Medical people who have researched about high blood pressure for decades say about 95% of high blood pressure incidents have unknown causes. You can even have it without you knowing it, even if you think you are healthy. You must constantly know your blood pressure and have it checked regularly, because of the risk.
Both Coffee and smoking will raise your blood pressure temporarily so be sure you don’t smoke or drink coffee for at least thirty minutes before you have your blood pressure taken. If you’re a smoker, you should know this puts you at greater risk for developing high blood pressure than a non-smoker.
Other reasons that increase your risk include high cholesterol, diabetes, stroke, heart disease, or other medical conditions, or if you’re over the age of 60, or if you are of menopausal age. When you check your blood pressure, it is normal that there will be fluctuations. A one time high reading doesn’t mean you have hypertension necessarily. You should be alarmed when those readings are consistently high, because that is the time when a diagnosis is made. The medications that you are taking may also contribute to the rise in your blood pressure.
The help you bring down the risk and even prevent high blood pressure, you need to change your diet and your lifestyle. Some of these changes are listed below. The more you incorporate these changes into your life, the more you reduce your risk of developing hypertension.
Limit alcohol to two drinks per day or even less
Maintain a healthy weight and lose weight if needed
Cut your fat intake to less than 30%
Limit added salt and be mindful of sodium content in prepared foods
Exercise regularly at a moderate level of intensity several times a week
Stop smoking
Be sure you get at least 1000 mg (milligrams) of calcium every day. Good sources are dairy products, broccoli, canned salmon, figs, tofu and kale
You also need 2500-3000 mg of potassium daily. Get that from fresh veggies and fruit, nuts and dairy products. Look for low fat brands of dairy products.
Get 350-400 mg of magnesium daily. You’ll find it in dark green veggies, whole grains, seafood, legumes, nuts, and soybeans.
Get a good night’s sleep. Poor or inadequate sleep can actually raise your blood pressure even higher if you already have hypertension.
Relax more. Reduce the stress in your life, especially if you have risk factors for high blood pressure. Think about taking up yoga or meditation to learn how to relax.
If you drink a lot of coffee (more than 2-4 cups) every day, consider cutting back or eliminating it altogether. It can help lower your blood pressure, but only slightly.
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