Hello y’all!

How has your day been? It was World Hypertension Day on the 17th of May…how on earth did I let this slip?!

Today is as good a day as any to discuss hypertension though. I’ll focus on lifestyle tips and leave you links that tell you more about the facts behind the numbers etc.

So, how can we prevent hypertension?

Eat healthy: more fruits and vegetables and less processed foods high in salt.

Talking about salt, be sure not to add any salt to food after it has been cooked. In fact, if you cook with salt and you can actually taste it, it’s probably too much.

Stop smoking. This has a direct action on blood vessels causing them to constrict and increase blood pressure.

Reduce your alcohol intake.

Get at least 150 minutes of exercise daily. Split these minutes up and get as much as you can during the week. Avoid trying to do it all at once over the weekends.

Keep your weight within a healthy range. Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is a good guide.Your BMI is a quick way to tell whether or not you might be underweight or overweight, and what health problems you might have or develop because of your weight.
This is calculated as weight divided by height squared (that’s height x height)

• If you’re under age 21, your age and gender need to be factored into your BMI to account for the different speeds at which guys and girls develop.
• If your BMI is less than 18.5, you are in the underweight category. Talk to your doctor to find out if your weight is a symptom of a medical problem. A registered dietitian can help you learn about healthy eating.
• If your BMI is between 19 and 24.9, you are in the recommended weight range for your height. But your health may still be at risk if you are not getting regular physical activity and practicing healthy eating.
• If your BMI is 25 to 29.9, you are in the overweight category. This may or may not be unhealthy, depending on some other things, like your waist size and other health problems you may have.
• If your BMI is 30 or higher, you’re in the obese category. You may need to lose weight and change your eating and activity habits to get healthy and stay healthy

For more on blood pressure please click on the links below:

Daily Health Tips: Blood Pressure – The Fact Behind The Figures

Daily Health Tips: My High Blood Pressure Risks

Have a good evening, people 🙂