Know Your Numbers Week is a Blood Pressure UK initiative, and this year runs from 8-14 September. High blood pressure affects millions of UK adults each year, but, because it is generally symptomless, as many as 5 million cases could be currently undiagnosed.
Blood Pressure UK hopes that its annual awareness week will promote home blood pressure checks and help Brits to understand the lifestyle changes they could make to lower their risk.
With this in mind, keep reading for your look at how to keep your blood pressure under control. And how your financial wellbeing could play a part.
Understanding your blood pressure and what could affect it
High blood pressure is common among older adults, but lifestyle can also play a part.
High blood pressure is more likely if you:
- Have a family history of high blood pressure
- Have an unhealthy diet, especially if it’s high in salt
- Smoke, drink too much alcohol, or are overweight.
Ethnicity can also be a factor. You’re much more likely to suffer from high blood pressure if you have a Black African, Black Caribbean or South Asian ethnic background.
Simply put, “blood pressure” describes how strongly your blood pushes on the sides of your arteries when it is pumped around your body.
It is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) using two numbers:
- Systolic pressure is when your heart contracts and pushes blood around your body
- Diastolic pressure is when your heart relaxes, or rests, and blood is pushed around your heart.
Generally, if your blood pressure is taken by your GP or at a pharmacy, you should think of your reading within these bands:
Source: British Heart Foundation
While low blood pressure (also known as “hypotension”) is not usually a problem, it can occasionally lead to dizziness or fainting.
High blood pressure (or “hypertension”), though, can increase your risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, and vascular dementia.
For this reason, getting your blood pressure checked is really important. You can visit your local pharmacy, make an appointment with your GP or buy your own at-home monitoring kit.
3 lifestyle changes to consider
If you’re worried about potentially high blood pressure, there are several areas you might concentrate on.
1. Ensure you enjoy a healthy, balanced diet
A diet high in salt can make you more prone to high blood pressure, so generally, try to avoid salty food and don’t add salt to meals.
Try to eat a diet high in:
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Nuts
- Legumes
- Beans
- Cereals
Supplement this plant-based diet with fish, while avoiding too much red or processed meat. Healthy, unsaturated fats are also linked to good heart health.
Smoking and high alcohol consumption can be contributing factors to high blood pressure. If you smoke, make a concerted effort to give up, and if you drink, try to do so in moderation.
Also, limit your intake of drinks high in caffeine, like tea and coffee, and cola.
2. Exercise regularly to raise your heart rate
The NHS recommends at least 150 minutes of exercise a week, and there are plenty of ways you might fit this into your daily routine.
Alongside muscle-strengthening activities, you should aim to raise your heart rate by doing 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous activity every week.
Moderate exercise includes
- Riding a bike
- Dancing
- Brisk walking.
Vigorous exercises, meanwhile, might include:
- Running
- Swimming
- Cycling.
Try to fit exercise into your daily routine and find a type of exercise that you enjoy. This will make it much more likely that you stick with a new regime.
Arranging to exercise with a friend can also be helpful, as it gives you accountability, as well as adding a social aspect to your workout.
3. Avoid stress to maintain your overall wellbeing
Stress is a significant contributor to high blood pressure, so begin by identifying the things that cause you anxiety. Concentrate on managing the aspects of a situation that you can control.
You might find that mindfulness and meditation help you to take stock and provide moments of calm. If you’re at work, a simple walk around the block might help.
In other areas of your life, talking to a trusted friend or professional might be the answer.
At Globe IFA, we know that finances can be stressful, which is why we provide peace of mind through robust long-term plans and regular updates.
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