Stop Smoking

atnurse — Measure Monitor Maintain your BP

The season changes, unpredictable weather and extreme temperatures are potential danger signals for people with high blood pressure (BP). If this is not addressed properly, the risk of a stroke becomes very high.

Here are some tips on how to maintain your blood pressure to normal range:

Never miss on your maintenance meds. It is wrong to think that when your BP is okay you can stop your medications. The reason it is normal is because of the drugs you are taking daily. You can only stop when your doctor tells you to do so.

Cut down on monosodium glutamate (MSG). Sodium attracts water into the bloodstream and too much blood volume increases pressure on the blood vessel tubes. MSG can be found on your favourite chips, pizza or seasonings, so do limit on these or better yet remove them from your diet.

Maintain your sugar level. Too much sugar in the blood as in the case of diabetic people makes the blood thicker making passage more difficult, thereby increasing the blood pressure. I will have a separate blog on diabetes, so watch out for this.

Stop smoking. Nicotine hardens and makes the blood vessels brittle. When they do become hardened they are unable to adjust rapidly to extreme hot or cold temperatures. Hot weather causes the blood vessels to dilate and cold temperatures cause it to constrict. Both results in a sudden shift in the blood pressure and for people with hardened tubes, it may end up in a blood pressure shoot up that can end in a stroke.

Lower down your cholesterol level. Increase your Hdl (good cholesterol) and decrease Ldl (bad cholesterol). Cholesterol build-up in the arteries may completely or partially block the blood flow, therefore depleting the Oxygen supply in your body including the brain.

Have more color on your plate. More color means more fruits and vegetables, plus add more bulk from wheat and grains. Other than it gives you good sources of vitamins and minerals, it also helps reduce your cholesterol level.

Take good care of your kidneys. A good kidney gets rid of all your body wastes, if they are not, the accumulated system by-products in the bloodstream cause the increase in your blood pressure.

Limit if not avoid your alcohol intake. Alcohol causes damage to the liver and the kidneys, and once they are damaged they can no longer do their function of cleaning up your system.

Do regular exercise. It helps to improve your heart function and to burn excess calories on your diet.

Maintain your ideal weight. Maintaining your ideal weight is one of the ways you can maintain a healthy lifestyle, practice good eating habits and get rid of the excess fats.

Manage your stress and have enough sleep. Stress as we all know is one of the culprits in most diseases including high blood pressure. It unnecessarily releases high levels of cortisol and epinephrine in the blood stream, which causes the blood pressure to shoot up.

Important Note: Blood pressure that is considered normal is 120/80 mmHg. However, this changes with age, so it is important to have yours monitored daily so you know your normal range.