Health is invaluable and despite the presence of uncontrollable external factors, it is our duty to give our body everything it needs to function smoothly. One of the most common problems people face is related to high blood pressure.
When left unchecked, hypertension can be an extremely life-threatening condition. That is why it is important to diagnose heart problems early with the help of a specialist.
In addition, proper care for the body and a healthy lifestyle is important for both prevention and lowering of high blood pressure in already diagnosed hypertension. In today’s article, we will give you useful tips for a healthy heart and normal blood pressure.
Why is hypertension dangerous?
Before we move on to our important tips, let’s first tell you a little more about the dangers of hypertension. Blood pressure measures the pressure of blood circulating on the walls of blood vessels. In the optimal case, the normal value of an adult should be 120/80.
When these limits are systematically exceeded, then it is hypertension. High blood pressure puts a strain on the heart muscle, which in turn leads to a number of health risks. Kidney, brain, and cardiovascular damage are among the main consequences for the body in hypertension.
The degree and type of damage vary from person to person and depend on a number of side factors, including when hypertension is diagnosed and how it is treated.
In our article on the symptoms and risks of high blood pressure, we introduce you to more details about all this, as well as share some reasons related to the increase in blood pressure.
Our useful tips for a healthy heart
It’s time to present to you our tips for the good health of mind and body.
Exercise regularly
Although each of you has probably heard this advice, we can’t help but mention it. The benefits of regular physical activity are innumerable and each of them can help improve and prolong your life.
The opinion that good physical shape plays a huge role in heart health has been unanimously accepted by a number of scientists and experts in the field. Regular exercise reduces the risk of sudden cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack and stroke.
Set aside at least 30 minutes a day at least 5 times a week for active sports. And here you do not have to immediately think about heavy and strenuous exercise. On the contrary, even a 30-minute walk to a nearby park can be extremely beneficial to your body.
Reduce stress
Chronic stress can be a major culprit for high blood pressure. Do things that give you pleasure to reduce stress levels. Otherwise, chronic stress can contribute to the development of hypertension.
Get enough sleep
It is no coincidence that the claim that good sleep is healthy has emerged. Try to get enough sleep and allow your body to recover from stress and all other factors that affect its proper functioning. Long-term sleep deprivation is associated with higher blood pressure.
Reduce alcohol consumption
Drinking large amounts of alcohol harms not only your heart but also your liver. To protect your body from serious health problems, we advise you to limit the amount of alcohol tested.
Of course, with this advice, we do not aim to give you up on alcohol completely. On the contrary, in minimal amounts, alcohol can lower blood pressure by 2 to 4 mm Hg.
However, this does not mean that the more alcohol you drink, the more your blood pressure will drop. On the contrary, the effect is lost very easily if you drink too much alcohol. To help not only your heart muscle but your whole body, limit alcohol consumption to a minimum.
Stop smoking
This is another widespread but at the same time vital piece of advice. Did you know that every cigarette you smoke raises your blood pressure for much longer than it took you to smoke it? Nicotine builds up in the arteries in the form of fatty deposits, which subsequently impede the work of the circulatory system.
It is no coincidence that atherosclerosis, which is essentially the accumulation of fatty substances in the arteries, is the leading cause of death in smokers. The effect of cigarettes on the heart, and not only, is too great to be overlooked. The risks of heart attack are extremely high, so we advise you to eliminate cigarettes from your daily routine.
Do not indiscriminately undergo different diets
Some diets lead to everything but a healthy result. Limiting food intake for days and even weeks will have a negative effect on your body. If you want to lose weight, you need to rely on both exercise and a balanced diet.
If you are still wondering how to create a healthy diet to follow, consult a nutritionist who will develop a diet based entirely on your needs.
Eat consciously and balanced
Given how important nutrition is for our existence, we could not fail to give you another working piece of advice for a healthy heart and normal blood pressure. A healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is key to preventing high blood pressure.
Include currants in your menu. Why? Simply because currants have been proven to protect the heart and blood vessels. Other fruits that have a beneficial effect on the circulatory system are blueberries. Consumption of watermelons and melons reduces the risk of blood clots and lowers blood pressure.
Try to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables of various kinds every day. Eat fresh and seasonal products to get the most out of all their properties.
Limit the consumption of white flour
Although tasty, white flour has a negative effect not only on the heart. Often, the consumption of foods mixed with white flour can result in a number of eye diseases, including macular degeneration. However, white flour contains the so-called lectins. They are proteins that thicken the blood, helping to increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. Replace white flour with wholemeal.
Reduce salt intake
Anyway, we share tips on food, let us tell you why it is right to reduce salt to a minimum. Excess sodium has been shown to increase the risk of heart attacks and stroke. Of course, we are not telling you to completely eliminate salt from the food you eat.
This would also have a negative effect on your body because the presence of sodium in the body is responsible for normalizing water balance. As with everything else, you also need to be careful with the amount you take. The optimal daily dose of salt is 3 to 6 grams, which is close to one full teaspoon.
Take certain nutrients
It is important to provide your body with all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals it needs to function properly. Eat foods rich in potassium, magnesium, and calcium, and get your body the much-needed omega-3 fatty acids.
However, very often the food may not be enough to fully supply all the necessary nutrients. Then nutritional supplements come to the rescue. Thanks to them, you can easily take the necessary daily amounts of useful nutrients.
If you have ever wondered “What to drink for a healthy heart?”, We can help you. As useful as Omega-3 fatty acids, for example, are, they are as difficult to obtain because they are not synthesized naturally by the body. Given their undeniable benefits, it is no coincidence that scientists have successfully developed nutritional supplements to help you get the amount you need. It is important that you take regulated nutritional supplements.
In addition, quercetin also has a number of beneficial properties that protect both the heart and your whole body. This plant flavonol is a powerful antioxidant containing a number of vitamins and minerals. Quercetin reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and also protects cells from damage caused by “bad” cholesterol in the blood.
Here we are again at the end of our article. We hope that our advice was useful and interesting and will help you significantly improve the functioning of your body and your lifestyle.
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