By Lucy Jones, Lutrition
Have you been told you’ve got high blood pressure? You’re probably feeling a little overwhelmed, but empowering yourself with knowledge can help you to better understand what you’re experiencing.
Why is high blood pressure bad?
High blood pressure can make blood vessels less elastic, and instead more rigid and narrow. Not only can this make it more difficult for blood to flow to where it needs to go, but narrow blood vessels are more prone to the build up of bad cholesterol. The build up of bad cholesterol can further narrow blood vessels, reducing blood flow even more.
Good blood flow is important to ensure that oxygen and nutrients are delivered to the parts of the body that need it. If blood flow is reduced, oxygen and nutrients aren’t delivered efficiently to where they’re needed.
Untreated high blood pressure can result in heart attacks, stroke, kidney failure, problems with sight and vascular dementia.
What causes high blood pressure?
There are many reasons for developing high blood pressure, some of which you can control, and others you can’t.
Some of the risk factors for developing high blood pressure include:
- Being age 65 +
- Having family history of high blood pressure
- Black African or black Caribbean descent
- Smoking
- Drinking lots of alcohol
- Eating too much salt
- Not exercising enough
- Having high stress levels
- Carrying extra weight
High blood pressure can also develop as a result of other medical problems, or taking certain medications.
It’s important that you don’t beat yourself up about having high blood pressure. Instead, focus on how you can manage it going forward.
How can lifestyle help manage high blood pressure?
If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure, it’s important to speak with your doctor about the best way to manage it. They may discuss both medication and lifestyle changes.
Here are just 3 simple lifestyle changes that can help with managing blood pressure.
1.Reduce your salt intake
Salt is hidden in many foods, including bread, butter, cheese, soups and jars of sauces. Whilst you can’t control the amount of salt in these foods, be mindful of your portion sizes of foods such as cheese and butter.
However, if you cook from scratch, you’re better able to control the amount of salt in your food. Only add salt once you’ve tasted food, and if it needs it. Try adding fresh or dried herbs and spices instead of salt.
2.Move your body regularly
Regular movement can help with reducing high blood pressure. In an ideal world, everyone should be doing at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week. This includes brisk walking, riding a bike or dancing.
However, if you’re not moving much at the moment, start off small. How could you fit 10-15 minutes of movement into your day? Choose movement that you enjoy. It could be anything – walking, cycling, swimming, to name just a few.
3.Eat more fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are great sources of potassium, which is a nutrient that’s linked to helping reduce blood pressure.
You likely know you should be eating your 5-a-day already – but are you? Think about how you could increase your intake of fruits and vegetables by an extra portion each day. This could be snacking on fruit, or serving an extra portion with dinner.
Keep it simple
There are many lifestyle changes you can make to help manage high blood pressure, and they don’t need to be complicated. Simply reducing your salt intake, moving your body regularly and eating more fruits and vegetables can make a big difference.