Tips For How You Can Manage High Blood Pressure 

An alarming number of Americans suffer from high blood pressure. The latest estimates from the American Heart Associate indicate that 1 in 4 American adults have some form of high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. High blood pressure is one of the main risk factors for heart disease and stroke. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease and stroke are the #1 and #3 killer of individuals (#1 Heart disease - 34%, #2 Cancer - 24%, #3 Stroke - 7%). Therefore, by controlling your blood pressure, you are reducing your odds for suffering one of these debilitating diseases.

Check your blood pressure regularly.

Of the people that have high blood pressure, 32% don’t know they have it and are causing stress and strain on their heart without even realizing it. Your blood pressure tends to increase slightly with age, so it’s a good idea to have a trained health specialist such as a doctor check it at least once per year.

Reduce your sodium intake.

Too much sodium (found in table salt) can aggravate high blood pressure by causing your body to retain excessive fluids. These fluids can make it harder for your heart to pump effectively and can irritate blood vessels that are already sensitive. If you suffer from hypertension, you need to eliminate added salt to you diet and avoid high sodium foods such as snack chips, processed meats, and cured or smoked products.

Limit cholesterol and fats.

Too much dietary cholesterol and saturated fats can build up on the inner walls of blood vessels and cause strain on both your hear and the blood vessels themselves. Limit your daily cholesterol to no more than 100 mg of cholesterol per 1,000 calories of food. Restrict saturated fats to no more than 10% of your daily calories. Follow food labels carefully and track your progress.

Exercise regularly.

Regular aerobic exercise helps lower blood pressure as well as raise levels of “protective” HDL cholesterol (the kind that carries artery-clogging cholesterol out of your blood). Just make sure you consult with you physician before you start an exercise program and don’t overdue it, especially when you first start out. Monitor your progress in order to keep your self motivated.

Stop smoking.

If you smoke, stop right now! Smoking both raises your blood pressure and causes higher levels of artery-clogging cholesterol.

Take prescribed medications.

Finally, if your doctor prescribes medication, make sure you take it faithfully in addition to any dietary modifications and exercise programs recommended. Too often, people take medication irregularly or not at all, causing them to be right back in the high-risk category. If you experience side effects, don’t stop taking your medication. Instead, notify your doctor who can recommend an alternate type of medicine.

Nicole Niemiec is founder of http://www.healthy-insights.com , a site containing reliable health information for improving your quality of life.

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