Blood pressure is not a disease; it is a blood force against the artery walls that is necessary for the pumping of blood throughout the body. Normal blood pressure is about 120/80 in a healthy adult. In today’s fast life, 130/90 also considered normal but not healthy. Nowadays, the rate of high blood pressure complaints has increased. Life has become stressful, and diet has changed from healthy to junk foods. There are many certain factors, and to cope with that, we must understand certain things about blood pressure.

1. Regular check-up

Hypertension is also known as the silent killer because it increases pressure silently among arteries and creates life-threatening conditions. High blood pressure means rising pressure against the wall of arteries. Arteries can be of heart, kidney, eye, or any other organ. Unfortunately, when pressure is building up on arteries, it does not show any symptoms until it’s too late.

So regular check-up at home and once or twice in a month with a doctor is necessary; to avoid severe damage like heart failure, kidney failure, vision damage, and so on.

2. Stress management

Everyone is stressed out in the world, be it a kid or an adult. But do you know that stress is one of the causes of the spike in blood pressure? When a person takes stress, the body releases hormones that increase blood pressure. However, it re-tunes to its normal state after some time, but chronic stress can lead to a constant spike in blood pressure. This can be risky for the heart. So to keep blood pressure within normal range and body healthy, stress management is necessary. One can,

• Practice yoga and meditation.

• Relaxation exercises or body massage is also beneficial.

• Spend time with friends and family, listen to music, etc.

• Scheduling a day and keep oneself calm is the best way to deal with day to day stress.

• Avoid giving response to stress via overeating, smoking or drinking.

3. Food habits

It is true that” we are what we eat.” Food is the main element that creates or solves forty to fifty percent of problems in the body. Too much junk food or unhealthy or irregular eating habits can increase blood pressure. In other words, an unhealthy diet increases the chances of a weight gain, which leads to high pressure. Also, foods with excessive sodium/ salt are harmful as they build up pressure on blood pressure due to water retention. As a result, the kidney has to function more which will increase blood flow and pressure to eliminate salt or fluids from the body.

• Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits.

• Increase potassium intake as it reduces sodium retention in the body. Banana, milk, spinach, orange, sweet potatoes, and avocados are good sources of potassium.

• Avoid or lessen processed foods as they have high sodium content.

• Instead of having a meal anytime, eat time to time. Eat at the same time every day.

• Reduce excessive caffeine or tea, switch to green tea or milk.

4. Physical activities

Exercise is not a cause of high blood pressure; instead, it makes a heart-healthy. Exercise can reduce or control risk or already high blood pressure. When you become active or do regular exercise, it makes your heart healthy. So then the heart will need less effort to pump blood. However, patients with too much high blood pressure or a history of heart attack should consult their doctors before starting any exercise.

Today many people are in an eight to ten hours desk job. So, constant sitting causes fat storage and weight gain and, ultimately, high pressure. Thus, physical activity has become a necessity to avoid pressure problems.

• 30 to 60 minutes of exercise, six days a week is good enough for everyone.

• Aerobic activities or sports will give you health with fun.

• Walking, swimming, dancing, cycling anything that increases heart rate is good for the body.

• Move your body while working or avoid sitting for long hours.

5. Smoking

Yes, smoking is one of the major factors for high blood pressure. Everyone believes smoking or drinking can only cause cancer, but it is wrong. Smoking is responsible for many other diseases than cancer. Smoking is hazardous for people who suffer from high blood pressure and for a healthy person too. When you smoke, nicotine and tobacco cause narrowing of blood vessels and damage to the wall and cells of vessels. This ultimately spikes in blood pressure. Even one cigarette can do this, though the effect is temporary, but the damage is long-lasting.

So say no to smoke at all costs; because the damage is irreversible and dangerous. And the good news is as soon as one quits smoking risk of getting a heart attack reduces to half within two to three weeks. The same way alcohol in excess is also harmful. So try to reduce the consumption of alcohol for better health.

6. Sound sleep

Sleep is essential to keep the body healthy. Quality and quantity of sleep should be good enough. You must be wondering how sleep can lower blood pressure. When one gets sound sleep, the body reduces stress hormones and provides relaxation to organs. This ultimately reduces blood pressure. Sleep deprivation causes fatigue in the body and elevates stress hormones that lead to a spike in blood pressure. So it is necessary to take enough sleep, not less or more.

So do some relaxation exercises or meditation before sleeping. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule and take six to eight hours of sleep to keep away heart risks.

7. Medical conditions and medications

Certain medical conditions and medicines, as they cause fluid retention, are responsible for blood pressure problems. And one cannot stop taking a drug which is necessary for health. People who suffer from kidney disease, ovary disease, mental illness, or any other diseases are on medicines such as antidepressants, birth control pills, decongestants, etc. These all are inevitable factors for high blood pressure risk. So to cope up with it, one has to change the lifestyle to remain healthy.

Final Words…

Blood pressure is good until the normal range when the range of pressure exceeds; it becomes harmful for the body. To combat high blood pressure problems and risks of organ failures, one should change his/her lifestyle by avoiding excessive alcohol and salt and incorporating a healthy diet, physical activities, sound sleep, and regular check-up with the doctor. Lastly, completely eradicate the habit of smoking as it worsens the condition of the heart.