- 1. Replace salt with other seasonings
- 2. Practice physical activity regularly
- 3. Control stress
- 4. Sleep between 6 and 8 hours a night
- 5. Take medication at the correct times
- List of the worst foods for hypertension
In order to control high blood pressure effectively, in addition to the treatment recommended by the doctor, it is essential to make changes in some habits of life, as much of what we do or eat is directly reflected in the pressure. Thus, some of the essential attitudes to reduce the pressure are to lose weight, to practice physical activity and to stop smoking, for example.
Some changes, however, are not easy, because no one deserves to eat tasteless food and you cannot lose weight overnight, for example, so these 5 tips can be followed in day-to-day life, including pregnancy, to make these goals easier to achieve:
1. Replace salt with other seasonings
Salt is not the only seasoning that can flavor food, and there are many options to replace it, and you can invest in seasonings such as: pepper, onion, garlic, ginger, oregano, parsley, cilantro, basil, saffron, bay leaf and rosemary. It is possible to taste these spices without guilt, and also be able to alternate them and discover new flavors.
In addition, canned foods, sausages and frozen foods, or ready-made spices, such as cubes or pots, should be avoided, as they contain too much salt and other additives that cannot be controlled, and are contraindicated for those who are hypertensive. Thus, it is important to prefer foods prepared at home, or in the most natural way possible.
If it is necessary to eat out very often it is recommended to take lunch boxes from home, which can even be made all on one day of the week and frozen in separate containers. learn a healthy weekly menu and care in preparing lunch boxes to take to work.
2. Practice physical activity regularly
Physical exercise is essential to help control blood pressure and improve blood circulation, helping to prevent and treat various diseases. However, this effect will only be achieved if the exercises are practiced regularly, at least 3 times a week.
So there is no point in overexerting yourself in the gym for 3 days in a row, and then spending 10 days without going, or just doing activities on weekends. Just as the medicine must follow a routine, physical activity must also be seen as a treatment and, more than that, an investment in better health and quality of life. See training tips to control blood pressure.
3. Control stress
Stress and anxiety cause several negative reactions in the body, such as the production of hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline and insulin that can cause the pressure to always increase, even with the correct treatment.
Thus, looking for alternatives to reduce the stress levels of everyday life, even if the routine does not help, is recommended to help control the pressure. Great alternatives for this are the practice of meditation, yoga, massage, acupuncture and pilates. The practice of physical activity also helps to regulate the levels of hormones and stress, even if it is a 30-minute walk.
4. Sleep between 6 and 8 hours a night
For the heartbeat and blood vessel flow to normalize, allowing better control of blood pressure, at least 6 hours of sleep per night is necessary. Therefore, although it can vary from person to person, the ideal is that sleep lasts about 7 hours, being that more than 8 hours is also not beneficial for health, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
In addition, it is also important to have a relaxing and restful sleep, avoiding insomnia and night agitations, which impair the effect of sleep on health. Check out what are the 10 tips to sleep well.
5. Take medication at the correct times
It is important that pressure medications are taken at intervals recommended by the doctor, every 8, 12 or 24 hours, for example, and it is important that they are always taken at the same times every day. This discipline is important, as the effect of the medications varies over time, so if the person delays or anticipates the medication schedule, the effect can vary.
An example is, if a medication should be taken every 8 hours, its interval can be both at 6 am, 2 pm and 10 pm, as well as at 8 am, 4 pm and 12 pm, for example. Thus, the intervals are respected, but the schedule is defined according to the needs of each person, and it is preferable that the same times are every day. If there is any difficulty in following the medication schedule, it is important to talk to the doctor to assess the possibility of adjusting or even changing the medication.
A tip to remember, is to put an alarm clock or cell phone to warn you when the time is right, and always carry in your purse or wallet a box with some medicines to use when you are not at home.
List of the worst foods for hypertension
The foods on this list should be avoided by the hypertensive person, because they have too much salt and make it difficult to control blood pressure.
- Crackers and other crackers; Butter with salt; Cured cheese; Chips with salt; Olives; Canned food; Sausage sausages; Smoked sausages; Salted meat; Salted fish; Sauces; Knorr meat or chicken broths; Soft drinks; Industrialized foods ready for consumption; Coffee; Black tea; Green tea.
In addition, in a high blood pressure diet it is also important to read food labels carefully because salt may be described as sodium, sodium chloride or monosodium glutamate. Products with this description in the nutritional information should be avoided by hypertensive patients. Check out ways to gradually reduce your salt intake on a daily basis.
See also other tips from the nutritionist to lower high blood pressure:
