Health Quadrant

Mention high blood pressure and the first thing that comes to mind is medication. Now, it is true that your doctor will probably prescribe drugs to bring your blood pressure down to acceptable levels.

However, your doctor will also likely tell you to take up regular exercise, particularly if you have no other medical problems but lead a sedentary lifestyle.

Regular, moderate exercise is very important in controlling hypertension and maintaining blood pressure at normal levels.

Here are a few tips on exercise and high blood pressure.

* Obviously, consult your doctor before you begin any exercise program. He may want to do a checkup before he okays it.

* Pick an activity you enjoy. If you decide to take up swimming and you absolutely hate being in the water, look at other options. Since exercise has lasting benefits only if it becomes part of your regular routine, make it something you enjoy.

* Make sure it involves rhythmic exercise. With this kind of exercise, large muscle groups get worked and you are more likely to enhance cardiovascular fitness. Examples include swimming, walking, etc.

* Start modestly. If you are starting out walking, don’t make your goal to walk 5 miles every day for the first week! If you overdo things, you are very likely to find it painful and exhausting (and possibly dangerous). And you know what you do with painful activities — you drop them like a hot brick!

* Keep your resolve to yourself. If you brag about your new program to others, you may become the butt of good-natured teasing, whether you stick to the program or not. Even worse, some people don’t want others to do things they don’t do themselves. So they’ll go out of their way with subtle verbal feedback to ensure you fail!

* Join groups. See if your neighborhood has a walking club. There’s nothing quite as motivating - and pleasurable - as being with other likeminded people.

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If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, one of the first things your doctor will tell you is to cut down salt intake.

For many people, those words bring on visions of being forced to survive on bland, tasteless food for the rest of their life. That needn’t be so. If you give it a go, you’ll find that you can adjust to low-salt foods quite well and a lot faster than you think.

Here are several salt reduction tips to help you out.

* Substitute salt with herbs, spices and seasoning blends that are free of salt. Use them both in the kitchen and at the table. Herbs can enhance your health in some ways and don’t have many of the risks associated with salt.

* Use fresh vegetables and fruits as far as possible. If you need to buy canned or frozen stuff, make sure they have no salt added. Most processed foods have salt added to them because salt is a preservative. Plus, salt lends flavoring as well.

* Buy fresh poultry, lean meat and fish rather than canned versions. If you must use canned foods like tuna, rinse them well before using to remove as much of the salt as possible. During the manufacturing process, they add salt to foods like tuna. Rinsing them will remove some of the residue left on the surface.

* Avoid cereal mixes, instant rice, pasta, etc which contain salt. Instead, cook rice, cereals and pasta at home without salt.

* If you are like many folks, you may find it difficult to avoid buying convenience or processed foods altogether. In that case, inspect the food label carefully and choose only foods that are low in sodium. Where possible, cut back on pizzas, frozen dinners, canned soups and various packaged mixes which usually contain lots of salt.

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There are very good reasons why high blood pressure is called the silent killer. Many times, hypertension doesn’t show up as a problem at all. Not for a long time. All the same, it is capable of causing strokes, damaging kidneys, bringing on heart attacks and much more.

Here are several quick tips on how to deal with high blood pressure. Remember, as always, these tips (and anything else on this site) are NOT a substitute for medical advice. Be sure to consult with a doctor / medical professional on all health related matters. See our disclaimer.

* Get regular checkups. If you have ever had a hypertension problem, even if your pressure has been somewhat above normal, ensure that you check your blood pressure periodically. In any case, it is an excellent idea to have regular medical checkups including blood pressure readings.

* Get accustomed to eating foods with low salt. This may seem quite difficult at first. But if you persist, you will soon discover that you actually prefer foods without salt!

If you must have salt in your food, add salt sparingly either when the meal is being cooked or at the table. But don’t do both — i.e., don’t add salt both while cooking and while eating. Salt definitely affects your blood pressure.

* If you just can’t get along without salt, try using one of the many salt substitutes available in the market. They contain lesser quantities of sodium chloride and higher amounts of potassium. By the way, rock salt, sea salt, natural salt, etc are not salt substitutes.

* Exercise regularly. Not just when you feel like it. Aerobic exercise that makes sustained demands on the heart will strengthen the heart. It cuts down the risk of coronary heart disease significantly. Researchers say that a brisk half an hour walk just three times a week can deliver these benefits.

In addition, exercise lowers blood pressure. It also lowers blood fat levels and so reduces risk of thrombosis.

The risk factors for many illnesses go up when blood pressure is above normal levels. That’s why it is critical to adopt lifestyle changes that can keep blood pressure within limits.

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