Baton Rouge, LA (NBC 33/Fox 44)
Health experts have long referred to hypertension, better known as high blood pressure, as a silent killer. That’s because if left unchecked or untreated, it can lead to damage to the blood vessels, the heart and other organs, which can increase a person’s risk of heart attack or stroke.
So, knowing your numbers is vital. And if you have high blood pressure, there are several lifestyle changes you can make on your own to lower it:
1) Changing your diet-Experts recommend a lower salt diet for those with high blood pressure. And a heart healthy diet, made up of fruits, vegetables, good fats, and healthy proteins, can help as well.
2) Weight loss-Doctors say if you’re overweight, it’s important to strive to get to a healthy weight, which brings us to…
3) Exercise-Experts recommend 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week.
4) Quit Smoking- Doctors say smoking raises your blood pressure and can cause inflammation. And can, over time make your arteries more calcified, or hardened.
The Cardiovascular Institute of the South has a comprehensive Smoking Cessation Program. To find out more about what it entails click here.
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