In addition to taking medicine, patients with high blood pressure can also help lower blood pressure by doing 10 things every day

In addition to taking medicine, are there other ways in life for patients with high blood pressure, such as diet, exercise, etc., to help lower blood pressure and keep blood pressure within the appropriate range?

10 non-drug treatments for lowering blood pressure. For patients who are taking antihypertensive drugs, if they also do these at the same time, they will have a better blood pressure reduction effect.

1. Reduce sodium intake in the diet

Many people know that "eating too much salt is the number one killer of blood pressure", and this mainly refers to sodium salt.

For patients with high blood pressure, even a small reduction in sodium in the diet can improve heart health and lower blood pressure by about 5-6 mmHg.

The effect of sodium intake on blood pressure generally varies from person to person.

It is best not to exceed 2300 mg of sodium intake per day (about 6 g of salt, that is, 1 beer bottle cap-ordinary beer bottle caps can hold 6 g of salt after removing the rubber pad and filling it horizontally); pay attention to avoid "hidden salt" in food (such as pickles, chicken essence, soy sauce, etc.). It is best to keep sodium intake low (1500 mg or less per day), which is more ideal for most adults.

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When shopping, it is recommended to:

• Read food labels carefully and choose low-sodium foods and beverages;
• Avoid or reduce processed foods with high sodium content, such as pickles, ham, various stir-fried nuts and preserved foods;
• Reduce cooking salt and high-sodium condiments, and use more spices to add flavor to food;
• It is best to buy a quantitative salt spoon and use this spoon to add salt when cooking, reminding yourself not to eat too much salt at any time.

2. Quit drinking

Drinking alcohol will significantly increase the risk of hypertension, and the more you drink, the higher the risk. Limit drinking, and it is best to quit drinking, which can also lower blood pressure.

People with hypertension should not drink alcohol. If you have to drink, you should drink in small amounts, and it is best to choose low-alcohol alcohol and avoid high-alcohol alcohol.

The daily alcohol intake for men should not exceed 25 g and for women should not exceed 15 g; the weekly alcohol intake for men should not exceed 140 g and for women should not exceed 80 g. The daily intake of liquor, wine and beer should not exceed 50 ml, 100 ml and 300 ml respectively.

3. Quit smoking

Smoking is an unhealthy behavior and one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and cancer. Every cigarette smoked will increase blood pressure for a few minutes.

Quit smoking scientifically and avoid passive smoking. Although quitting smoking cannot lower blood pressure, it can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and improve overall health. Moreover, people who quit smoking may live longer than those who have been smoking.

4. Lose excess weight and pay attention to waist circumference

Generally speaking, blood pressure increases with weight gain; at the same time, being overweight can also cause interrupted breathing during sleep (sleep apnea), which further increases blood pressure.

Weight loss is one of the most effective lifestyles for controlling blood pressure. For overweight or obese people, even a small amount of weight loss can help lower blood pressure. For every kilogram of weight loss, blood pressure is expected to drop by about 1 mmHg.

In addition to losing weight, everyone should also pay attention to their waistline. Excessive abdominal fat will also increase the risk of high blood pressure.

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In general, it is best to maintain a body mass index (BMI) within the range of 18.5-23.9 kg/m2, and a waist circumference of less than 90 cm for men and less than 85 cm for women.

5. Reduce stress

Mental tension can activate the sympathetic nerves, thereby increasing blood pressure.

The main reasons for increased mental stress include: excessive busyness, life pressure, and pathological psychology, such as depression, anxiety, type A personality (highly motivated and urgent, irritable, and may be more susceptible to stress), social isolation and lack of social support, etc.

People with high blood pressure may wish to find out the reasons that cause them to be stressed, manage stress, and adjust themselves according to the actual situation (cognitive behavioral intervention), such as:

• Avoid triggering stress;
• Avoid contact with people who make you feel stressed;
• Take time to relax and do activities you like;
• Take some time every day to sit quietly and breathe deeply;
• Arrange some interesting activities or hobbies for yourself, etc.

If necessary, you can also find a psychologist and take psychotherapy combined with drug treatment to relieve anxiety and mental stress.

6. Reduce caffeine intake

The role of caffeine in blood pressure is still controversial. Studies have found that caffeine can increase blood pressure by 10 mm Hg in some people. However, for people who drink coffee regularly, caffeine may have little effect on blood pressure.

