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Unity NTUC Healthcare’s “Your Heart – Take Charge” program was launched in May 2004 to help hypertensive patients better understand and manage their blood pressure. In this program, pharmacists at selected patient care centres set regular appointments with you to help monitor your blood pressure and discuss your personal health goals. A host of fun and informative events such as nature walks, hawker centre food trail, health talks and much more are also lined up to assist you in adopting a healthier lifestyle. In addition, our pharmacists hope to offer you the emotional or morale boost through this program and become “your friend in healthcare”.
What is hypertension?
Hypertension, a medical term for high blood pressure, is dangerous because uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure or kidney failure.
How do you tell if you have hypertension?
Hypertension often has no signs or symptoms. Many people have high blood pressure for years without knowing it. You can however find out if you have high blood pressure by having your blood pressure checked regularly. Blood pressure test shows two numbers: systolic and diastolic pressure. Both numbers are important, but for people who are age 50 and older, systolic pressure (the top reading) gives the most accurate diagnosis of high blood pressure.
A consistent blood pressure level of 140/90 mmHg or higher may indicate that you are having high blood pressure. If your blood pressure is between 120/80 mmHg and 139/89 mmHg, then you have prehypertension, suggesting that you are at risk of developing hypertension in future unless you adopt healthy lifestyle changes. Following a healthy lifestyle is an important strategy to prevent and control high blood pressure.
What are these lifestyle changes you need to make?
1. Maintain a healthy weight
Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. Losing 10kg can help reduce your blood pressure by 5 to 20 mmHg. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference are the two measures to tell if you are overweight or obese. There is no magic formula for weight loss. Eat healthier, exercise and change self-defeating behaviours, such as late-night snacking on junk food.
2. Be physically active
Regular exercise is a central part of an overall strategy to control blood pressure. It doesn't take a lot of effort to become physically active. All you need is 30 minutes of moderate-level physical activity on most days of the week. Examples of such activities are brisk walking, stair walking and bicycling. If you already engage in 30 minutes of moderate-level physical activity a day, you can get added benefits by exercising for a longer period each day or engaging in a more vigorous activity. However, do check with your doctor if you have any exercise restrictions before you embark on any exercise program. Trying to squeeze in all your exercise on the weekends to make up for weekday inactivity is not a good strategy. If you have uncontrolled hypertension or heart problems, those sudden bursts of activity could actually do more harm than good.
3. Eat a healthy diet
A key research study called Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) showed that an eating plan that is rich in grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat diary products and skimping on fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, can reduce your blood pressure by up to 14 mmHg. DASH diet is rich in fiber, and eating more of them may temporarily cause bloating and diarrhea. To get used to DASH diet, gradually increase your servings of fruits, vegetables, and grains. If you are trying to lose weight, you can still use DASH diet but follow it at a lower calorie level.
4. Reduce sodium intake
An important part of healthy eating is choosing foods that are low in sodium. Just 1 level teaspoon of salt has 2300mg of sodium. Most healthy adults need only 1500 to 2400mg of sodium a day. But you may be more sensitive to sodium and its ability to raise blood pressure if you have hypertension, are older than 50, or have chronic conditions such as kidney diseases or diabetes. Hence, aim for less than 1500 mg of sodium a day. Reducing your sodium intake may reduce your blood pressure by 2-8mmHg. Some tips on reducing sodium consumption:
- Use herbs or spices instead of salt to add more flavor to your foods
- Read food labels to look at the sodium content before you buy
- Eat fewer processed food as they have high sodium content eg. Potato chips, frozen dinners, luncheon meat and etc.
- Eat more fresh foods eg. Fruits, vegetables and unprocessed grains
5. Limit alcohol consumption
In addition to raising blood pressure, too much alcohol can add unneeded calories to your diet. It can also harm the liver, brain and heart. If you drink alcoholic beverages, drink only a moderate amount: one drink* a day for women, two drinks* a day for men. It may reduce your blood pressure by 2.5 to 4 mmHg.
*A drink = 12 oz of beer (regular or light, 150 calories), or 5 oz of wine (100 calories, or 1.5 oz of 80-proof whiskey (100 calories)
If you are a heavy drinker, taper off slowly over one to two weeks because sudden elimination of alcohol can trigger severe hypertension for several days. Binge drinking can also cause large and sudden increases in blood pressure, in addition to other health problems.
6. Others
The combination of hypertension and tobacco use increases risk of heart attack or stroke. Once you stop smoking, your blood pressure may drop by a few points and it also reduces your risk of lung cancer. Limit caffeine consumption and reduce your stess levels may also give additional benefits in controlling your blood pressure although their influence on blood pressure is debatable.
Our friendly pharmacists have much more to share with you on high blood pressure and tips on how to achieve the above healthy lifestyle modifications. Join our program to meet people who share similar interests or concerns as you and be inspired. Join in the action! It's never too late to start taking care of your heart. Remember: Your Heart – Take Charge!
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