Four Tips to Prevent Hypertension

HYPERTENSION, also known as high blood pressure, is a disease of the heart that causes it to pump blood at an abnormally high rate that can be injurious to the body system. The best way to prevent high B.P is to see your doctor to check your blood pressure and get professional advice on how to manage your health. However, to prevent the occurrence of the disease there are some habits you can inculcate into your lifestyle that can help to lower the risks associated with it. Some of these are:

• Exercise: We all have been told many times that exercise is good for our health. This is simply because exercise helps in strengthening and keeping the heart and muscles in good condition and plays a major role in losing weight. Exercise does not have to be strenuous and tiring as studies have shown that people who regularly exercise have about 20-50% lower risk of getting hypertension than people who do not exercise at all.

• Avoid being overweight: The simple principle behind this is that the larger you are, the more difficult it is for the heart to pump blood around your body system. This automatically means you are weakening the heart by allowing it to do difficult work. In order to prevent hypertension, you must maintain a healthy weight to allow the heart to do its work without being under constant pressure.

• Reduce salt intake: Salt contains sodium and sodium can help in increasing your blood pressure. So if you already have a high B.P, it is better to reduce the amount of salt you take in your meals. Simply reducing your salt intake will help in lowering high blood pressure. However, even if your blood pressure is normal it is better to take in a considerable amount of salt and avoid excess.

• Eat more fruits: Fruits rich in vitamin C and E can help in lowering blood pressure. Consuming a moderate quantity of fruits daily will help the body in fighting off a lot of diseases, hypertension inclusive. Avoid eating junk and processed foods, it is better to eat a whole food diet with fruits.

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Opoola Jelifat is a young and passionate writer. She holds a B.Sc degree in Microbiology and enjoys reading, cooking and writing on real life issues. She is currently pursuing a Masters degree at the University of Ibadan. Contact her on opoolajelifat@gmail.com, and via Twitter and facebook by clicking the icons below.

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