Summit Pedorthics: Heart Healthy: High Blood Pressure
Summit Pedorthics: Heart Healthy: High Blood Pressure
Do you suffer from an ailment that becomes more common by the year in America? High blood pressure plagues many, but it is said that more than half of these people suffer due to medical reason, while the other half is due to lifestyle choices. Most people end up on blood pressure medication for years, suffer from side effects and the troubles from the issues themselves.
Factors that Increase Your Risk for HBP
-Gender: Before age 70 men are at a greater risk, and after age 70 women take the lead.
-Race: African Americans develop HBP more often than Caucasians, and often more severe.
-Family History- If you have parents or siblings with HBP, you are more likely to acquire it at some point.
-Age: The chance of HBP increases with age. Menopause seems to trigger this in women.
-Lack of exercise
-Salt: Most people with HBP are sensitive to salt; salt raises blood pressure.
-Unhealthy Diet: Low amounts of fruits and vegetables and high fat foods increase your risk.
-Drinking too much booze
-Medication: Decongestants and nutritional supplements have the potential to sudden raise or lower blood pressures. Birth control pills can also raise blood pressure in women.
Treatments for High Blood Pressure
-Diet. Many choose to follow a “DASH” diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), and others choose to follow a more “whole food” approach. These diets are low in saturated fats, cholesterol, total fats, and sodium. This diet should also include low-fat dairy, or no dairy menus. For many people, using this diet can alone change their path of HBP and medication.
-Manage your weight. Follow that diet! Try your best! A Healthy body can help you manage and control that blood pressure!
-Exercise Regularly. Anything counts! Walking around your house, even to the mailbox and back, counts! The more you push yourself to do the easier it will become, and the more beneficial to your whole body it will be!
-Divorce Nicotine! Quit Smoking!
-Manage Stress. This is often easier said than done, but it is possible.
-Limit your Alcohol consumption.
-Use a home monitor. There are many inexpensive varieties on the market, and they are very simple to use. This can help you determine what raises your blood pressure, and what helps keep it where it should be. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for which is the best model for your needs.
-Medications. There are many types of HBP medications. Not all of these kinds work for everyone, and the side effects from these medications can be seriously catastrophic (PLEASE take my word for it…) and very scary. Your doctor will go over the different medications, and their specific purpose; but if he doesn’t, please take the time to ask! ACE inhibitors, Angiotensin-2 receptor blockers, alpha-blockers, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, centrally acting drugs, or vasodilators are all commonly prescribed HBP medications.
How your High Blood Pressure is treated depends on much of your own circumstance, doctor, and method of preferred treatment. This information is just basic, and compiled form a myriad of medical books, medication books, and web sites. Those are available upon request.