Blood Pressure Monitors
Information about the leading blood pressure monitors on the market.
Read MoreWhat is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of the arteries. It is measured using a blood pressure cuff. The results of this measurement are presented in units called millimeters of mercury (mmHg). A blood pressure reading consists of 2 numbers which are presented together as systolic/diastolic.
A normal blood pressure is less than 120/80. Blood pressure is considered high when it reaches a level over 140/90. Either diastolic blood pressure or systolic blood pressure both numbers can be high. High blood pressure is also referred to as hypertension.
Approximately 1 in 3 adults have high blood pressure and the risk of developing high blood pressure increases with age. This risk is so great that a person who has normal blood pressure at the age of 55 has a 90 percent risk of developing high blood pressure during their lifetime.Monitoring and treating high blood pressure is very important because hypertension is a precursor to heart disease which is the the number one killer in the United States.
High blood pressure which is undetected or left untreated can lead to heart attacks, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease and premature death. As a result everyone should have their blood pressure checked on a regular basis and manage blood pressure with a variety of approaches.
Treating High Blood Pressure With Exercise
The word exercise carries with it a lot of negative feeling. In fact any activity that raises heart rate can be useful in lowering blood pressure. It is recommended to get 30 minutes of moderate level activity on most days of the week. This activity can broken down into separate blocks of time as long as each block is at least 10 minutes.
There are many activities which can count towards your daily 30 minute goal. The traditional exercises of brisk walking, biking and swimming are all good choices. Examples of other moderate activity sports include playing volleyball, touch football, basketball, fast dancing and jumping rope.
There are also many common chores which can be applied towards the 30 minutes of daily activity. Some of these include washing and waxing the car, gardening, raking leaves, shoveling snow and washing floors. Getting regular exercise at a moderate intensity provides many health benefits in addition to lowering blood pressure. Work in 30 minutes every day and it is possible to lower blood pressure by as much as 4 to 9 points.
Treating High Blood Pressure with Diet
A healthy diet is a major cornerstone to keeping blood pressure under control. The major eating plan which can reduce high blood pressure and can prevent high blood pressure from developing is known as the DASH diet. DASH stands for dietary approaches to stop hypertension. Adopting these changes can decrease blood pressure by as much as 8 to 14 points.
The DASH plan incorporates lots of fruits vegetables and whole grains. It also includes low fat dairy, chicken fish and nuts while decrease fats, red meats, sweets and sugared beverages. This results in a diet that is low fat and high in potassium, calcium, magnesium lean protein and fiber.
When changing to a new diet such as this one which contains more fiber containing fruits and vegetables than you may be used to, gradually adopt the diet over time to allow your body to adapt.
Treating Blood Pressure by Cutting Back on Salt
In addition to the above dietary changes, there are other equally important changes that can substantially reduce blood pressure. Choosing foods that are low in salt are crucial to maintaining a healthy blood pressure. Most Americans consume too much salt. In fact the American diet consists of about 3300 mg of sodium daily.
It is recommended to consume no more than 2.4 grams (2400 milligrams) of sodium daily. 2.4 grams of sodium is equal to 6 grams (or 1 tablespoonful) of sodium chloride also known as table salt. This recommended number includes salt from all sources such as cooked in food and added at the table.
Reducing salt consumption from 3300 mg to 2400 mg could reduce blood pressure by as much as 2 to 8 points. A greater reduction of sodium down to 1500 mg daily could result in even better blood pressure control but keeping sodium intake this low is difficult to maintain long term.
A popular way to reduce sodium in the diet is to use salt substitutes. Many salt substitutes contain potassium chloride. The extra potassium in the diet can interact with blood pressure medication or may b a problem for some people. Check with your doctor before using salt substitutes.
Some tips for reducing sodium intake:
- For vegetables, buy fresh or plain frozen. If buying cannedchoose “no salt added” products.
- Use spices that do not contain salt.
- Use fresh meats over canned or processed.
- Read food labels and chose items with lower sodiumcontent.
- Rinse canned foods before using to remove some of thesodium
- Choose “low sodium” or “low salt” versions of popular foodssuch as canned soup.
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