Take These 5 Steps if You’re Diagnosed with Hypertension

July 10, 2022

by Cathe Friedrich

If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure (hypertension) and feel anxious, stressed, or worried about your condition, you’re not alone. Almost half of adults over 65 have hypertension, and since high blood pressure has no outward symptoms, many people don’t know they have it until they hear the words from the doctor that they have hypertension.

Discovering you have a medical issue that needs treatment through lifestyle or medications is a wake-up call and causes anxiety for some. But the anxious feelings will soon pass once you begin to understand what you can do to control hypertension. There’s much you can do from a lifestyle standpoint to keep your blood pressure under control. Here are five things you should do when you discover you have hypertension.

Monitor your blood pressure daily

Once you’re diagnosed with high blood pressure, monitor your blood pressure daily at home. To do this, use a blood pressure cuff to measure your systolic (top) and diastolic (bottom) pressures. You can also buy home monitors with built-in stethoscopes that provide an accurate measurement of both your systolic and diastolic pressures. Many are digital and easy to operate. Avoid wrist cuffs as they provide less accurate readings.

After each measurement, record the results in a log or spreadsheet, so you can track any changes over time. Be sure to take multiple readings throughout the day. A large spike in blood pressure in the morning, for example, is linked with a higher risk of heart attack, based on research. Therefore, it’s important to know how your blood pressure varies throughout the day and save those readings to show your doctor.

Cut Back on Ultra-Processed Foods

Ultra-processed foods and junk food are loaded with salt. Although a low sodium diet won’t consistently lower blood pressure, as people have varying degrees of sodium sensitivity, these foods contain lots of sugar and lack fiber, all of which are harmful to heart and blood vessel health. The average person consumes about 3,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day while the American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams per day.

Here are some foods to avoid:

Processed meats like bacon, ham, or sausage
Pizza
Frozen meals
Chips and crackers
Fast food
Canned soups (high in sodium)
High sodium condiments
Foods with added sugar

Ultra-processed foods are also low in potassium, a mineral that helps with blood pressure control. So, choose more fruits and vegetables. These foods are naturally low in sodium and higher in potassium. Rather than seasoning your veggies with salt, use herbs and spices like basil, black pepper, garlic powder, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. Many herbs and spices have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that are beneficial for your heart.

Address emotional issues like depression, anger, and chronic stress.

Stress can also raise your blood pressure and make it harder to control. If you struggle with stress management, try home techniques for managing stress, like meditation or yoga. Meditation involves focusing on breathing exercises while stilling your mind from habitual thoughts like “I’m having a bad day!”

The goal is not necessarily to achieve total silence in your mind, but rather to learn how to not react emotionally when negative thoughts pop up unexpectedly during meditation practice. This is helpful both during meditation as well as afterward when dealing with stressful situations.

If that doesn’t help. talk to a doctor or therapist about what’s going on in your life and how you’re feeling. If necessary, they can prescribe medication or refer you for therapy sessions that could help ease the symptoms of anxiety, depression, or other common emotional issues associated with hypertension (and potentially improve other areas of your health).

Increase your activity level

Regular exercise helps reduce stress levels by releasing endorphins into the bloodstream. These hormone-like chemicals act as a natural antidepressant by relieving pain and improving mood. Additionally, exercise increases blood flow throughout the body, expands blood vessels, and helps keep arteries flexible. Plus, in the hours after aerobic exercise, your blood pressure naturally falls. Exercise also helps with weight loss, and that can reduce your blood pressure and lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Do a structured workout but also take a daily walk in nature. Not only does exercise itself lower your blood pressure, but nature has a calming effect that helps lower blood pressure and aids in stress management. Listen to the birds sing and quiet your mind as you walk.

Be an active participant in controlling your blood pressure

Take an active role in managing your blood pressure. By doing so, you can help prevent serious health problems and reduce the risk of complications associated with hypertension. If you have hypertension, it’s even more important to monitor your blood sugar and blood lipids, since these abnormalities are also associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. If you can control all three factors, your risk of heart attack and other complications of hypertension will be lower.

Also, keep the dialogue going with your physician to ensure you’re meeting your blood pressure goals. Get the whole family involved, so everyone is eating healthy meals and physically active. Hypertension has a genetic component, so doing this may help them keep their blood pressure controlled. Educate yourself about hypertension. The more you know, the more proactive you can be.

Conclusion

Remember, there’s no single treatment plan that works for everyone with hypertension. For some people, lifestyle changes are enough to keep their condition under control, while others will need medication in addition to diet and exercise. These are issues you should discuss with your physician.

References:

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