National Family Health Survey, India has declared that 1 in 8 people in the country is suffering from hypertension. Considering India’s current population at 1,405,013,751, this translates into a massive number of people.

Hypertension is considered a silent killer. Initially, there are very mild side effects that one might dismiss as one-off incidence. However, by the time the seriousness comes forth, usually one has already lived with high blood pressure for some time. Then it becomes a cause of concern; regular check-ups, routine testing, and dependence on medicine become a way of life.

The BP check machine becomes very important once diagnosed with hypertension. Doctors suggest keeping a BP machine at home to monitor the blood pressure. It helps predict your blood pressure and also the doctor to understand if the medicine has the desired effect. Otherwise, they can adjust the dosage, and also this can also alert you to sudden changes, which may lead to other severe consequences.

BP Measuring Machine
BP Measuring Machine

You can adopt some lifestyle and dietary changes to manage your blood pressure better. Let us look at the top 5 things to do, to manage your hypertension:

  1. Keep your weight in check: Most often, increased body weight is the reason for having blood pressure issues. If you make an effort and reduce your weight, pressure will also follow a downward graph. For an obese person, even beginning to lose a little weight helps keep the blood pressure in control. Therefore, start moving your muscles, do some exercise, and reduce any extra weight you have.
  2. Keep your diet in check: Food plays an important part in maintaining your blood pressure levels. Junk food that is high in sodium is a big pressure booster. Instead, one should indulge in low-fat dairy, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables. It usually helps to keep a food journal to track what you are eating and make changes accordingly.
  3. Keep your stress in check: Stress affects us negatively this is a well-known fact. Blood pressure is no exception to this fact. Therefore, if you are in a stressful environment, consider making some changes in life so that the stressing factor is eliminated. Try meditation, spend time with loved ones, or do other relaxing activities to bring down your stress levels. 
  4. Keep your nicotine intake in check: One smoke increases your pressure for several minutes after you have it. If you are addicted to it you may have elevated pressure for several minutes during the day. Quitting smoking is required for a healthy heart and lower blood pressure. So if you are a patient with hypertension, think before you light the next cigarette. 
  5. Keep monitoring to keep BP in check: Get a BP measuring machine and use it to regularly monitor your blood pressure. These BP check machines are widely available and can be purchased without a prescription. Talk to your physician about how often you should be taking a reading and follow the instructions. Keep a note of the pressure at each reading to understand its movement or trend.

Omron has the best-in-class BP measuring machines that you can purchase directly from their website. Omron digital BP machines are clinically approved and are considered to give the most accurate readings.