It is important to have your blood pressure checked on a regular basis by your family doctor or plant nurse in order to ensure that it is normal or properly managed. Even healthy, active adults can experience high blood pressure if they have a family history of it. Ideally, your blood pressure should read at or below 120/80 mmHG. Making small changes in your lifestyle can decrease your risk of hypertension.
TOBACCO. The nicotine in tobacco products (including smokeless tobacco) raises blood pressure. Tobacco use can also damage the artery walls over time, which further contributes to hypertension. If you are ready to quit, speak with your family doctor or plant nurse about the options that are available to help you. If you aren’t ready to quit, try to reduce your tobacco use until you feel ready to quit.
SODIUM. The current recommendation is to consume less than 2.4 grams (2,400 mg ) of sodium a day. That equals 6 grams (about 1 teaspoon) of table salt a day. The 6 grams include ALL salt and sodium consumed, including that used in cooking, in packaged foods and at the table. Sport drinks, such as Gatorade, are high in sodium and are designed for endurance athletes who lose a lot of sodium through hours of intense activity. Too much salt in your diet causes your body to retain water, which in turns increases your blood volume and therefore, your blood pressure. Consider cutting back your sodium intake, even if your blood pressure is normal, as a preventive measure.
BMI. Body Mass Index (BMI) is the relationship between your height and weight. Because additional body weight means additional blood volume, any extra weight will increase blood pressure. Losing even 10 lbs will lower your blood pressure. You can calculate your BMI at http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ to determine your healthy weight range. If you have a lot of muscle mass and not much body fat, BMI is not an accurate assessment of health risk. In this case, measure your body fat percentage instead.
CAFFEINE. To prevent hypertension, limit caffeine to 1-2 cups (8 oz each) per day of coffee, black tea and/or caffeinated soda. A small amount of coffee or tea each day can have health benefits, but if your blood pressure tends to be high, you may need to limit caffeine even more. Also, try to limit the additives to these beverages (sweeteners and milk/cream). Chocolate contains some caffeine too. Dark chocolate (not milk chocolate) can be a part of a heart-healthy diet, but should be limited to one small piece per day (similar to the size of a Hershey’s miniature).
DIET. The diet that has been shown to most effectively prevent hypertension is called the DASH diet. It emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables and includes whole grains, poultry, fish, and nuts, but has reduced amounts of saturated fat, red meats, sweets, and sugared beverages. You can learn more about it at dashdiet.org.
EXERCISE. The type of exercise that improves blood pressure is cardiovascular exercise. That means you have to do something that gets your heart pumping. When you are doing this type of exercise (brisk walk, jog, jumping jacks, bicycle, etc), you should be able to say a few words without taking a breath, but not a whole sentence. Be sure to speak with your family doctor before beginning a new exercise program so that he/she can make sure it will be safe for you. Other types of exercise (strength training, stretching, balancing) are also beneficial for health, but cardiovascular exercise does the most to impact blood pressure.
STRESS. Unmanaged stress raises the level of certain hormones in your body that constrict blood vessels and increase blood pressure. In rare cases, this is necessary to prepare your body for running away or fighting. However, most modern causes of stress are long term and a consistently elevated blood pressure can be dangerous. Mindfulness activities, such as deep breathing, relaxation, meditation or yoga may be helpful in managing stress. When taking a yoga class, tell your instructor if you have high blood pressure, as some poses should be avoided. If you are experiencing a lot of stress, you may want to contact your EAP to get connected with a therapist in your area.
SUPPLEMENTS. An imbalance in your body’s mineral content could contribute to risk of hypertension. In some cases, it is beneficial to increase your dietary intake of potassium (avocado, apricots), calcium (dark leafy greens, nonfat dairy), magnesium (oats, sunflower seeds), garlic and fish oil. While it is fine to increase these foods in your diet, consult with your family doctor before taking them in supplement form.
ALCOHOL. Over time, heavy drinking can damage your heart. Having more than 2-3 drinks in a sitting can also temporarily raise your blood pressure, as it may cause your body to release hormones that increase your blood flow and heart rate. For healthy adults, occasional alcohol can benefit heart health (1 drink/day for women and 2 drinks/day for men). Talk to your doctor about your healthy limit.
CERTAIN MEDICATION. Various medications can lead to high blood pressure, such as birth control pills, cold remedies, decongestants, over-the-counter pain relievers and some prescription drugs. Talk to your doctor about your risk for high blood pressure before you begin or end any medication. While certain medications may increase your blood pressure, there are also medications that help to control and manage blood pressure. If your blood pressure remains high after making the lifestyle changes listed above, talk to your doctor about your need for medication.
If you’d like assistance with making lifestyle changes to help reduce your blood pressure, contact your HealthNEXT team for coaching assistance at 443-801-0539 or shaaz@corporatehealthsolutions.com. We look forward to seeing you all at the upcoming health assessments!
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