Statistics show that more than 1 billion people from all around the world are trying to live normally despite having high blood pressure. Given this rate, experts are now becoming more concerned about how people are getting more at risks of this illness and how they can help manage their health situation.
The American Heart Association recently released a list of habits that can directly affect the blood pressure of a person. Learning about these habits and be able to minimize doing these things can be a huge help in fighting against this health condition.
OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICINES
Over-the-counter medications are easy to purchase. This is the main reason why people can take hold of these medicines frequently. Unfortunately, most of these people don't know that some of these drugs can increase blood pressure.
These medications include decongestants and NSAIDs medicines such as ibuprofen and naproxen. Experts' advice is to limit the usage of these medications or, if possible, avoid them completely as they can be risky especially to people who have uncontrolled blood pressure.
ALCOHOL AND OTHER BEVERAGES
Dr. Satjit Bhusri, attending Cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said, "Green tea extract and other caffeine-related products, such as matcha, all increase the adrenaline surge in a patient." Since these beverages can give someone a boost, Bhusri added how it could also "elevate blood pressures into dangerous categories."
Given this reason, it is crucial for people to remember the recommended daily consumption of these beverages to control blood pressure. Experts say that caffeine shouldn't be more than 300 milligrams a day. Alcohol, on the other hand, must only be limited to one drink for women and two drinks for men.
HERBS
Herbs are known as "natural" supplements. But experts say not all herbs can be beneficial to the body especially if you are suffering from health issues.
Taking herbs such as arnica, bitter orange, ginkgo, ephedra, ginseng, licorice, and guarana can be very risky and can pose negative effect especially if you are taking medications for your blood pressure, as reported by Mayo Clinic. Remember to avoid any of these for your safety.
Bhusri reminds people not to take hypertension lightly since it "is also known as the silent killer." Experiencing signs of high blood pressure? Better to visit your doctor right away. Some of these symptoms include fatigue, vision problems, irregular heartbeat, severe headache, difficulty breathing, and chest pain.
