High blood pressure significantly increases the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. Tufts Medical Center Community Care is here to help you achieve your best heart health. For children and teens, the health care provider compares the blood pressure reading with what is normal for other children who are the same age, height, and gender. A diet high in fast food, processed foods, carbohydrates, potatoes and meat is likely low in potassium, which contributes to high blood pressure. A daily intake of 3,000 to 3,500 mg of potassium is recommended through foods such as bananas, tomatoes and other vegetables. There are important considerations for older adults when deciding whether to start treatment for high blood pressure if it is higher than 130/80, including other health problems and general physical condition.
Dr. Bojana serves as a consultant and founding physician at The Lanby, an integrative primary care startup in New York City. She also co-founded WellStart Health, a digital therapy startup for the prevention and reversal of chronic diseases. She previously served as the company’s chief medical officer and now serves as a medical advisor.
This can be dangerous, as high blood pressure can lead to life-threatening conditions such as heart attack or stroke. The good news is that you can often prevent or treat high blood pressure. Early diagnosis and heart-healthy lifestyle changes can prevent high blood pressure from seriously harming your health. The dietary approaches to stop hypertension are specifically made to lower blood pressure. It emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. People who follow the DASH diet generally meet the guidelines for low sodium and potassium-rich and can also lose weight.
The good news is that blood pressure can be controlled in most people. In addition, over time, stress can cause unhealthy habits that put your cardiovascular health at risk. These can include overeating, poor sleep, and abuse of drugs and alcohol.
Your provider uses a meter, stethoscope or electronic sensor and a blood pressure cuff. He or she will take two or more measurements at separate appointments before making a diagnosis. Because sodium is hidden in so many foods, it’s hard to avoid sodium unless you’re cooking everything from scratch at home, never eating out, and avoiding processed foods of any kind, including bread. “It takes 10 to 14 days to adjust to a low-sodium diet; then some foods will start to taste salty,” says Dr. Laffin.
Good options include cycling, jogging, aerobic dancing, swimming and tennis. If you’re new to exercise, talk to the staff at First Choice Medical for advice on how to get started. Getting enough sleep is important for your overall health, and getting enough sleep is part of keeping your heart and blood vessels healthy.
You should receive regular medical care and follow your prescribed treatment plan. Your plan includes recommendations for hoge bloeddruk verlagen healthy lifestyle habits and possibly medications. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of high blood pressure.
(The nutrient stimulates the kidneys to excrete more sodium during urination.) We all know the potassium in bananas, but foods like potatoes, spinach, and beans actually contain more potassium than fruits. Tomatoes, avocados, edamame, watermelon and dried fruits are other great sources. Regular exercise can lower systolic blood pressure by an average of five to seven points, which is similar to many first-line medications.
Try to include strength training exercises at least two days a week. Talk to a health care provider about developing an exercise program. Reductions are greater for people who start with higher blood pressure. Even relatively small increases in physical activity have been shown to lower blood pressure. If you do this alone, you won’t lower your blood pressure, but it can help you get a good idea of where you are regularly.
If you’re looking for a cardiologist to lower and control your blood pressure, schedule an appointment today at one of our three locations in Humble, Katy and Cleveland, Texas. If you want to know more about our practice, please read the biographies of our suppliers. Regular exercise, about 150 minutes a week, can lower your blood pressure.