Are You Hypertensive?

Are you hypertensive?

There are more than 3 million new diagnosis of hypertension in the US per year.

Exercise, along with quality nutrition, have proven to be beneficial in lowering blood pressure. The payoff is big: Healthy blood pressure reduces your risk of stroke, heart failure and kidney disease.

STRATEGIES:
🔺Exercise regularly. 
Exercise is powerful medicine. Walking briskly for 30 minutes to 45 minutes, five or six days a week, can lower your blood pressure up to 10 points. We recommend combining an aerobic activity that you enjoy - such as walking, swimming, running or biking - with some type of resistance exercise, such as lifting light weights.

During aerobic exercise, work hard enough to break into a sweat, but not so hard that you become out of breath or unable to converse. If you are just getting in shape, start with 20 minutes of aerobic activity, three times a week. Gradually build to 60 minutes daily. Talk with your physician for advice specific to your needs.

For strength training, use light weights and do multiple repetitions. Your muscles should tire after 10 to 15 reps.

Physical activity yields a two-fer benefit for your blood pressure: Exercise is great for arterial health, and it builds muscle and burns stored fat to keep you at an ideal weight.

🔺Eat a healthy diet. 
Food is another powerful medicine. Whether or not you need to lose weight, eating well can improve your blood pressure. That means eating fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy oils (such as olive and canola), foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, tuna, walnuts and flaxseed, for example) and two or three servings daily of low-fat or nonfat dairy products. It also means avoiding saturated and trans fats.

🔺Limit your salt usage. 
A sudden jump in blood pressure may be a sign of salt-sensitive hypertension. Overall, about half of Americans with high blood pressure are sodium sensitive; it's particularly common in African Americans and those older than age 65. Cutting the salt in your diet can result in anything from a small to a dramatic improvement in high blood pressure, depending on your level of salt sensitivity. Keep sodium intake to between 2,000 to 2,500 mg daily (one teaspoon of salt is about 2,300 mg) and below 1500 mg daily if you’re African American.

🔺Drink alcohol moderately, if at all. 
Consume no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. Drinking more than a moderate amount increases the risk of high blood pressure.

By: Coach Marnie