May is National Blood Pressure Month Education Month. Did you know that having high blood pressure puts you at a higher risk of developing heart disease? Heart disease is more common than you might think. Eight million Americans live with high blood pressure (also called hypertension); 70 million Americans are living with pre-hypertension, meaning that their blood pressure is higher than is considered healthy, but not to the point that they can be diagnosed with hypertension-yet. While the chances of developing high blood pressure increase with age, high blood pressure is NOT a normal part of aging. Today on the blog we’ll explore risk factors for high blood pressure, what we can do to prevent developing high blood pressure, and steps you can take to live a healthy life with high blood pressure.
Risk Factors
- Smoking
- Being overweight
- Eating a diet high in fat and salt
- Eating a diet low in fruits and vegetables
- Being sedentary/not being active
- Drinking in excess
- Age (men are more likely to develop high blood pressure before age 55, but women are more likely to develop high blood pressure after menopause).
- Race (African Americans are more likely to develop high blood pressure than their Caucasian peers)
- Family history
Preventing High Blood Pressure
- Don’t smoke, or stop smoking
- Exercise and maintain a healthy weight
- Watch your diet- minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium can help regulate blood pressure. These are all found in healthy foods such as milk, yogurt, fruits and vegetables, and dried beans.
- Watch your sodium intake
- Cut down on alcohol
- Manage your stress
Staying Healthy with High Blood Pressure
- Test your blood pressure regularly (here’s a simple blood pressure log via the CDC).
- See if your insurance will cover an at-home blood pressure monitor or cuff. You can find at-home monitors for around $20 at pharmacies like Walgreen’s or CVS.
- Take any medication you’re prescribed as directed.
- Need help remembering your medication? According to Hopkins Medicine, 50% of people prescribed medication for high blood pressure do not take their medication.
- You can purchase a daily pill dispenser at your local pharmacy or Target/Meijer for around $10.
- See if you need a special pill bottle that beeps or counts down to your next dose.
- Try setting an alarm on your phone.
- Low tech options such as leaving notes by your door or fridge also work.
- Click here to view our blog post with tips for taking your medication as prescribed.
Tips for Caregivers
- Create and stick to a medication schedule for your loved one.
- Talk with your loved one about how you can help them remember their medication.
- Make getting healthy a game or challenge- your loved one will be more likely to stick to healthy habits if you make the changes with them.
- Cheer on and support your loved one when they make healthy changes.
- Talk with your loved one if they’re having difficulty sticking to healthy habits.
