Hypertension treatment comes in many forms that ranges from lifestyle changes to medication. Although lifestyle changes may be enough for some people, some people with high blood pressure may also require medications such as diuretics for hypertension treatment.
Those whose blood pressure is still moderately elevated, life style modifications alone may already achieve treatment goals. For patients who require pharmacological therapy may require a reduced number and doses of medications through life style modification. The following suggested modifications in diet and physical activity should be discussed with a doctor or health care provider before taken.
Kick the smoking habit
People who smoke are more likely to develop hypertension and heart disease, as tobacco injures the blood vessel walls and speeds up the process of the hardening of the arteries, quitting smoking is strongly advisable.
Get some exercise
Regular exercise helps a lot in lowering blood pressure. Taking a moderate aerobic exercise can modestly decrease blood pressure and has many other beneficial effects as well.
Take the DASH diet
One of the simplest yet most effective ways to lower ones blood pressure is by having healthy diet. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which emphasizes a diet that mostly includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy foods. Getting plenty of potassium is also recommended as it helps prevent and control high blood pressure.
Managing stress
If left unmanaged, stress can lead to serious emotional, psychological, and even physical problems, including coronary artery disease and high blood pressure. Learn how to minimize stress and boost a positive outlook.
Salt restriction
Excessive intake of salt can contribute to hypertension for some people. Even a modest restriction of salt helps decrease blood pressure. Generally, most doctors advise those with high blood pressure to avoid taking salty food and to limit daily sodium intake to no more than approximately 2.4 grams.
Limiting alcohol intake
Moderate alcohol intake (one or two glasses of an alcoholic beverage a day) does not appear to cause hypertension; however, chronic heavy alcohol use elevates blood pressure. Therefore, hypertensive patients who drink alcohol excessively should discuss this issue with their health care provider and should reduce their consumption of alcohol.
