What is normal blood pressure and how can you monitor yours?

Sean O’Neill, 36, was part nervous, part excited about receiving the Sinopharm vaccine for the first time last year. However, when the nurse did a routine blood pressure check, she found that the ad executive’s levels were through the roof at 190/95. Not only was he sent back without the injection, but he was also advised to monitor his levels closely and regularly.

So while healthy eating and weight loss resolutions are all well and good, could we suggest that 2022 be the year you start taking your blood pressure seriously? Yes, even if you are healthy, relatively young, and generally fine.

Hope for? Has anyone heard of healthy blood pressure as a fitness goal? It isn’t for most, but there’s a very good reason, and bad numbers, that suggest why it should be.

According to the Ministry of Health and Prevention, about 30 percent of the UAE adult population has high blood pressure (hypertension), including residents and Emiratis. Globally, 1.28 billion adults suffer from hypertension, according to an August 2021 report from the World Health Organization.

Unfortunately, 46 percent of these people were unaware of their condition and only 42 percent were receiving treatment. These figures are based on the results of the most comprehensive global study on hypertension, which analyzes data from 184 countries covering 100 million people.

“Hypertension is a silent killer,” says Dr. Mourad Alsharkawy, a cardiologist at Ibrahim Bin Hamad Obaidullah Hospital. “Most patients don’t know they have it because they are asymptomatic. But untreated blood pressure can, over time, damage your blood vessels, heart, brain, kidneys and eyes.”

What is blood pressure?

Let’s start with the basics. Blood pressure is the measure of the pressure of the blood against the blood vessels. It consists of two readings. The top number is your systolic blood pressure, which measures the pressure against your blood vessels when your heart is actively pumping blood around your body.

The bottom number is the diastolic blood pressure, or the pressure between heartbeats. A systolic/diastolic pressure reading of around 120/80 is considered normal and desirable in the absence of extenuating health circumstances.

“High blood pressure puts a load on the heart because it is forced to pump blood against this pressure. You need more energy and more work to ensure an adequate supply of blood to the body. Over time, high blood pressure can cause hypertrophy of the heart muscles, or thickening of the heart’s walls,” explains Alsharkawy.

“It can damage blood vessels and cause them to lose their elasticity, reducing blood flow to vital organs like the heart, brain, and kidneys, leading to strokes, failures, hemorrhages, and many other life-threatening problems. ”.

Ways to maintain healthy blood pressure

Fortunately, there is light at the end of what looks like a dark tunnel. More than one light, in fact. Surprisingly simple lifestyle interventions can go a long way toward maintaining healthy blood pressure and heart health.

Diet and nutrition play a key role. Most of us tend to instantly think of salt and sodium in relation to blood pressure when it comes to diet. Our kidneys have the task of filtering our blood and maintaining its water balance. Eating too much sodium can cause the body to retain more water, making it harder for the kidney to get rid of it.

This increases the amount of fluid around the cells and blood in our stream. Which means that the heart now has to work harder to ensure the flow of blood throughout the body. Over time, this increased pressure can cause the vessels to thicken, leading to hypertension.

“Reducing sodium intake is important, but it goes hand in hand with all cardiovascular indicators such as lipid profile and blood glucose levels. When people say their blood cholesterol is high but their blood pressure is fine, they too often live in denial,” says Stephanie Karl, clinical nutritionist at Up and Running Sports Medicine Center.

“The goal of a heart-healthy diet is to reduce salt so there is less pressure on the heart to improve arterial fluidity or flexibility so blood can flow smoothly. And we need to start including foods that enhance nitric oxide.”

This is an important variable in the blood pressure equation. Nitric oxide acts as a natural vasodilator, dilating blood vessels so blood can flow through them more easily. “Foods rich in l-arginine, an amino acid, help improve nitric oxide levels in the body. Also vegetables like beets and dark green leafy vegetables are rich in nitrates, which are converted into nitric oxide in the body,” says Karl.

Then comes the exercise.

There is much literature and research on the importance of exercise in blood pressure regulation, especially preventively. A session of vigorous exercise is directly related to a reduction in blood pressure in the following hours, and the benefits are even greater for physically active people who were not yet taking medication. However, “it’s important to listen to your body and your brain,” says Deanne Panday, celebrity fitness trainer and author of Balance Y I am not Stressed.

“Being fit and physically active can eliminate many problems, including blood pressure, and can help you avoid a situation where you need a battery of pills to get things going. But the type of exercise you need changes depending on your stage of life and your mental condition.

“Is your blood pressure caused by extreme levels of stress at work? Is it due to poor nutrition? Is it a hereditary problem, exacerbated by a sedentary lifestyle? One person may need intense structured cardio, while another may need a digital detox and long walks in the woods more than anything else.”

Mental health and blood pressure have a chicken-and-egg relationship, according to clinical psychologist Mina Shafik of the Thrive Wellbeing Centre. “Mental health issues like anxiety can affect blood pressure, but high blood pressure can also make people feel anxious, angry, volatile and nervous. They will be easily activated and react. While low blood pressure is linked to depression, especially in elderly patients,” he says.

“Your physical symptoms will affect your emotions and your psychological state will manifest physically. Therefore, it is important to know your emotional triggers and to work with an expert who can help you devise strategies so that your mental and physical responses to situations are measured and do not cause you harm.”

Lifestyle tips to control blood pressure

medical advice

• Get your blood pressure checked every three months, even if you’re in good shape, every month if you’re over 50, and every week if you have comorbidities like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
• Quit smoking and drastically reduce alcohol consumption.
• He sleeps eight hours a day.
• Do not walk away from treatment. If you’ve been diagnosed and your doctor is recommending a treatment plan, don’t self-medicate with herbs and assume lifestyle changes will “take care of it.” Follow a sustainable path and keep your doctor informed.

Dr. Mourad Alsharkawy, cardiologist

fitness regimen

• Maintain a healthy body weight.
• Do different things: cardio and HIIT on some days, light yoga and a simple walk on others.
• Give your body a break by resting and doing nothing from time to time.
• Try to get 30 to 40 minutes of physical activity four or five times a week, as this can release endorphins, help you de-stress, and lower your blood pressure.

Deanne Panday, Fitness Trainer

nutrition plan

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, especially green leafy ones.
• Follow a low-carb diet if you’re vulnerable to high blood pressure, as fewer carbs means better blood glucose levels, which means a lower arterial load.
• Follow a low-fat, high-protein diet if your lipid profile needs correction.
• Reduce your sodium intake to less than five grams of salt in a day, which means drastically cutting back on processed foods.

Stephanie Karl, Clinical Nutritionist

mental health checklist

• To meditate. It will help you calm down and ground you, especially when it comes to high blood pressure.
• Practice deep breathing by inhaling for four seconds, holding for another four, and exhaling for the last four, but you need to do this for at least five minutes every day for it to have a positive impact on your blood pressure.

Mina Shafik, clinical psychologist

Updated: January 21, 2022, 6:36 am