Sarah is a busy mother of two children, and she is a school teacher. Her life is always hectic as she handles family and work matters simultaneously. This condition has led to frequent headaches, fatigue, and generally feeling uneasy for a long time. After some months of ignoring them as mere stress in her life, she finally went to see her doctor. What was the result? High blood pressure which is also known as hypertension! This news came as a shock to Sarah because she had never thought that she was not healthy enough.

The Reality is that many people have high blood pressure. However, most of them don’t know because this ailment can be “silent” until significant damage occurs. The disease also known as hypertension contributes greatly to heart disease and stroke which are among the leading causes of death.

What Is High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure happens when the force of blood against your arteries’ walls is persistently too high. This leads to harm in blood vessels over time resulting in increased risk for heart attacks, strokes, kidney damage and other complications; often detected through regular checks on blood pressure that measure two types;

• Systolic Pressure: The pressure exerted on the arteries as the heart beats.
• Diastolic Pressure: The pressure exerted on the arteries while the heart rests between beats.

To illustrate it further any reading above 130/80 mmHg can be considered high.

Risk Factors:

• Lifestyle Choices: High salt diets, smoking, lack of physical activity and alcohol intake are just some contributors that lead to high blood pressure.
• Age and Genetics: As age increases so does our risk but whether someone will develop high blood pressure also depends on their genes.
• Underlying Conditions: There is a higher chance of getting high blood pressure in case one is obese, diabetic or having chronic kidney disease.

Managing High Blood Pressure:

• Dietary Adjustments: A heart-healthy diet like DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), which, emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products while lowering sodium consumption.
• Regular Exercise: Lowering blood pressure can be helped by participating in a 30-minute daily workout for most days of the week.
• Quit Smoking: Blood vessels get damaged by smoking thus quickening the progress towards hypertension.
• Limit Alcohol Intake: Drinking less amounts of alcohol may help reduce high blood pressure levels in an individual’s body.
• Stress Management: One can maintain healthy blood pressure by learning how to reduce stress. This can be achieved by engaging in activities such as yoga, meditation or even some simple breathing exercises.
• Medication: In some situations, lifestyle changes alone may not be enough. For this reason, doctors will recommend drugs that help in controlling blood pressure.

The Importance of Regular Monitoring:

Checking blood pressure frequently either at home or during regular doctor’s visits is essential when monitoring and managing hypertension. People with high blood pressure can live healthy lives if they stick to their treatment plan and make small adjustments to their daily routine.

Although high blood pressure is a prevalent disease, it does not mean that it will take over your life. The perilousness of high blood pressure can be largely mitigated through carefulness and adherence to a healthier lifestyle.