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HOW TO DEAL WITH YOUR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE



Primary Care Heart and Vascular Healthy Aging


If you have high blood pressure, it’s important to know that it can lead to
other serious health problems if it’s not treated. The good news is that as you
make lifestyle changes and take your medication, it will make a difference in
controlling your blood pressure. In fact, some changes can immediately lower
your blood pressure according to Melanie Ames, FNP, a Family Nurse Practitioner
at Riverside Bruton Avenue Family Practice.

You and your provider can develop a plan that includes both changes you can make
to improve your diet, increase your physical activity and manage stress as well
as taking targeted medications.


LIFESTYLE CHANGES WITH THE BIGGEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

 

Sure, a healthy lifestyle is important for everyone. But with high blood
pressure in particular, some changes can really move your numbers into the
healthy range says Ms. Ames.

 1. Lose weight. The heart works harder to pump blood in and around a larger
    body. Losing weight can reduce the stress on the heart and lower blood
    pressure.
 2. Eat less salt. The salt shaker isn’t the biggest problem here – take-out
    foods and highly processed packaged foods are the main culprits. Get started
    by eating less of the salty six: deli meats, sandwiches made with deli meats
    and cheeses, soup, salty snacks like chips and pretzels, fried chicken and
    pizza.
 3. Add exercise. Exercise makes the heart stronger so it doesn’t have to work
    as hard. Exercise also helps you maintain a healthy body weight by burning
    fat and building muscle.
 4. Manage stress. Stress hormones immediately increase blood pressure. Simple
    deep breathing or meditation turns off the body’s stress response and brings
    blood pressure down.
 5. Drink less alcohol. Too much alcohol can increase blood pressure. Two drinks
    per day or less for men and one drink or less for women is considered
    moderate drinking.
 6. Eat more fruits and vegetables. The potassium and magnesium in fruits and
    vegetables balances sodium in the diet and naturally reduces blood pressure.
    Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian about the Dietary Approaches
    to Stop Hypertension diet. The DASH diet is an eating plan specifically
    formulated for people with high blood pressure.


MEDICATION

Blood pressure medications are commonly known as antihypertensives. There are
many different types of antihypertensive medications and they all work
differently to control high blood pressure.

Your doctor will review your medical history to help decide which drug or
combination of drugs will be best for you.

“There is no one size fits all approach. Medication is extremely useful to
control blood pressure, but the best approach includes both medication and
lifestyle changes to bring blood pressure into normal range,” says Ms. Ames.


GET YOUR NUMBERS UNDER CONTROL

It’s important to control your blood pressure before it leads to other health
problems. Start today and schedule an appointment with one of our primary care
physicians. Your partner in health is just a phone call away.


RELATED SERVICES

 * Primary Care

Contributors Melanie Ames, FNP

Family Medicine, Primary Care

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Also of Interest
 * Symptoms of High Blood Pressure
 * Higher Risk of Stroke in Women
 * How to lower high cholesterol

Also of Interest
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 * Higher Risk of Stroke in Women
 * How to lower high cholesterol

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