5 Lifestyle Changes to Lower High Blood Pressure

The biggest instigators of high blood pressure are the unhealthy lifestyle habits that we follow daily. Bad eating habits, lack of exercise and too much stress leads up to health problems which were rare during our parent’s time. Dr. Arvind Agarwal, Senior Consultant for Internal Medicine from Delhi based Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute gives us five important lifestyle changes we can adopt which will lower high blood pressure and invariably reduce the chances of stroke and heart problems.

Healthy diet:

“Diet should be rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low dairy products. Food can include meat, fish, poultry, nuts and beans. People should avoid red meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, processed food,” says Dr. Arvind Agarwal. These ingredients can be spiced and flavored in the right way, so it won’t seem like you are having bland food.

Reduce sodium intake:

Bet you didn’t know this, Dr. Arvind shares an interesting piece of advice, “Even a slight decrease in the amount of sodium intake can help in reducing blood pressure by 2 to 8 mm Hg. Try to avoid processed foods like potato chips or any kind of frozen foods. Also, it is recommended to substitute salt with herbs and spices which also help in enhancing the flavor of the food.”

Physical activity:

High blood pressure can cause heart related problems and the way to fight it is with daily exercise. Dr. Arvind from Internal Medicine with Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute explains how exercise improves blood pressure, “Exercise is very essential for high BP patients as it helps in maintaining the elasticity of arteries which in turn ensures proper blood flow. It is recommended that one should go for brisk walks for 30 minutes everyday for 5 days a week. Also, one should take stairs whenever possible instead of using the elevator.”

Keeping the weight in check:

“Being overweight increases the blood pressure. Thus, emphasis should be put on keeping one’s weight under control. Losing weight also makes any blood pressure medications one is taking more effective,” explains the doctor.

Rest and relaxation

It is important to get sufficient sleep with a healthy sleep pattern. Follow a particular sleep pattern for better sleep. It is important to relax too for healthy living and lowering blood pressure.

Source: indiatimes.com