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Seven ways to prevent high blood pressure

Author: John P. Madden
Published: Jun 10 2013

High blood pressure is one of the major killers in modern society. It has many causes - stress, obesity, bad diet, and bad habits. Finding ways or preventing or reducing skyrocketing blood pressure should be a high priority for any health-conscience person.

1. Reduce Sodium

The diets of many people in developed countries is far too high in sodium, or salt. The recommended daily amount of sodium for an adult is about 2300 milligrams or less. For people over fifty, its 1500 milligrams or less. Yet many individuals can easily exceed that amount easily on any given day just with their normal diet. Many foods contain much more sodium than people realize. Fast food, bread, and cheese are some of the big culprits when it comes to hidden sodium. Reducing or eliminating these foods as well as salty drinks and snacks can go a long way toward keeping that blood pressure down.

2. Controlling Weight

The more body weight a person carries around, the harder their heart has to work, and the harder in turn it needs to pump the blood around your body. Result: higher blood pressure. So reducing weight and fighting that extra flab can greatly reduce the burden on a person's most important muscle. This means not just watching diet intake in general, but regular daily exercise as well.

3. Trashing Bad Habits

Smoking and frequent alcohol abuse can send those blood pressure readings higher than ever. These habits put unneeded stress on the body, and this in turn causes the heart and blood to pump harder to compensate. Kicking these habits is probably the single best short-term solution people can take when it comes to reducing their risk of high blood pressure. Joining support groups such as AA or choosing a reliable substitute method, such as electronic cigarettes, can greatly ease any needed transition back to a healthier lifestyle.

4. Cutting Stress

Stress is the most well-known cause of high blood pressure, and is definitely one of the most significant contributing factors to the condition. Addressing source of stress, from work, school, relationships, and the other hazards of modern life is probably the other major method that can be effective in handling high blood pressure in the short term. See about what can be done about easing work or study burdens, or settling troubled interactions with loved ones, if high blood pressure becomes an issue.

5. Switch to Decaf

Caffeine can cause a significant temporary spike in a person's blood pressure. Making sure that the quantity of caffeine in one's daily routine stays moderate can go a long way to avoiding undue stress on the circulatory system.

6. Consult Your Physician

Of course if a patient suspects they may be suffering from high blood pressure, seeing a doctor regularly is a must. The physician can help a patient develop an overall effective plan for getting the condition under control. The doctor can prescribe medicine that can help reduce the pressure in the veins, but can also make recommendations regarding diet and exercise programs as well as effective methods for breaking bad habits such.

7. Don't Go It Alone

Like many health endeavours, it always helps a great deal to seek support from friends and family and colleagues. A person who may be at risk doesn't have to feel that preventing high blood pressure is a burden that has be borne in solitude. Many millions of people are at risk of the condition, and are often willing to lend support to one another to see everyone through. High blood pressure can be a serious medical condition, but one that can easily be brought under control by a number of simple and doable strategies. Of course, it is best to make sure it never becomes an issue in the first place, and following the simple steps here can be an outstanding first step to doing just that.

Resources

- 10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-blood-pressure/HI00027/NSECTIONGROUP=1
- Sodium Content in Foods - http://www.alsosalt.com/sodiumcontent.html
- High Blood Pressure Prevention - http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/preventing-high-blood-pressure

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