Ways to maintain a healthy blood pressure level?

 

With increasing cases of heart attacks & high blood pressure in the youth, it is becoming imperative to ensure we maintain good and healthy heart health. Living a healthy lifestyle is the easiest and the best way to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range. Preventing hypertension (high blood pressure) is the best way to lower the risks of heart disease, heart attacks, stroke, etc.

Healthy lifestyle habits to incorporate into your daily life include:

1.      Eat a healthy diet – Due to the lack of time at hand for people and the ease of availability, fast food has become a regular in one’s daily routine. We need to ensure that we consume a rich combination of food that comprises potassium, fiber, and protein, and ones that are lower in salt and saturated fats and remove the regular consumption of fast food, fried food & food rich in cholesterol.

2.      Keep a healthy weight – Obesity is another major cause of various diseases in the country and heart-related issues are a big contributor. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of high BP, hence it is important that you stay within a healthy weight range for your body structure.

3.      Being physically active – This can help maintain a healthy weight and ensure a controlled level of BP. The guidelines suggest that we get at least 2hr 30min moderate to intense workout for adults every week.

4.      Avoid smoking – Smoking is another evil prevalent in our society. It raises your BP and increases the chances of a heart attack and stroke. It is best to not smoke at all or if you do, the best option is to quit it completely

5.      Limit your alcohol intake – It is advised that men should not have more than 2 drinks per day and women should not have more than 1 drink per day to maintain a healthy heart. It's best to ensure to stay within these limits when consuming alcohol.

6.      Get enough sleep - Getting enough sleep is important to your overall health and is part of keeping your heart and blood vessels healthy. Not getting enough sleep on a regular basis is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and chances of stroke.

Heart Attack Symptoms in Women

The more basic heart attack symptoms are the same in men & women – chest pain, pressure or discomfort that lasts more than a few minutes, etc. While heart attacks are considered as more of a men’s issue, it should be known that it is the leading cause of death in both men & women.

Women are more likely to have heart attack symptoms unrelated to chest pain as compared to men. Symptoms include:

-          Neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back, or upper belly discomfort

-          Shortness of breath

-          Pain in one or both arms

-          Nausea or vomiting

-          Sweating

-          Lightheadedness or dizziness

-          Unusual fatigue and heartburn

These are the list of vague symptoms that are not as noticeable as the crushing chest pain that is normally associated with heart attacks but needs to be taken into consideration. The main reason for this is that women experience blockages not only in their main arteries but also in the smaller ones called microvascular diseases.

Women most often have these symptoms when resting than when active. Emotional stress also plays a triggering role in heart attacks in women. Due to these vague symptoms, women’s heart conditions often go undiagnosed since the blockages are not in any of the major arteries.

How to lower your BP instantly?

People suffering from high BP often undergo bouts of increased BP throughout the day. In order to get the BP in control instantly, one can follow these basic steps:

-          Take a warm bath or shower

-          Do breathing exercises 

-          Lie down for 10 min and try to relax 

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