It is important to visit your primary care doctor every year for your annual checkup, to diagnose any illnesses at their early stages, making them easier to treat. High blood pressure is often referred to as the silent killer because it is overlooked. People with high blood pressure may have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, which is why it's important to regularly visit your doctor.
Primary prevention is defined as trying to prevent yourself from getting a disease, such as with lifestyle choices, while secondary prevention is defined as trying to detect a disease early and prevent it from getting worse, such as with screening tests like lab work or doctor visits. Tertiary prevention is defined as trying to improve the quality of life and reduce the symptoms of a disease you are already diagnosed with, such as with prescription medications and lifestyle changes.
There are several ways that maintaining a healthy lifestyle can improve blood pressure and even reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure. To lower blood pressure and possibly prevent high blood pressure, you can incorporate lifestyle changes to minimize risk factors, such as:
- Cut down on alcohol
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Quit smoking,
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if you smoke Lose weight (if you are overweight)
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Choose a diet low in fat and rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products
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Reduce the amount of salt you eat
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Do something active for at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week
It's important to keep in mind that when measuring your blood pressure, the reading can change depending on whether you recently exercised, had caffeine, or feel stressed. For this reason, it's good to get a blood pressure reading daily and at the same time each day.
Hypertension diet
The DASH diet is often used to help people manage hypertension. The eating plan is known as the “Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension” (DASH) diet. According to research funded by the NIH, utilizing this heart healthy diet can reduce blood pressure by 11 mmHg if you have high blood pressure. Taking control of your high blood pressure could be as easy as considering these simple dietary approaches.
The following foods reduce blood pressure:
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Fruits and vegetables
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Whole grains
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Lentils, chickpeas, beans
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Walnuts, almonds, peanuts
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Fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products
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Fish
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Low salt meals
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Lean meats
Foods to avoid if you have hypertension include:
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Deli meats
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Soda
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Chips Pantry snacks (snack foods)
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Sugar, sweets
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Refined grains (white bread, white rice, most forms of pasta)
