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According to MedlinePlus, blood pressure is described as ‘the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Each time your heart beats, it pumps blood into the arteries.’ The reason why it’s important is because it’s the force that pushes the oxygen and nutrients around the circulatory system, nourishing the tissues and organs.
Blood pressure is also crucial since it deliver white blood cells and antibodies throughout the body for hormones and immunity. In addition, as fresh blood gets delivered throughout the body, it also picks up waste products that come from metabolism, like carbon dioxide that we exhale through our breath, as well as the other toxins that get filtered through the kidneys and liver, amongst many other things.
But what about high blood pressure and why the need to control it? As explained by the American Heart Association (AHA), blood pressure is ‘the result of two forces: The first force (systolic pressure) occurs as blood pumps out of the heart and into the arteries that are part of the circulatory system. The second force (diastolic pressure) is created as the heart rests between heart beats.’ It is because of these two forces that people measure their blood pressure and see their blood pressure reading.
There are a number of reasons why people suffer from high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, such as diet, age, obesity, a lack of exercise, and even a lack of sleep. And when high blood pressure is uncontrolled, it can cause heart failure, heart attack, stroke, and many other dangerous medical conditions.
If you suffer from high blood pressure and want to try and keep it under control, here are 13 ways to help lower it, and also lessen your risk of possible heart disease.
1. Eat A Healthier Diet
While you have probably heard this over and over again, eating a healthier diet is quintessential to better health. By choosing food that’s rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products helps eliminate foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol. As a result, blood pressure tends to go lower, leaving an overall healthier, more fulfilled feeling. Many experts suggest following a DASH diet to lower hypertension, which is short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Other tips that may help are keeping a food diary, where you write down the food you eat, even for just one week at first. You may be surprised when you see the truth in your eating habits. Another tip is to try to boost your potassium levels, which may help lessen the adverse effects of a high sodium diet, while also reading labels when buying food to see which ones you should actually avoid eating.
