IT doesn’t take more then a few minutes to get your high blood pressure checked and to make better life choices because hypertension is not a disease to take lightly.
According to hypertension.org four in 10 adults older than 25 have hypertension. It is the major risk factor for heart disease, strokes, kidney disease and even eye disease.
To spot if you have hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, the medical site suggests you get your blood pressure checked once a year and:
- If your blood pressure is below 120/80 (meaning less than 120 mmHg of systolic blood pressure and less than 80 mmHg of diastolic blood pressure) then you have normal, healthy blood pressure. Congratulations – keep it like that and get your blood pressure checked in a year
- If your blood pressure is less than 140/90 but above 120/80, you are at a risk of becoming hypertensive. You need to take some immediate steps to improve your lifestyle, such as quitting smoking if you are a smoker; reducing your body weight to a healthy level; becoming more active; improving your dietary habits to include more vegetables and fruits; reducing salt intake; and cutting down on the amount of fat intake. And you need to meet with a healthcare provider to reassess your blood-pressure status every year.
- If your blood pressure is above 140/90, you need to see a healthcare provider to see if you have hypertension and need treatment to help to avoid heart disease and stroke.
WHAT TO AVOID:
To lower and control your blood pressure you need to:
- Avoid alcohol
- Eat healthy
- Avoid smoking
- Keep active
WATCH: Ten food to reduce high blood pressure
DID YOU KNOW?
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