What should you do as soon as you discover you have high blood pressure?

The risk of high blood pressure begins to increase after age 35 and increases significantly after age 45. If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, you should not panic.

In most cases, proper lifestyle changes can effectively control blood pressure without the need for medication immediately after diagnosis. Stable, long-term blood pressure control will prevent the risk of serious complications such as stroke, heart failure or kidney disease, according to the medical information website Medicine Net (USA).

Appropriate lifestyle adjustments can control blood pressure well without medication.

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Things people should do immediately after being diagnosed with high blood pressure include:

Review your eating habits

Diet plays a key role in blood pressure control. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat foods can significantly reduce blood pressure.

Reduce salt intake

Salt is high in sodium, one of the biggest contributors to high blood pressure. The American Heart Association recommends that adults with high blood pressure limit their sodium intake to less than 1,500 mg/day.

Sodium increases blood pressure because it causes the body to retain water, increasing blood volume, causing increased pressure on blood vessel walls. To reduce sodium, people should limit their intake of processed foods, such as canned foods, instant noodles, and sausages.

When cooking, people with high blood pressure should season their food lightly and replace salt with natural spices such as pepper, garlic, and lemon. A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology showed that reducing sodium by just 1,000 mg per day can help reduce systolic blood pressure by 5 mmHg.

Exercise regularly

Exercise not only improves cardiovascular health, it also directly helps lower blood pressure. Physical activity increases the elasticity of blood vessels and improves blood flow, thereby reducing the pressure on the vessel walls. Exercise also helps control stress, which can contribute to high blood pressure.

Research in the Hypertension Journal found that people who maintain the habit of walking briskly for 30 minutes a day can reduce their blood pressure by 5-8 mmHg after just a few weeks.

Maintain a healthy weight

Being overweight or obese is one of the biggest risk factors for high blood pressure. Every pound of weight lost can reduce blood pressure by about 1 mmHg. Weight control also prevents the possibility of developing other conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease, according to Medicine Net.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nen-lam-gi-ngay-khi-vua-phat-hien-bi-huyet-ap-cao-185250613130506399.htm