Hypertension aka High Blood Pressure (HBP) puts strain on the heart – think of it as “hyper = excessive” “tension = Stretch/strain”. When there is excessive strain on the arteries and the heart it can lead to stroke, aneurysm, peripheral artery disease and is a cause of kidney disease.

Some signs and symptoms of hypertension are headaches, dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus (ringing or hissing in the ears), changed vision issues, fainting, fatigue, chest pain, difficulty breathing, blood in urine and pounding or pressure in the ears, neck and/or chest.

Regular check-ups and getting a baseline of your blood screenings are important and necessary in improving your heart-health as well as overall health. Even if your numbers are in the safe zone it’s important to be sure your diet is clean and healthy; if your numbers are closer to or already in the danger zone, it’s necessary to make changes in your diet and lifestyle choices.

Dietary and lifestyle changes can greatly improve blood pressure control and decrease the risk of complications. A few steps you can begin with include:
Eliminating fried foods, fast foods, sugary treats and sweets, lower salt intake and salty foods,
Reducing the consumption of full-fat dairy, fatty and processed meats
Increasing lean vegetable proteins such as beans, seeds, nuts and olive and flax seed oils,
Increasing fruit, berries and vegetable intake
Switching to leaner animal proteins such as chicken, fish and eggs

You don’t have to figure it out alone. Talk to your doctor about the best route for you, a healthy diet and you can seek guidance from a health coach. You can feel great at any age when you take steps to better health! Even if your blood pressure is at a normal range but you want to get a better understanding of how to stay healthy as you age, let’s talk!