This year has been a whirlwind of events for me. There have been some great moments and some tough times. One of the things I would like to highlight is the threat of high blood pressure. I never would have thought I would deal with something like this, but this year I had a serious health scare with my blood pressure. That in mind, I wanted to highlight the warning signs, causes, and some things you can do to avoid the same diagnosis and side effects I dealt with!

High blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension, is a common condition that many people suffer with, as you get older it is more and more common. Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing on the walls of your arteries. When your blood pressure is high it forces your arteries to work harder; this causes your heart to work harder and can cause damage to your arteries. After a while, if untreated, it is likely you will develop stroke, heart disease, and even kidney disease. It is a very serious condition. This ailment, unfortunately, doesn’t always have symptoms to easily identify it without seeing a doctor. This makes it even more alarming and something not to take lightly.

When you take your blood pressure, a normal reading is less than 120 over 80 (120/80). The top number is the systolic reading which shows the pressure when your heart beats, and the bottom number, diastolic, shows the pressure between beats when your heart rests.

When the top number is higher than 120 it can be an indication that you are more prone to heart disease. If your systolic pressure is over 180 or your diastolic pressure is above over 120, you may be in hypertensive crisis, this can lead to a stroke, heart attack, or kidney damage. At that point it is an emergency, if you retake it and it remains high, call 911. Symptoms include a severe headache, anxiety, and nosebleeds. You might feel short of breath or pass out.

If you experience kidney or adrenal gland disease you may be more prone to get high blood pressure. A few more causes include salt consumption, stress, poor diet, alcohol consumption, and smoking. The good news is, though high blood pressure can be genetic, you can control your blood pressure with things like diet, cutting out fatty foods and extra sugars, while adding fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and fiber. This will lead to weight loss and can make a difference in blood pressure. Be aware that some medications may also bring on high blood pressure as well.

Some dietary changes you should make to decrease your risks of high blood pressure include the addition of fruits, vegetables, whole-grain foods, low-fat dairy, fish, poultry, and nuts. Steer clear of red meat, saturated fats, and sweets. Also, cut back your sodium intake.

Other ways to reduce blood pressure are through self-care. Exercise is a great way to reduce blood pressure, as well as other self-care options, yoga, meditation, massage, facials, even taking a walk outside, reading a book, etc. These are all ways to reduce stress and care for yourself. This can be a life altering condition that can even lead to death and I just want to remind you, that your life matters, take care of yourself now so you won’t have regrets later. Don’t put off your own self-care!