Tips to control high blood pressure and manage diabetes

High blood pressure also referred to as hypertension is when the heart works harder than normal to circulate blood through the blood vessels, it can cause serious health problems like stroke, heart attack, and kidney failure. According to CDC, Centers for disease control and prevention,” Blood pressure is the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Arteries carry blood from your heart to other parts of your body.”

Your blood pressure usually rises and falls throughout the day.

Measurement of Blood pressure: A device that is used to measure blood pressure is a sphygmomanometer

Blood pressure is calculated using two numbers

The first one is called systolic blood pressure, which measures the pressure in your arteries when your heartbeats.

The second one is called diastolic blood pressure, which measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests in between beats.

If the reading shows 120 systolic and 80 diastolic, you would say, “120 over 80,” and the unit is mmHg.”

 

Along with the medications, lifestyle changes play a vital role in treating your high BP.   

 

1. Manage stress

Often stress is a common cause of hypertension, it causes the heart to beat faster and constrict the blood vessel. Managing stress to reduce the pressure is very important. Work less and taking frequent breaks could help you relax. Whenever you feel stressed take a small break listen to soothing music and work less, this could help you get out of the stressful situation and boost your mood.

1. Pranayama

Pranayama can also be very beneficial as conscious breathing lowers blood pressure. This can help in reducing stress-related hypertension. It has the ability to revitalize, restore and re-energize the entire body. Sheetali Pranayama gives a cooling effect on the whole body, calming and relaxing the mind and body. Yoga for high blood pressure must always be done slowly and smoothly.

1. Lose weight

As your weight increases, your blood pressure also rises. Being overweight and obese increases the risk factors for heart disease. Eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly (150 minutes a week) and reduce sodium in your diet. Aerobic exercises like brisk walking, jogging, riding your bicycle are good for your heart. You usually should also maintain an eye on your waistline. Carrying too much weight around your waist can put you at higher risk of hypertension.

1. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink and quit smoking

Drinking more than moderate amounts of alcohol can in fact raise blood pressure more. It may reduce the effectiveness of blood pressure medications also. Stopping smoking helps your bp return to normal.

1. Diet

A potassium-rich diet like spinach, beetroot, kale, etc helps your kidneys get clear of sodium through your urine. Include banana into your diet. Slice a banana into your breakfast cereal for a potassium-rich addition. Garlic and herbs are also beneficial in reducing hypertension by raising the amount of nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide helps in promoting vasodilatation to reduce blood pressure. You can add basil, rosemary, cinnamon, thyme, and more to your diet.

Smile, breathe, and go slowly

Diabetes

Follow the same routine of exercise and lifestyle modification in diabetes.

Diabetes is a disease that happens when your blood glucose is simply too high. Glucose is your main source of energy and comes from the food you eat. Over time having an excess amount of glucose in your blood can cause health problems. You can take steps to manage your diabetes and stay healthy.

In patients, exercise can help to cut back insulin requirements in two ways. It increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin and enhances the more structured utilization of glucose. Exercise helps lower blood glucose levels. Hence it can help to take care of overall diabetic control.

Many diabetics are overweight and few even have cardiovascular issues. Physiotherapists suggest Aerobic and Resistance Exercises. Physiotherapists teach patients specific exercises to enhance function and glycemic control. A healthy diet and exercise are recommended both for prevention and for individuals already diagnosed with this condition.

Your physiotherapist is the key health provider to advise about this and educate you regarding care to be taken before, during, and after the exercise. In trying to stop the onset of diabetes, or to stop the condition from becoming worse, a physiotherapist will advise on exercise to reduce body fat and to improve how the body processes glucose. Both are major key factors in managing diabetes.