Approximately a third of American adults have hypertension. This disease increases the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Blood pressure can be managed with both lifestyle changes and anti-hypertensive medication when appropriate. However, our team integrates therapies, such as meditation and yoga, and proper diet and exercise to help you manage blood pressure and improve your overall health.
Hypertension Q & A
What is hypertension?
Hypertension is high blood pressure, and it occurs when your blood creates too much force against the insides of your blood vessels. Blood pressure is measured in two numbers that represent the force when your heart beats — your systolic pressure — and when your heart rests between beats — your diastolic pressure.
A healthy blood pressure reading is 120/80 or lower. Anything higher is considered elevated, and once your blood pressure surpasses 130/80, you have hypertension — your risk of health complications increases as your blood pressure increases.
Hypertension is sometimes called a silent killer because it doesn’t usually cause any noticeable symptoms until you have a heart attack, stroke, or another dangerous cardiac event.
What causes hypertension?
While your genes and family medical history contribute to your risk of hypertension, your lifestyle can significantly impact your chances of developing this dangerous health condition. For example, some of the most common risk factors for high blood pressure include:
- Being overweight or obese
- Leading a sedentary lifestyle
- Smoking
- Eating a high-salt, high-fat diet
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Having high stress levels
Health conditions like diabetes, kidney disease, and sleep apnea also contribute to hypertension.
The good news is that you can control almost all of these risk factors. Even if you have a genetic predisposition to hypertension, you can significantly reduce your risk of the condition and lower your blood pressure with healthy lifestyle choices.
How is high blood pressure treated?
The team at Family Medical Center provides a comprehensive approach to treating hypertension. They use lifestyle medicine and modifications to help you understand the mind-body connection between the food you eat and your health. Your wellness plan enables you to break your addiction to unhealthy food choices, which ultimately leads to reduced blood pressure, weight loss, and overall improved health.
Your wellness program is customized to meet your specific needs and may include:
- Dietary changes
- More physical activity
- Smoking cessation
- Sleep improvement
- Stress management techniques
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
If you’re concerned about hypertension or want to improve your health and wellness naturally, call Family Medical Center or request an appointment online today.