend whatever device they are using now or tell you to steer clear of it.

You want to choose one that is easy for you to use and read. Be sure you can understand how to operate it as well. The less confusing it is to use, the more beneficial it will be. Imagine how much better you are going to feel once you gain control of your blood pressure. It will be much simpler by monitoring from home as well as having regular check ups at your doctor visits. Lower blood pressure lessens your risks of a stroke or heart and kidney disease. This alone should make you feel much better.