DO’S AND DON’TS TO LOWER YOUR HIGH BP

Do’s

Eat Healthy: Aim to eat less than 6g (0.2oz) of salt a day, which is about a teaspoonful. Eating a low-fat diet that includes lots of fibre, such as wholegrain rice, bread and pasta, and plenty of fruit and vegetables also helps lower blood pressure.

Healthy Weight: If you’re overweight or have obesity, losing even a small amount of weight can help reduce blood pressure. In general, blood pressure might go down by about 1 millimeter of mercury (mm Hg) with each kilogram (about 1 Kg) of weight lost. Also, the size of the waistline is important.

Exercise: Both aerobic and resistance exercise have been proven to reduce blood pressure (BP) effectively. Since brisk walking is an easy, inexpensive, simple, and effective way of exercise, this type of an aerobic workout can be recommended to society.

Don’ts

Avoid Excessive Alcohol: Drinking a lot of alcohol can affect the muscles in your blood vessels. This can cause them to become narrower. The more alcohol you drink, the higher the risk of developing hypertension. If you drink regularly, you are at risk, especially if you’re over the age of 35.

Manage Stress: Eat healthy, exercise, get plenty of sleep, and give yourself a break if you feel stressed out. Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals.

Quit Smoking: Research indicates that nicotine the main active ingredient in cigarette smoke stimulates the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine, which are hormones that increase blood pressure. Quitting smoking can reduce high blood pressure and lower the risk of heart attack and stroke.