Symptoms Of High Blood Pressure And Diet

The types and amounts of foods that you eat can greatly impact your health. A poor diet could result in you facing high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol. Eating a healthy diet can keep high blood pressure at bay and decrease the risk of developing other medical conditions.

Symptoms of High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is often referred to as the silent killer, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Hypertension has little to no symptoms, which makes it harder to suspect. The most common symptoms associated with hypertension include dizziness, headaches and possibly, increased nosebleeds. The Mayo Clinic notes that these symptoms usually do not become apparent until your blood pressure has reached dangerously high levels.

Diagnosing High Blood Pressure

Since high blood pressure has almost no symptoms, the best way to detect it is by keeping your annual check-ups with your physician or by monitoring your blood pressure regularly if you have been diagnosed with borderline high blood pressure. Keeping your annual physical appointments can help you stay on top of your blood pressure numbers and other important numbers such as cholesterol and glucose levels. Blood pressure is considered high when your systolic number regularly is over 140 milliliters of mercury, or mmHg, and your diastolic number regularly is over 90 mmHg.

Diet

Eating a diet high in salt, fat and sugar can lead to hypertension, high cholesterol and obesity, all of which affect your blood pressure and heart. You can control your blood pressure through diet by eating less salt and by eating lean cuts of meat, avoiding alcohol and eating your daily servings of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Avoiding caffeine can also help to keep your blood pressure levels from spiking. Avoid unhealthy oils and fats when cooking. Use healthy oils such as canola or olive oil. Sodium can greatly increase your blood pressure. Ask your doctor how much you can safely tolerate. Reading package labels can be deceiving; make sure you read the amount of sodium on the label even if the product claims it's low-sodium and pay close attention to serving sizes. Reducing sodium consumption can lower your blood pressure by 2 to 8 mmHg --- even if you only reduce it by a small amount, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Exercise

Exercise can also help lower blood pressure. Being overweight can directly influence your blood pressure; losing excess weight can help lower and stabilize blood pressure. Hypertension and pre-hypertension can damage your blood vessels. By exercising regularly, you can ensure that your blood vessels do not become damaged. The Mayo Clinic reports that exercising at least 30 to 60 minutes per day, most days of the week, can help to reduce your blood pressure by as much as 4 to 9 mmHg.

Symptoms of High Blood Pressure and Diet