High blood pressure is a dangerous condition that could put our lives at risk because, unfortunately, there are no warning signs. Nevertheless, whether you have high blood pressure or not, only a healthy lifestyle can prevent seriously damaging your health.
To prevent risks, in this post, we’ll discuss what this condition is and what causes it, as well as who can suffer from it, its risks, the treatments to alleviate its effects and how to prevent it. Are you ready? Let’s go!
What is hypertension or high blood pressure?
High blood pressure occurs when blood pressure levels rise continuously or steadily. To make it easier to understand, let’s say that the heart is responsible for putting pressure on the arteries so that they pump the blood to the different organs of our body.
This action is what is known as blood pressure and we can calculate the maximum at each contraction of the heart and the minimum at each relaxation. You’ll surely have had your blood pressure checked by a doctor or by yourself at home with a blood pressure monitor at some point. Then you’ll be aware that two pieces data are obtained, the numbers that indicate the maximum and the minimum that we have just explained.
To compare the results, let’s say that the maximum should not exceed 140 mm Hg and the minimum should not exceed 90 mm Hg.
Can I do sport if I have high blood pressure?
High blood pressure and sport are not at all incompatible, although it is important you ask your doctor about your specific case if you suffer from high blood pressure. So, depending on the situation, your doctor will give you the right guidelines to perform appropriate exercises with optimal intensity, balanced frequency and duration beneficial to the body.
“Exercise is considered a very positive tool to prevent and treat high blood pressure.”
In general, exercising lowers blood pressure and has favorable effects on cardiovascular risk factors. So, together with a balanced diet to maintain a healthy weight, exercise is seen as a very positive tool to treat and prevent high blood pressure.
Causes of high blood pressure
We must break down the causes of this condition into two parts to better understand its origin:
- On the one hand, we’ll look at primary or essential causes (95% of the cases). In other words, there are some factors that are related to this condition that increase the risk of suffering from it. These include: having a family history of the same condition, being diabetic, being over 60 years old (blood vessels become weaker and lose elasticity), having high levels of stress, being overweight or obese, not exercising, eating a diet high in saturated fats or sodium (salt), being a smoker or, if you are a woman, taking oral contraceptives.
- On the other hand, secondary causes (5% of the cases) come from another condition or disease such as kidney disorders, alterations of the parathyroid glands, pregnancy, etc.
Who can get high blood pressure?
Although it may seem like there aren’t many people with high blood pressure, it is more common than we are often led to believe. In Spain, it affects 35% of adults and 68% of those over 65 years of age, since the older we are, the greater the risk of suffering from high blood pressure. In fact, the systolic (maximum pressure) usually rises and the diastolic (minimum pressure) falls.
On the other hand, as we have mentioned above, if you are diabetic, overweight or exercise regularly, you may already have high blood pressure or be on your way to having it. Don’t forget that exercise is essential when it comes to feeling good and for your body to function properly!
Risks of high blood pressure
It is extremely important to bear in mind that there are virtually no symptoms of high blood pressure so it is very easy for it to go unnoticed and cause damage that could end up being very serious. By itself, having blood pressure above the aforementioned ideal values carries a higher risk of suffering serious cardiovascular diseases and others in different parts of the body such as heart attacks, myocardial infarctions, heart failure, dementia, strokes, kidney damage, retinopathy or strokes, among others.
This means that, in addition to increasing the risk of premature death, in the event of survival, it is easy to end up with a lower quality of life and a higher risk of long-term disability. With this information, what we want to make clear to you is that you must move away from a sedentary lifestyle by exercising every day to prevent the dangers linked to high blood pressure.
Treatments for high blood pressure
People with high blood pressure do not have a definite treatment to get rid of the condition, since it can only be completely cured in cases where it is caused by a hormonal or secondary problem such as those mentioned above. However, to prevent risks, the treatment applied must be based on three fundamental pillars:
- Regular physical activity and not leading a sedentary lifestyle are essential part of a healthy lifestyle. We’ll repeat it several times in this article to make you aware of how important this is for the body.
- Eating a healthy, low-fat diet and reducing salt intake.
- Talk to your doctor so that they can decide which medication may be helpful for your specific treatment. There are pills that will help balance the blood pressure, but you should always seek medical advice first. Trust the professionals and let them advise you.
How to prevent high blood pressure
It’s important to go a little deeper into how to prevent high blood pressure, since this condition makes the heart work harder, with the danger that this entails. So, we’ll explain in greater depth the points mentioned in the previous section to ensure that your arteries pump blood in a balanced way.
Good nutrition
People with high blood pressure should eat foods that are rich in fruits and vegetables, as well as legumes, fish and low-fat foods. It is very important to control the amount of food and avoid large meals. So, we recommend eating five small meals a day. This will speed up your metabolism, improve the digestion process after each meal and keep your appetite under control. You should also watch your salt intake and make sure it does not exceed 5 grams per day. Stay away from ultra-processed foods, fried foods, sauces and sweets as much as possible.
Have a positive outlook on life
Take a philosophical approach to life, in other words, don’t get too upset and look for the solution before the problem. Anxiousness can trigger tension. What’s more, lead a healthy lifestyle, with habits such as going hiking or surrounding yourself with people who love doing sport. Don’t let bad habits, such as alcohol or tobacco, get the better of you, because they could lead to serious and sometimes irremediable problems. Electrical stimulation training will help you combat stress, eliminate tension, and improve your sleep hygiene, did you know?
Exercise
If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, you should start changing your habits right away. You could start off with light workouts such as walking thirty minutes a day, going for a bike ride, or joining the local gym for group classes or using the machines in the communal room. Running is also a highly recommended sport and more so knowing that each person can perform this activity at their own pace and at a time that suits them.
Electrical stimulation to prevent diseases
What is electrical stimulation? It is a technique that, through electrical impulses, will help you train specific muscles and strengthen your immune system. We, as industry experts, offer you different types of electrical stimulation suits so that you can complement your activity with this innovative and effective way to get in shape and get the most out of your workouts.
Electrical stimulation training is a perfect way to prevent diseases such as high blood pressure. High blood pressure makes the heart work harder to pump blood and the inside of the blood vessels is affected with a noticeable elevation. With this technique, you’ll harden the arteries and help the heart to function properly so that, in the long run, it doesn’t cause any damage to the body. As you can see, electrical stimulation has many benefits for health and fitness.
Conclusion
To sum up, now that you know what high blood pressure is, why you should be fit and what can happen if you don’t look after yourself, we hope you will start leading a healthier lifestyle. We want to do our bit, so we recommend going to our website to learn more about electrical stimulation and the its benefits for your body. Keep reading our blog!