Hypertension, also known as High Blood Pressure is a common health issue in aging people around the world. It is also responsible for increasing risks of heart attacks, strokes and other complications. According to the World Hypertension League (WHL), about one third of the adults have hypertension. However, there are many easy to follow ways in which one can combat the problem of High Blood Pressure and we asked Dr. Rajesh Vukkala, MD (General Medicine), Consultant Physician at VINN Hospital, Hyderabad about the same and this is what he recommends:
- A Daily Routine
Most of the people don’t follow a regular routine and alter it as per their choices. But it is always recommended to have a particular time of waking up in the morning, doing all the chores, exercising, having meals on fixed times and going to sleep early. Following a proper routine keeps you healthy. - Cut Out Caffeine
It is good to cut out coffee or any other hot beverages from your routine, since they impact blood pressure. Try to avoid it as much as you can. Caffeine can raise your Blood Pressure, however, it may vary from person to person, how their bodies react to its intake. - No Junk
Junk food is always a big NO. processed food usually comes with loaded sugar, calories and refined carbs, which studies have shown to be associated with high blood pressure. A home cooked, healthy meal should be taken. - Work Out
Meditation, Yoga and walk are the exercises recommended by Dr. Rajesh. Meditation is highly known to calm and relax your mind to deal with stress. Apart from that, exercising is the best way to alleviate your Blood Pressure. It not only lowers the blood pressure but also improves the heart health. - Maintain Your BMI
Being overweight can affect your heart health. However, there is nothing such as an ideal weight. It depends on factors like age and height. Therefore, maintain a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 23 (+ or - 1). BMI is nothing but the ratio between your weight and height. - Nutrients
There are some nutrients that your body requires more than others. Calcium, potassium and magnesium are some of those. They are all important to carry out the basic metabolic changes in our body. However, this doesn’t mean that you can turn a blind eye to other nutrients. - Cut Down Your Sodium Intake
Specifically talking in the Indian context, we love to add salt to anything and everything, in vegetable salads, fruits, etc. even if it may not be required. Most of the food that we eat naturally contains some amount of salt, and adding more salt to it is not required just for the sake of your taste buds. It may affect your blood pressure levels. - Alcohol And Smoking
There have been no such studies that indicate a particular amount of alcohol that may be good for health as in many other countries. And on the other hand, smoking is an absolute NO. Alcohol is still a little debatable, but smoking is not at all. However, consumption of them is harmful and Dr. Rajesh highly discourages its consumption.
“People in the last three decades have been exposed to high levels of stress. The problem of blood pressure is something that you usually look for in a person after the age of 50 years, but today, there are more young people suffering from it and the main reason being stress. Stress can be due to financial problems, work overload or other personal issues. Therefore, one must know how to manage stress and not let it affect your health.”, says Dr. Rajesh. Therefore, the key to a happy and healthy life is in your hands. It is necessary to know how your lifestyle can affect your health and take care of it.