Although the long-term effects of caffeine on blood pressure are not clear, it may cause a slight increase in blood pressure.

If you want to know whether caffeine affects your blood pressure, you can try to measure your blood pressure within 30 minutes after drinking caffeinated beverages (including cola and milk tea). If it rises by 5-10 mmHg, it means that you may be sensitive to the blood pressure-raising effect of caffeine, and you should try to drink less caffeinated beverages.

7. Regular exercise

Exercise can improve the blood pressure level of patients with hypertension. Regular exercise (at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week) is expected to reduce blood pressure by 5-8 mmHg.

However, don't "fish for three days and dry the net for two days"! Patients with lowered blood pressure may have their blood pressure rise again after stopping exercise.

Cohort studies have found that regular exercise can reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and all-cause death in patients with hypertension. In order to lower blood pressure, in addition to daily life activities, it is recommended to do 30-60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (such as walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, etc.) 4-7 days a week.

Exercise can be aerobic, resistance and stretching. Aerobic exercise is the main form, and anaerobic exercise is used as a supplement.

Exercise intensity varies from person to person. For example, moderate-intensity exercise means exercise that can reach 60%-70% of the maximum heart rate [maximum heart rate (beats/minute) = 220-age].

It should be noted that patients at high risk of hypertension need to be evaluated before exercise.

8. Choose a healthier diet

Studies have shown that the DASH diet, known as the "diet to control hypertension", can reduce the blood pressure of hypertensive patients by up to 11 mmHg.

The DASH diet requires a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products; on the basis of a balanced diet, reduce the total daily calorie intake, control the intake of high-calorie foods (high-fat foods, sugary drinks, etc.) and high-cholesterol foods, and appropriately control the amount of carbohydrates.

At the same time, increase the intake of potassium in the diet. Potassium can reduce the impact of sodium on blood pressure, and it is best to get it from food, such as fresh vegetables, fruits and beans, rather than health products and supplements.

People with good kidney function can choose low-sodium and potassium-rich alternative salt (low-sodium salt). However, patients with hypertension and renal insufficiency should be cautious about eating low-sodium salt and consult a doctor before supplementing potassium.

9. Measure your blood pressure regularly

Paying attention to changes in blood pressure and controlling risk factors for hypertension can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Different people have different blood pressure measurement frequencies:

• For patients diagnosed with hypertension for the first time or with unstable blood pressure, it is recommended to measure blood pressure once in the morning and evening, 2-3 times each time, and take the average value; or after measuring blood pressure at home for 7 consecutive days, take the average blood pressure of the next 6 days.
• People with stable and up-to-standard blood pressure can measure their blood pressure 1-2 days a week, once in the morning and once in the evening; it is best to measure sitting blood pressure at a fixed time after getting up in the morning, taking antihypertensive drugs, before breakfast, and after urinating.

Note that you should also record the date, time and all blood pressure readings of each blood pressure measurement in detail, rather than just recording the average value.

When measuring blood pressure, you should stay quiet and relaxed, remove factors that may affect it (no smoking, drinking coffee or tea, etc. within 30 minutes before measurement, empty the bladder), and rest quietly for at least 5 minutes. When measuring, you should sit with your feet flat on the ground, relax, keep your body still, and don't talk.

10. Get support from family and friends

The support of family and friends can help patients with hypertension improve their health.

Under everyone's supervision and encouragement, patients may better follow the advice of medical staff, take medication and follow up on time, and adhere to a healthy lifestyle.

In addition to family and friends, patients with hypertension can also communicate with other patients, exchange practical blood pressure reduction techniques, support and help each other, and muster up "fighting spirit" to overcome hypertension.

In short, hypertension is a lifelong disease. In addition to taking medication as prescribed by the doctor, we must also take action in all aspects of life to achieve the goal of lowering blood pressure:

• For general hypertensive patients, blood pressure should be reduced to below 140/90 mmHg;
• For patients with diabetes or chronic kidney disease, blood pressure can be appropriately reduced on the basis of 140/90 mmHg;
• For patients aged 65-80, blood pressure should be reduced to below 150/90 mmHg. If it can be tolerated, it can be further reduced to below 140/90 mmHg; patients over 80 years old should reduce blood pressure to below 150/90 mmHg.

Only by doing these can the risk of complications of hypertension and cardiovascular disease be better reduced.