High Blood Pressure is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease and other forms such as heart failure, stroke, and ischemic heart disease and also the leading cause of chronic kidney disease, kidney disease progression, and end-stage kidney disease as well as dementia.
One should monitor blood pressure as high blood pressure does not come up with any symptoms by knowing the number of risks but putting on some lifestyle changes to prevent oneself from high blood pressure underlying conditions.
Blood pressure can increase due to any genetic reason or environmental conditions. Aging also plays a major role, people at age of 64 and above should keep their count in a normal state as it can cause various issues to be faced, instead inculcating various habits and changes in lifestyle can help you prevent underlying medical conditions. As not only people the age of 60 or above are at the risk but younger and face the issue too as they have stressful lives. However, let's know about certain risk factors of high blood pressure and how to prevent those by making small changes in daily routine.
Risk Factors:
Age
As mentioned, it can be a problem for the age group above sixty and grows as the growing age, but it can also affect many of us when we are younger too. Women are more likely to develop high blood pressure after 65.
Family history
High blood pressure often runs in families. Children of normotensive parents have a 3% possibility of developing hypertension whereas, this possibility is more than around 45% in children of both hypertensive parents.
Obesity
Greater the weight the greater the risk of hypertension. Obesity means having excess fat. It also means that the heart has to work harder to pump blood and oxygen to the body and with increasing time it may stress the heart and blood vessels leading to heart disease.
Pregnancy
High blood pressure during pregnancy can prevent the placenta from receiving enough blood and can cause a low birth weight.
It can also cause other complications such as seizures, stroke, and premature delivery.
Drinking alcohol
Alcohol contains calories that increase unnecessary weight. It may damage the heart.
Having more than one drink a day for women and more than two drinks a day for men may affect your blood pressure.
Excessive alcohol can also cause other problems such as digestive problems, and cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and rectum.
How to do it:
Maintaining a healthy weight
People who are overweight should reduce weight as the higher the body mass index the greater the risk of developing hypertension. Talking to doctors and maintaining a healthy weight can reduce the risk.
Exercising regularly
Being active helps keep weight in check as physical activity is crucial. The more you exercise the better, but little can also help you keep high blood pressure in control.
It also helps your heart and blood vessels stay healthy and also keeps blood pressure in control.
Not smoking
It does not cause high blood pressure but as it damages blood vessels it can dramatically increase the risk of heart disease and stroke in the future.
Limiting alcohol intake
Regularly drinking too much alcohol can increase blood pressure as it increases the blood levels of the hormone renin, which causes the blood vessels to constrict.
Men should have no more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day, and women are advised not to drink more than 1 alcoholic drink per day.
Reducing stress
Also, one of the factors of the increase in blood pressure can be prevented by doing yoga, meditation, and listening to music.
Eating healthy includes a diet high in whole grains, lean protein, getting plenty of fruits and vegetables, and also a variety of foods rich in potassium, and fiber, and lower in salt (sodium), saturated fat, trans fat, and sugar.
Some names include:
Spinach: Contain potassium and magnesium to maintain normal blood flow.
Garlic: It contains blood pressure-lowering compounds without side effects as it is to increase nitric oxide production, which results in the dilation of vessels and smooth muscle relaxation.
Pumpkin: Includes potassium to help flush out excess sodium.
Walnuts: It lowers blood pressure and helps shrink your waist, as it contains healthy fats, high potency magnesium, and high fiber.
Beetroot: Rich in nitrates help broaden your blood vessels.
Other potassium-rich foods include bananas, avocados (rich in vitamins C and E), kiwis (rich in vitamin C), fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel), plain yogurt, etc.
Conclusion:
Though there are no symptoms displayed in hypertension and people are clueless of it leading to sudden health cases, it can be prevented by monitoring blood pressure, keeping them in the count, and also by few lifestyle and dietary changes along with appropriate medications advised by doctors can lower the risk of associated health complications.
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