If you suffer from high blood pressure you will want to do everything you can to control the problem. Failure to control your blood pressure can result in other serious health issues and can even result in death. Making the necessary changes to your lifestyle to control your blood pressure can be essential in making sure you live long enough to see your golden years of retirement.
Here are some adjustments you can make to keep your blood pressure at healthier levels:
Keep your weight down
The more your weight is the higher your blood pressure will tend to be. Generally, losing one kilogram (2.2 lbs.) of weight will correlate with lowering your blood pressure by 1 millimeter of mercury (mm HG). Also, you may experience disrupted breathing while sleeping which can be caused by being overweight.
Consistent exercise
A regular exercise routine is one of the best things you can do to alleviate high blood pressure. Just a half an hour per day of exercise can decrease your blood pressure by 5 to 8 mm HG. Alternatively, you can exercise for a total of 2.5 hours per week to obtain these results. Aerobic as well as strength training exercise has been shown to help lower blood pressure. You may want to consult your doctor to help you design a customized exercise regimen.
Eat healthy
Maintaining a healthy diet can significantly help in your goal of keeping your blood pressure down. Usually, diet plans with a generous amount of fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and whole grains can do plenty to reduce your blood pressure. It is also recommended you avoid saturated fats and cholesterol. Following these basic dietary guidelines can decrease blood pressure by 11 mm HG.
There are some dietary plans, such as Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) which are specifically designed to help with keeping blood pressure lower.
Consume less sodium
Make sure your sodium intake is curbed since consuming too much sodium can hamper the objective of controlling your blood pressure. Most adults should ideally aim for around 1,500 mg of sodium per day with no more than 2,300 mg daily. You may want to avoid adding salt to your meals since just 1 teaspoon of salt contains around 2,300 mg of sodium.
Drink less alcohol
It is true drinking one alcoholic beverage every day for women and two for men has been shown to help reduce blood pressure. However, drinking too much can result in the opposite effect and increase blood pressure. In fact, overconsuming alcohol can inhibit your blood pressure medicine’s effectiveness.
Quit smoking
Each cigarette you smoke results in elevated blood pressure for several subsequent minutes. Therefore, quitting smoking is a key part in your battle against high blood pressure. Also, you will reduce your risk of serious heart disease as well as increase your life expectancy.
Making it to retirement
Controlling your blood pressure and staying healthy will help you make it to see your retirement years. However, maintaining the quality of life you want to have during retirement will require financial planning. While you are getting your physical house in order, let us help with your fiscal house.
Opinions expressed in this blog post are those of the author and not necessarily those of Raymond James. All opinions are as of this date and are subject to change without notice. The information has been obtained from sources considered reliable, but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. This material is intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.