Overweight and Blood Pressure – Lowering the Levels

When you are overweight, you will face a lot of complications including high blood pressure. In view of this, it is important that you should get your blood pressure taken at the very least 2 years in order to prevent further complications. Complications related to high blood pressure includes damage to blood vessels, risk of heart disease, increasing the risk of heart attack, kidney failure and even stroke.

Testing your blood pressure only takes a few minutes. Your doctor will be able treat you as soon as you are diagnosed. Furthermore, you will also be given some helpful advice on lifestyle changes that you can follow. The following are helpful advices to help you deal with high blood pressure not only when you are overweight.

Quit Smoking

If you smoke and you are overweight, you are doubling the risk of developing health related issues therefore it is important that you try to quit smoking. For some people, this is easier said than done but when you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle you should put a stop on this unhealthy habit. What happens when you smoke? Your heart rate will increase as a result to the temporary increase in the blood pressure brought about by the constriction of your blood vessels. If you quit smoking, you will reverse the effects of smoking in your system.

Weight Loss

Keeping your blood pressured checked can be achieved through losing weight and leading an active lifestyle. Too much fat engulfing your heart will result to doubling the work load that your heart is currently facing. You will increase the risk of developing heart attack and stroke in the process. In this view alone, you will find that losing weight can help you increase the overall health of your circulatory system.

Alcohol Moderation

It is important that you limit the amount of alcohol that you are consuming. Alcohol consumption significantly increases blood pressure especially in people with the predisposing factors. Alcohol moderation should be practiced so that you will help your blood vessels function well thus delivering adequate amount of blood within your system. If you cannot totally quit drinking then it is important that you moderate your intake to not more than 1 glass.

Reduce Salt Intake

Blood pressure is easily increased through the increase in salt intake. You will retain water along with salt intake. When your body retain too much water, it follows that your circulation will become overloaded with fluid. Your body will compensate this too much water by regulating the circulation thereby increasing your blood pressure. You can reverse this by reducing your salt intake. This is the reason why doctors sometimes prescribe low salt-low fat diet to their patients.

Reduce Stress

Stress is probably the most active aspect of our lives and it is one of the major causes of increased blood pressure especially when we allow it to affect us. Dealing with stress will help you achieve a well-balanced lifestyle. You should not let it build up inside you. You should develop some hobbies that will become an outlet where you can pour off daily stresses. Yoga, meditation and deep breathing exercises can help you relieve the stress from your system as well.

Follow Doctor’s Advice

The reason why other people with high blood pressure continue to suffer from the condition is because they are non-compliant to the doctor’s recommendation. It is important that you drink your medications on time and follow through with every last bit of advice that your doctor tells you. Doing so would help you increase your life span or perhaps even lead quality life ahead.