High blood pressure often comes without symptoms (Image: Getty)
High blood pressure affects one in three adults in the UK, but half of them are not diagnosed or receiving treatment. The condition, often called the ‘silent killer’, rarely has any symptoms, yet it costs the NHS over £2.1 billion every year. Speaking to the Express, Dr. Naveed Asif, a GP, shared seven simple habits that – while not being replacements for prescribed medicines – can make a real difference.
The first one is rethinking your diet. Dr. Asif said it is important to focus on eating whole foods, plenty of veggies and fruits, lean proteins and saturated fats.
“The Mediterranean diet comprises of whole foods, fruits, reduced saturated fats and lean meats and avoids processed foods which is great for the heart,” the GP said.
He also advised to move regularly to maintain a healthy weight and strengthen your heart to help it pump blood more easily and reduce pressure on your arteries. He recommends doing even the simplest steps to increase movement, such as getting off the bus one stop early or goingup the stairs rather than using the lift.
This relates to his third tip – choosing an activity that raises your heart rate and makes you slightly breathless. Doing this consistently over time also helps, as regular elevated heartbeat is better than the occasional all or nothing approach.
You should also lower your stress and anxiety levels, if possible. That’s because, when you’re stressed and anxious, “your blood pressure goes up and chronic stress can be detrimental for your health”, Dr. Asif explains.
He adds: “There’s evidence that suggests that stepping back, closing your eyes and doing some breathing exercises, or even just going for a walk where you just switch off, helps give your body time to relax.
“There’s also an hormonal aspect to this, as it will release hormones that will help protect your heart and blood vessels, but will also improve your mood as a result.”
The doctor recommends moving, eating healthy, sleeping enough and giving up alcohol (Image: Getty)
Then there’s the issue of insufficient rest. Being busy often means deprioritising sleep, which can in turn impact how your body regulates blood pressure. Therefore, you should “prioritise sleep and are consistent with your night time routine and with what time you go to bed”.
The doctor’s final two tips relate to the biggest ‘guilty pleasures’ of perhaps every generation – alcohol and cigarettes.
Dr Asif says smoking is “associated with high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, so giving this up can have a positive impact”.
BHF’s website says “chemicals in cigarettes make the walls of your arteries sticky”, which “causes fatty material” to stick that can “begin to clog your arteries and reduce the space for blood to flow properly”.
If the arteries that carry blood to your heart get clogged, it can lead to a heart attack, and if the arteries carrying blood to your brain get clogged it can lead to a stroke, it adds.
Smoking also increases your risk of blood clots, causes your heart rate and blood pressure to rise instantly, and reduces the reducing the amount of oxygen delivered to the rest of your body – all of which affects your heart and blood vessels.
Similarly, cutting down on alcohol significantly improves overall cardiovascular health.
“Drinking alcohol is one of the biggest things that the majority of the public will do without realising that over time it’s directly contributing to high blood pressure,” the doctor says.
“So, be mindful that if you’re drinking regularly, your blood pressure is going to rise over time.”
