Your blood pressure is said to be “normal” when either your systolic blood pressure is 120 or below, or your diastolic blood pressure is 80 or below. Above normal blood pressure falls in 4 different categories and can lead to many health challenges including a heart attack or stroke. Check out this link for details on the categories of high blood pressure.
Here are 5 tips for managing blood pressure:
- Cut down salt – include more fresh herbs and seasonings when cooking. Limit use of table salt, soya sauce and condiments packaged. Review usage instructions for packaged seasonings with sodium.
- Exercise regularly. You can walk, jog, swim, run or even dace for just 30 minutes a day, 3-5 times a week.
- Limit your alcohol intake and quit smoking to reduce the risk of increasing your blood pressure and diseases of your heart and blood vessels.
- Read food labels and take note of the salt or sodium content. A product that has more than 20% of salt/sodium per serving is high in sodium, and 5% is low. Balance food intake throughout the day to manage sodium content.
- Fruits, vegetables, ground provisions, whole grains peas and beans and low fat foods have potassium, nitrates and other elements which help to manage good blood pressure levels. Six examples are:
Beetroot
Skimmed milk and yogurt
Garlic and herbs
Oatmeal
Pistachio nuts
Leafy green vegetables
Individuals ＆ families
