High blood pressure.
They call it the Silent Killer. It sounds like the name of a horror film, doesn’t it? The beast preying upon the protagonist in this story, however, is a serious medical issue that preys upon women. It sneaks up on them without warning. BAM! It strikes, leaving you with a myriad of health problems.
You could be living with high blood pressure. In fact, many women suffer from high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) and yet they aren’t aware. This is why medical professionals refer to high blood pressure as “The Silent Killer.”
The simple reason for that name is clear. The condition doesn’t present with signs to alert you of the increased pressure. Instead, the symptoms manifest at a later stage when there are already significant damages to your arteries and the heart.
If left unmanaged, high blood pressure can lead to more serious complications like kidney failure, stroke, or even a heart attack. It’s important to note that both genders can suffer the condition, however, research has shown that women are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease from hypertension than their male counterparts.
This is the reason behind more women’s deaths, which is often a result of an unexpected and fatal heart attack—and the silent killer (hypertension) is just one of the underlying factors of this disease. As a woman, you need to keenly listen to your body for anything that may appear abnormal from its normal functioning.
High Blood Pressure: The silent killer of women
Symptoms of High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
As earlier indicated, hypertension presents with no early signs, and so you only get to notice the symptoms at the advanced stages of the condition. Nevertheless, you still need to watch out and seek quick medical intervention as this can help manage the condition and hence reducing your vulnerability to heart attacks or even stroke.
Here are some of the symptoms to look out for:
- Abnormal heartbeat
- Nosebleeds
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Chest Pain
- Severe Headaches
The above signs are usually an indication that hypertension has existed for quite some time and hence the evident damages. In fact, you’ll accidentally come to learn about it when you visit your doctor for issues such as persistent headaches, chest pain, or any of the listed symptoms.
Note that you don’t have to wait for the symptom’s manifestation. Instead, consider keeping track of your blood pressure—which could be by going for regular blood pressure check-ups. This will help you avoid more serious future complications like stroke or heart failure.
However, remember that you can as well manage the condition or even prevent it totally by yourself. But how do you do that?
Healthy Practices to Curb High Blood Pressure
Eat a healthy diet.
Consider incorporating fruits and vegetables into your diet as they contain nutrients and vitamins which are good for maintaining your normal blood pressure as well as your heart’s health.
Reduce your salt consumption, as sodium will worsen your condition.
Consider exercising regularly.
This will help you to stay physically active. Exercise is vital for the normal functioning of your body organs. In fact, it’s an effective way to burn the extra fat in your body. Such exercises include jogging, walking, dancing, swimming as well as cycling.
Always ensure you remain consistent in your exercises as it helps to manage to steer clear of hypertension.
Maintain a healthy weight.
It’s imperative that you watch what you eat. Avoid foods high in calories. They’ll leave you battling with weight problems. Remember that excessive weight has a direct link with your blood pressure. Of course, being overweight is also bad for your overall health.
Maintain a food journal to help you track your food consumption, calories, sodium. Your weight will melt away once you become hyper-aware of your habits.
Avoid smoking.
Cigarettes contain nicotine; which is a harmful substance as it narrows your arteries plus elevates your blood pressure and increases your heart rate. This eventually makes you more prone to a stroke or a heart attack.
Limit your alcohol consumption.
Consuming too much alcohol will increase your blood pressure. Consider limiting or avoiding alcohol to control hypertension.
Manage stress.
Stress has a negative impact on your normal life, in fact, it can even keep you off your normal healthy lifestyle. This is where you stop exercising, begin to engage in unhealthy lifestyles like smoking. All of these can lead to increased blood pressure or a heart attack.
Here are 5 ways to manage stress to lower your blood pressure.
Five Stress Management Tips:
- Exercise regularly. Physical activity releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones. This aids in stress management.
- Try a yoga class. It relaxes the mind and tunes you into your body. Beginner? Try an online app from the privacy of your own home.
- Watch your favorite comedy. Laughter helps to release stress. And, you’ll wrap your mind up into the film and forget your worries.
- Hug your loved ones. A physical touch is a powerful tool. So whether you hug your spouse, dog, cat, or children, you will feel better right away.
- Talk to someone. If your stress is persistent with no sign of relief, seek professional help! A therapist can help you uncover the core of your condition and develop coping strategies.
Final Thoughts on High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is always brought about by unhealthy lifestyles, and in most cases, women tend to suffer more from this silent killer than men do. As you know, women are tasked with lots of responsibilities from being a mother, wife, daughter, mentor, to even being a professional. The overwhelming responsibilities can greatly lead to risk factors like stress.
Knowing how to manage a heart-healthy lifestyle is the first and most important step when it comes to managing your blood pressure. Observing the above measures will help you tame the scary beast of hypertension so that it can stalk you no more.
Live healthy, live long.
Today, she also serves as a content producer and sometimes editor. Her vast (and often surprising!) skillset enables her to conquer any challenges.
She loves writing about gardening, wellness, and raising healthy children. As a full-time author and parent of two children, Maureen knows a trick or two on these topics.
After gaining valuable experience in blogging and content production with the DIY Home & Garden team, Maureen branched out and started her own publication, as well. Now, she proudly publishes the website: The Perfect Parenting Place.
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