Web MD recently posted some good information on hypertension. Seems like many people tend to ignore the warning signs of hypertension and fail to see the connection between hypertension and high blood pressure.
In quick summary the article says there are 5 misconceptions that people with hypertension should be aware of:
- High Blood Pressure isn’t a big deal
- High Blood Pressure Can’t be Prevented
- High Blood Pressure is OK as long as One Number is Normal
- High Blood Pressure is About Type of Treatment
- High Blood Pressure is Due to Wrong Treatment
Overall the WebMD article makes a good case for better participation by the affected individual in the following areas:
- Keep your weight at a healthy level. You can accomplish this by a combination of healthy eating and regular exercise.
- Eat a healthy diet. This includes eating only the amount of food your body needs and choosing foods high in nutrients and low in fat, sugar, and salt.
- Limit how much salt you eat. Most of the sodium you eat is in the form of salt. It may be salt that you add at the table or salt added to processed foods you consume.
- Limit how much alcohol you drink.
- Don’t smoke tobacco, and minimize your exposure to secondhand smoke.
- Get regular exercise. Try to get at least 30 minutes of activity each day. Exercise relieves stress and helps you control your weight.
- Don’t let stress build up. The chemicals your body makes in response to stress make your heart beat harder and faster and your blood vessels tighten. All this makes blood pressure higher.