Managing High Blood Pressure with Lifestyle Changes
- Posted on: Dec 5 2024
According to a Yale Medicine post, almost half of all American adults — an estimated 116 million in total — suffer from some form of hypertension, commonly known as “high blood pressure.” With so many people suffering from this potentially deadly disease, you are not alone. Nevertheless, you may wonder how best to manage your high blood pressure as you undergo necessary lifestyle changes for a longer, fuller, better quality of life.
What Causes High Blood Pressure?
High blood pressure is caused by a myriad of factors. Some factors are external (that is, they are caused by lifestyle choices), and some are internal (that is, they are caused by genetics). These factors include:
- High-salt diets. Americans have a salt problem. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average American consumes more than 3,300 mg of sodium (the predominant mineral in salt) a day, which is well above the daily recommended amount of 2,300 mg of sodium. A study published in the Nutrients medical journal confirmed that a diet high in sodium can result in both hypertension and the numerous diseases associated with high blood pressure (including heart attacks and strokes).
- Genetics. If hypertension runs in your family, you’re more prone to the disease than others with no family history of the disease.
- Lack of physical activity. Americans are becoming increasingly sedentary, and an inactive lifestyle contributes to both our ongoing obesity crisis and the increased occurrence of high blood pressure in the population.
- A high-stress lifestyle or the inability to manage stress appropriately. When your body is under stress, a surge of hormones is released — and this hormonal surge results in increased blood pressure. Over time, this persistent hormonal surge — coupled with the increased blood pressure — can be fatal.
- Unhealthy habits. If you drink alcohol or coffee (or both) excessively and frequently, smoke cigarettes, or use/abuse recreational drugs, you are more likely to have hypertension than someone who follows a lifestyle free of these unhealthy habits.
- Obesity. According to the CDC, at least one in five Americans (or 20 percent) in every state of the union is obese. Obese and overweight patients are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure than patients who are at or near a healthy weight.
Let Dr. Ameeta Walia Help You Navigate Your Necessary Lifestyle Changes
Taking on these necessary lifestyle changes — such as losing weight, improving diet, and cutting back or eliminating bad habits — can be difficult, even if the result of making these changes is a healthy, longer, better quality of life. We know that changing the habits of a lifetime can be difficult, and that’s why we’re here to help.
Dr. Ameeta Walia, voted the best cardiologist on Long Island since 2016, has years of experience helping patients tackle these unique challenges. She and her team are dedicated to helping all patients find and adhere to a comprehensive plan that includes a healthy diet, exercise, and mental wellness. They pride themselves on comprehensively addressing your concerns and treating each patient as a human being worthy of dignity and respect. We also offer various services ranging from pre-op clearance to heart treatment plans. Among the compliments we’ve received from our patients are that they find us warm, friendly, and kind.
Our Nassau County offices of Cardiovascular Wellness are conveniently located in Hicksville and Lake Success, and we happily accept patients from all over the Greater New York area. We even have same-day appointments available in some cases and are pleased to accept most major insurance plans.
Don’t wait another minute to get healthy. Contact us today for your appointment, and take comfort in knowing that we will “see you in a heartbeat!”
Posted in: Heart Health
