Take Charge Of Your Hypertension
Posted on 24. Nov, 2009 by Paul Mahon in Diet & Nutrition
Hypertension is normally thought of as a consequence of just getting older or lifestyle choices. According some studies, almost every individual at some point in their lives will experience an episode of high blood pressure. For some individuals, this can be an isolated incident but for others, high blood pressure can become a killer if not treated. The decision to manage hypertension before it strikes can be a lifesaver.
Hypertension is one of those few diseases that generally don’t exhibit symptoms until it’s too late. Because of this, high blood pressure can go untreated for a long time. By the time most people realize there’s something wrong, it’s because of a medical check-up for some other reason.
Since hypertension is generally not associated with specific symptoms, it is hard to pinpoint the cause of hypertension. But it is nonetheless, a serious illness that must be treated and managed before it has a chance to develop into other more serious conditions such as heart attack, kidney failure, heart failure or stroke.
Living with untreated high blood pressure can wreak havoc on your heart and arteries. With the blood being pumped through the arteries by the beating heart, high levels of force can eventually weaken the walls of the arteries and cause serious consequences. The heart can also eventually weaken because of the strain placed on it to force the blood through.
Several factors contribute to the development of high blood pressure. Fortunately, there are factors that can be controlled by the individual to manage hypertension and may even help to prevent the onset of hypertension. These factors are obesity, high sodium consumption, alcohol abuse and physical inactivity.
You can manage hypertension by reducing some of the risk factors. Start by eating healthier foods. The DASH diet is specifically designed to address high blood pressure by emphasizing fruits, vegetables, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, whole grains, fish, poultry, nuts and legumes. You’ll also need to ramp up your level of activity. Take a nice long walk after dinner and slowly increase your pace each day.
Hypertension is a lifelong disease. Once diagnosed by your doctor, prescription medications are the most common way to manage hypertension. Both you and your doctor will need to keep an eye on the blood pressure levels your doctor will determine is appropriate for you, given factors such as age and activity level.
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