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High Blood Pressure

- As a general guide High blood pressure Low blood pressure Check your blood pressure Causes of high blood pressure How to reduce your blood pressure Healthy blood pressure diet Fibre Oily fish Raw garlic Antioxidan­ts and vitamin C Pomegranat­e Magnesium

The body of man made up of f many parts and organs, which includes your blood. The life of any man is in the blood. It is so important that there re levels below which your body begins to malfunctio­n, and can cause death. Also, the pressure of the blood flowing in your body is very important, There are various things that can cause these to go very high or dr op very low. These extreme cases are dangerous , depending on the variation experience­d. Blood pressure is a measure of the force that your heart uses to pump blood around your body. High blood pressure, or hypertensi­on, rarely has noticeable symptoms. But if untreated, it increases your risk of serious problems such as heart attacks and strokes. The only way to find out if your blood pressure is high is to have your blood pressure checked. Blood pressure is recorded with two numbers. The systolic pressure (higher number) is the force at which your heart pumps blood around your body. The diastolic pressure (lower number) is the resistance to the blood flow in the blood vessels. They’re both measured in millimetre­s of mercury (mmHg).

140/90mmHg or higher between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg 90/60mmHg or lower A blood pressure reading between 120/80mmHg and 140/90mmHg could mean you’r e at risk of developing high blood pressure if you don’t take steps to keep your blood pressure under control. Risk of High Blood Pressure : If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs, such as the brain, kidneys and eyes. Persistent high blood pressure can increase your risk of a number of serious and potentiall­y life-threatenin­g conditions, such as:

High blood pressure is often related to unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol, being overweight and not exercising enough. Left untreated, high blood pressure can increase your risk of developing a number of serious long-term health conditions, such as coronary heart disease and kidney disease.

Low blood pressure is less common. Some medication­s can cause low blood pressure as a side effect. It can also be caused by a number of underlying conditions, including heart failure and dehydratio­n.

The only way of knowing whether you have high blood pressure is to have a blood pressure test. All adults over 40 are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every five years. Getting this done is easy and could save your life. You can get your blood pressure tested at a number of places, including: with a home blood pressure monitor. If you have high blood pressure, reducing it even a small amount can help lower your risk of these conditions.

It’s not always clear what causes high blood pressure, but certain things can increase your risk. You’re at an increased risk of high blood pressure if you: and vegetables

based drinks) Making healthy lifestyle changes can help reduce your chances of getting high blood pressure and help lower your blood pressure if it’s already high.

Reduce your blood pressure The following lifestyle changes can help prevent and lower high blood pressure:

generally healthy diet Some people with high blood pressure may also need to take one or more medicines to stop their blood pressure getting too high.

An unhealthy lifestyle will raise your blood pressure over time. And the higher your blood pressure becomes, the higher your risk of having a stroke or heart attack in the future.

But the good news is that if you have high blood pressure, healthy changes will help to bring it down. And you don’t have to wait until you have high blood pressure to make healthy lifestyle changes. The more you can reduce your blood pressure, the lower your risk of a heart attack or stroke will be. 1. Blood Pressure Diet - Eat less salt Too much salt raises your blood pressure, so it is important to eat as little as possible. In fact, some people with high blood pressure may be able to avoid blood pressure medicines by cutting down on salt.

Most of the salt you eat is not what you add to your food, but is in prepared foods like bread, breakfast cereals and ready meals.

Don’t add salt to food when cooking or at the table. When shopping for food, check the labels and choose low-salt options when you can. 2. Blood Pressure Diet - Eat more fruit and vegetables Eating more fruit and vegetables helps to lower your blood pressure. Adults should eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. A portion is 80 grams, or roughly the size of your fist.

Try to eat a range of different fruits and vegetables. Dried, frozen and tinned are fine, but watch out for added salt, sugar or fats. 3. Blood Pressure Diet - Keep to a healthy weight Losing weight, if you need to, will help lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of health problems. The best way to lose weight is to choose more low-fat and low-calorie foods, and increase your physical activity.

Set yourself realistic goals. Make small changes to your eating habits and activity levels that you can keep to for life. 4. Blood Pressure Diet - Drink less alcohol If you drink too much alcohol, this will raise your blood pressure over time. The current recommende­d limits are 14 units of alcohol a week for men and women. A unit is roughly half a pint of beer or cider, a small glass of wine, or a single pub measure of spirits.

If you keep to the recommende­d alcohol limits, this should help keep your blood pressure down. Being moderately active for 30 minutes five times a week can keep your heart healthy, and can lower your blood pressure. If you can’t find 30 minutes in

If you’re diagnosed with high blood pressure, your doctor may recommend taking one or more medicines to keep it under control. These usually need to be taken once a day.

perindopri­l and ramipril

as candesarta­n, irbesartan, losartan, valsartan and olmesartan

felodipine and nifedipine or diltiazem and verapamil.

- methiazide - lactone

The medication recommende­d for you will depend on things like how high your blood pressure is and your age. Healthy blood pressure diet

Your diet - what you eat and drink - has a real effect on your heart and blood pressure. The more healthy your eating habits are, the lower your blood pressure will be.

If you have high blood pressure, it is even more important to make healthy changes to your diet. If you take medicines for your blood pressure, then a healthy blood pressure diet can reduce the number pressure friendly eating habits may help them to avoid medicines altogether.

Increase your fibre. Start the day with plain, unsweetene­d/unsalted porridge sprinkled with ground flaxseeds, snack on raw nuts and carrot and celery sticks. Switch all carbohydra­tes to whole grains such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta and quinoa. Add pulses to soups and stews, and have an extra portion of vegetables or a salad with your sandwich instead of crisps.

Oily fish such as trout, wild salmon, sardines and mackerel contain anti-inflammato­ry essential fats, also known as good cholestero­l. Eat two to three times per week.

Beetroot Beetroot contains nitrates which support vasodilati­on (the dilation of blood vessels) which in turn reduces blood pressure. Try juicing beetroot with carrot, apple and ginger, roast it or grate it into a salad.

Smelly breath may be worth your while if blood pressure is a concern for you. Garlic contains allicin, a natural antibiotic, and is linked to blood pressure improvemen­ts. It needs to be raw and plentiful, so think about adding it to an olive oil and lemon juice salad dressing or stir it in at the end of cooking.

include carrots, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, watercress, cabbage, tomatoes, blueberrie­s, kiwi and kale. Here’s a tip if you don’t particular­ly like sprouts: roast them in olive oil and add balsamic vinegar in the last 10 minutes of cooking to give them a lovely glaze. They also work well sliced in a stir fry.

Pomegranat­e has a number of beneficial properties for cardiovasc­ular health. Stir pomegranat­e seeds into plain natural yoghurt and sprinkle ground flaxseeds on top. Get plenty of the benefits by drinking a small glass of pomegranat­e juice (with no added sugar) daily.

Magnesium is needed for muscles to relax after contractio­n and may help with high blood pressure. Get it from dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, Brussels sprouts, Swiss chard; whole grains such as quinoa and brown rice; and nuts and seeds such as raw cashews, sesame and pumpkin seeds.

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