These changes are great for managing high blood pressure

Deesha Bondre | Dec 27, 2018, 14:01 IST
Blood pressure is often known as the ‘silent killer’ because it decides how much blood should be pumped from the heart to the arteries. The higher the blood pressure, more blood moves through the arteries forcefully. This, in turn, puts a lot of pressure on delicate tissues that are present in the arteries and causes damage to the blood vessels. But the reason why it gets the nickname of “silent” is because the symptoms are not as alarming and are noticed only when significant damage is already caused. Due to this, many people don’t realize they may be patients of high blood pressure. Some of the common symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, blurry vision, headaches, chest pain, and nausea.Lack of treatment can lead to a stroke, heart attack or kidney damage. However, some healthy lifestyle changes can keep this condition at bay. Read to know what they are.



A well-balanced diet

Although an obvious solution, it is often not given enough attention. An ideal diet should focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. One should also try cutting on salt and processed and packed food. Leafy vegetables, yogurt, garlic, salmon and beetroot, and bananas are great for high blood pressure patients.



Manage stress levels

This may be one of the most important you can do for yourself. Your mental health is directly related to your blood pressure issues. Hence your stress levels must be monitored and then managed. To control your stress level, you can do deep breathing exercises, meditation, and yoga. One should also sleep for adequate hours regularly to combat stress.



Quit smoking and limit alcohol

This would be difficult with the celebration season. But your health comes over everything. Smoking or alcohol consumption is not beneficial for overall health. If you’re diagnosed with high blood pressure, you must quit smoking instantly. Excessive drinking should also be avoided for better health.

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