What to Do When Diagnosed With High Blood Pressure
Even though nearly half of all adults in the United States have received a diagnosis of high blood pressure, being told that you have hypertension by your physician can still be a troubling matter. You might find yourself questioning certain lifestyle choices that you tend to make and wondering what your chances are of developing a more severe heart condition down the line.
While you should always talk to your doctor about such questions and concerns, there are plenty of ways in which you can effectively manage hypertension in your daily life. By taking more control over your heart health and being proactive about getting a handle on your hypertension, you can effectively bring your blood pressure down to a more manageable level.
If you are currently looking to be less passive about your heart health so as to deal with your diagnosis of high blood pressure, here are a few things that you should do.
Monitor your Blood Pressure
Every time you see your doctor for a checkup, they will check your blood pressure. While this is helpful information for them in the moment, many people don’t realize that this is simply a small snapshot of what their blood pressure is on a daily basis.
The fact of the matter is that a diagnosis of hypertension means that you need to pay more attention to what your heart is telling you. By taking your blood pressure every day at home, you can get a more complete picture about where you are at and how drastic the changes to your lifestyle need to be.
Take the time to find a blood pressure monitor that comes with all of the features that will help you to best monitor your numbers. Managing high blood pressure (Hypertension) means taking note of your numbers and making sure that the changes you make are having the right impact on your heart health.
Find a Better Balance
Taking control of your heart health often means making specific changes to your lifestyle. Unless your doctor advises you to take drastic measures in this area, the general advice is that you should look to strike a healthier balance with diet and exercise in your life.
Mild to moderate cases of hypertension often require changes to diet that amount to finding a better balance of things like carbohydrates, salt, and calories. Cutting certain food groups out altogether is often unsustainable. However, balancing them with protein, vegetables, fruits, and the like can help you to make the progress that you need with your high blood pressure.
Starting small with your increase in exercise and working your way up is one of the best ways to improve your heart health in a more general sense. Moreover, just because you have hypertension, that doesn’t mean that it is necessary to hit the gym for an intense workout every single day. Instead, incorporating a balance of more activity into your daily life will help you to make strides towards better overall heart health.
Receiving a high blood pressure diagnosis can be daunting, but you should be able to manage your condition effectively with these tips.
