How to Get Rid of Hypertension and Lead a Healthy Lifestyle

Each one of us has a predisposition for hypertension, not because we have some history BUT we are enjoying poor lifestyle. To maintain a Healthy lifestyle is a NECESSITY in today’s world.

Hypertension is commonly known as “SILENT KILLER” because mostly it does not manifest symptoms OR is not taken care of until serious medical complications develop. Hypertension has emerged as one of the most prevalent lifestyle disorder and its development has been majorly attributed to:

1. Poor Diet
2. Lack of physical activity
3. Being Overworked
4. Stress
5. Lack of Proper Sleep

Hypertension in 90-95% of cases has no direct cause (Primary or essential hypertension) and has been linked to various risk factors associated with lifestyle. In rest of the cases, there lies some underlying medical cause which needs to be treated (Secondary hypertension).

Various lifestyle activities have been found to increase risk of developing hypertension (Risk factors) like:

1. Smoking
2. Being Overweight
3. Lack of Exercises
4. High Trans-fat consumption
5. High Alcohol consumption
6. High levels of cholesterol
7. High intake of Salt, Sodium, Packaged Foods
8. Prolonged use of Oral Contraceptive Pills

Other than these, some non-modifiable factors have also been linked with development of hypertension which :

1. Age: Incidence of hypertension is high in older ages
2. Race: It is more prevalent in South Africans
3. Genetics: People with family history of hypertension are more predisposed to develop hypertension

Now, what is the harm if you have elevated BP?

Your Blood Pressure is the force exerted by circulating blood on the inner walls of blood vessels and is proportional to force of pumping heart, volume of blood flow & resistance of blood vessels. If this pressure is high for long duration, it hampers the circulation and starts damaging heart and blood vessels which in turn can damage the organ it is supplying. Prolonged hypertension can develop complications with organs and develop diseases like:

1. Eyes: Permanent loss of vision can occur
2. Kidney Diseases
3. Heart Diseases
4. Stroke

Hypertension can be very well prevented or delayed by adopting a healthy lifestyle (underlying medical cause needs treatment in cases of secondary hypertension) WHICH WOULD INCLUDE:

1. Adding physical activity to your routine
2. Cutting down consumption of trans fat
3. Cutting Down Smoking
4. Reducing alcohol intake
5. Low Sodium Diet
6. Restricting Salt
7. Increase potassium Intake
8. Loosing Weight
9. Taking plenty of water, fruits and veggies