By Bob Grimson
Special to The Citizen

High blood pressure or hypertension has no physical symptoms or signs. It’s a silent disease that’s easy to overlook and affects more than 25 percent of all Americans, which means you need to have yours checked on a regular basis.

Blood pressure is the force of blood as it pushes against the sides of your arteries. It is recorded with two numbers-systolic, which measures it as the heart beats, and diastolic, which measures it as the heart relaxes between beats. The systolic number is given over the diastolic. Normal blood pressure falls below 130 systolic and 85 or 90 diastolic.

High blood pressure makes the heart work harder, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and can cause kidney and heart disease. Fortunately, high blood pressure can be controlled, usually with the help of your health care provider. There are two main ways to treat it-through medication or changes in lifestyle. You may be able to control your high blood pressure simply by exercising, watching your diet, quitting smoking or through a combination of these with medication.

In most cases, gradual changes will work to lower blood pressure-don’t try to do everything at once. Here are some simple things you can change in your lifestyle to help you get the upper hand on your high blood pressure.

• Get to your desired weight and maintain it.
• Eat a nutritious, balanced diet.
• Reduce your consumption of salt and sodium.
• Drink alcohol in moderation.
• Follow your physician’s advice about medication.

Exercise is another way to improve your blood pressure. It helps you lose weight and control your stress. Schedule some form of exercise several times a week and get a friend involved to stay motivated and reduce your urges to stop. Any exercise is better than none. If you can’t make 30 minutes, go for 10. The key is to get up and get moving.

High blood pressure affects millions of Americans and can cause serious health concerns. It can be overcome, however, with effort and dedication. The end result is up to you.

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