Special Considerations
While medication can be helpful in treating hypertension, many individuals are not ready to take that next, serious step. There are other ways to maintain normal blood pressure through alterations in lifestyle choices:
Too much sodium in your diet causes the body to retain more water, which causes an increase in blood pressure. Therefore, it is recommended to consume less than 2,400 mg of sodium and less than 30% total fat per day by reducing sodium and red meat intake. Other dietary recommendations include:
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Limiting alcohol intake:
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Men 2 drinks a day
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Women 1 drink a day
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Increasing dietary calcium, magnesium, potassium, and fiber via fruits, vegetables, whole grains, reduced fat dairy and lean protein
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Including fish, nuts, seeds, and dry beans in the diet weekly
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Choosing plant based fats and oils
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AVOID SMOKING:
The immediate effects of smoking increases blood pressure temporarily. In addition, the chemicals within cigarettes and tobacco cause damage to the blood vessel walls.
This damage of the blood vessel lining results in the buildup of fat and successive narrowing of the arteries, which causes a chronic increase in blood pressure and the development of atherosclerosis and heart disease. Smoking cessation as well as limiting exposure to secondhand smoke immediately decreases the risks of hypertension and heart disease.
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REDUCE STRESS:
When faced with a stressful situation, our bodies react with the “Fight or Flight” response, which increases heart rate and constricts blood vessels to increase blood pressure. Once the stressful event is over, blood pressure returns to normal.
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However, in our current society of increased demands and fast-paced lifestyles,
stressful situations can be ever present and cause this reaction in the body for
days, weeks, or months on end. Ways to reduce daily stress include;
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Practice of Yoga and deep breathing
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Finding an activity that brings you pleasure and doing it at least once a day
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Take up a hobby
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Start a project (paint, sketch, knit)
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Read a book, magazine, or newspaper
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Take a walk or hike outside
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Watch an old movie
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Think positively with positive self-talk
INCREASE EXERCISE:
​Increase physical activity (greater than or at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week)
After continuous participation in physical activity, the blood vessels within the body adapt to include an increased length, diameter, and amount. These factors reduce pressure in the vessels and allow blood to flow more smoothly, which decreases blood pressure and successive hypertension.
The greatest benefits and reductions in blood pressure are seen in those who combine both aerobic and resistance exercises into their weekly physical activity, however, participating in either type of exercise is more beneficial than none.
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CONTROL WEIGHT:
Those who are overweight or obese have an increased risk of developing hypertension as well as heart disease. It has been proven that as body weight increases, successive blood pressure increases as well. In patients who are overweight with hypertension, losing weight is one of the most effective ways in decreasing blood pressure.
BMI (body mass index), which is a measure of your weight relative to your height, is often used as a general predictor of overweight and obesity. A higher BMI value is associated with a higher risk for hypertension and heart disease, therefore it is important to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight to decrease the risk of these conditions.
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To the right is a table categorizing approximate BMI values as underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese, severely obese, and morbidly obese. You can calculate your own BMI by using this formula:
( Weight in Pounds / ( Height in inches x Height in inches ) ) x 703
References:
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James, P. A., Oparil, S., Carter, B. L., Cushman, W. C., Dennison-Himmelfarb, C., Handler, J., & ... Wright, J. J. (2014). 2014 evidence-based guideline for the management of high blood pressure in adults: report from the panel members appointed to the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8). JAMA: Journal Of The American Medical Association, 311(5), 507-520. doi:10.1001/jama.2013.284427
Mayoclinic staff. (2016). High blood pressure (hypertension): treatments and drugs. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/basics/treatment/con-20019580
Swain, D. P. (2014). ACSM's resource manual for Guidelines for exercise testing and prescription (7th ed.). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 209
