Once you know you have hypertension or you are at risk of developing hypertension, it’s important to follow a comprehensive programme of lifestyle changes. But what exactly does this involve?
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Hypertension can seem like some cruel lottery – why me and not them? And yes, many people simply inherit hypertension.
Fortunately there are many risk factors that you can
control, mostly by changing your lifestyle. By making and
maintaining these adaptions many people are able to control their hypertension
without medication.
Lifestyle modification is also important for those with
other risk factors who do not have hypertension yet. This can delay or
prevent them from developing high blood pressure and heart disease.
1. Bodyweight – lose it Losing
excess weight is the most effective way in which you can lower your blood
pressure, besides medication. Some studies find that for every
kilogram of weight lost, blood pressure drops with 2,5 mm Hg systolic and 1,5 mm Hg
diastolic. A Body Mass Index of more than 25 is considered as overweight.
2. Exercise - move it A high
activity level not only helps to maintain a healthy weight, but also lowers your
blood pressure and improves your overall cardiovascular health. It
strengthens your heart and lungs, and tones your muscles, increasing your lean body
mass. As a bonus, it is also a powerful stress-reducing tool. Exercise
should be regular and dynamic, according to your ability and medical
advice. As a rapid resting pulse rate is seen as a risk factor for
hypertension by some experts, being fitter can only benefit
you. Twenty minutes of brisk walking four times a week, is a good
start.
3. Eating and drinking – it’s what you put
in Food choices The word "diet" signals
deprivation to many people. However, adopting a health-giving eating plan can be
very rewarding and is quite easy. Opt for low fat, high fibre food
including whole grains and legumes. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and
vegetables to supply potassium and other crucial nutrients. Choose low-fat dairy
products and experiment with lean meat like ostrich. Fatty fish, like
salmon and tuna, contains omega-3 oils that protect your heart. See the DASH
eating plan for a user-friendly guide.
Less salt Many people are highly
sensitive to salt (sodium chloride), and that leads to a rise in blood
pressure. Try to limit intake to 6 g (one teaspoon) per day. Do this
by adding less salt during cooking and adding no salt to food at the
table. Most important is to avoid processed foods, which is full of
sodium, in many forms. Salt is also bad news for your kidneys, one of the
target organs that can be damaged by hypertension and vascular disease.
More potassium Potassium seems to
replace and eliminate excess sodium from the body, which reduces blood pressure
in salt-sensitive people. It protects you and can be found in potatoes,
nuts, bananas and other fruit. Increase your intake of this heart-friendly
mineral.
Alcohol Regular drinking, especially
heavy drinking, can raise blood pressure. Men with hypertension should
limit their intake to no more than two drinks per day, and women to one drink a
day.
Coffee Although still much debated,
coffee produces a temporary increase in heart rate and blood pressure, also in
people who do not suffer from hypertension. It would be wise for
hypertensive people to avoid the repeated elevations in blood pressure by
drinking less coffee.
Blood lipids – bad fats High
cholesterol, especially the “bad fats”, like LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides,
cause damage to the lining of arteries. These fatty deposits, called
plaques, partially obstruct and reduce flow through the blood vessels. High
HDL-cholesterol, however, seems to play a protective role. Diet and
lifestyle changes are very important, and sometimes lipid-lowering drugs are
necessary.
Smoking – snuff it Smoking is a major
culprit, causing damage to the heart and blood vessels. Adding insult to
injury, it also raises the blood pressure by constricting and therefore
narrowing the vessels. A disaster triangle of disease is formed when people with
hypertension and high cholesterol opt to smoke. It is the most preventable cause
of premature death in the Western world.
Smoking is a well-known health hazard affecting many
organs, causing cancer and numerous other diseases. If you do smoke, add
years to your life by making every effort to stop.
Medication and recreational
drugs Actually a secondary cause, it is important to realise that
certain drugs affect blood pressure. The contraceptive pill can raise the blood
pressure of some women, especially if they smoke. This is of even greater
importance after the age of 35.
Many drugs, whether illicit drugs like Ecstasy or
cocaine, or over-the-counter drugs like anti-inflammatories can raise your blood
pressure. Remember to inform your health professional about your
self-medication.
The good news about all these lifestyle factors is that
you can participate in improving your health enormously. - Dr Kathleen Coetzee, MBChB.
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