What is high blood pressure?

Your blood pressure can be increased and that is not good. So far the story is clear. But what does blood actually mean and what is the difference between lower and upper pressure?

By blood pressure we mean the pressure that comes on the walls of blood vessels every time the heart contracts. The heart pumps 60 to 80 times per minute. Here blood is pumped through arteries and veins. For example, nutrients and oxygen are transported through the body and waste products are removed.

Press on vessel walls

The upper pressure or systolic pressure is the pressure on the vessel walls when a lot of blood flows through the veins. So when the heart contracts or strikes. When the heart then relaxes, the pressure on the vessel walls decreases. This is called the negative pressure or diastolic pressure. We note this pressure in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).

Hypertension

What is normal blood pressure? For a healthy person, a blood pressure of 120 over 80 (120/80) is optimal. This is an upper pressure of 120 mmHg and a negative pressure of 80 mmHg. The limit values ​​increase slightly as you get older. For example, an over-80s may have an upper pressure of 150-160.

Blood pressure is not always as high. In some activities your body requires more nutrients and oxygen. The blood pressure can then temporarily be higher. For example in sports, stress or fright. This does not mean that you have high blood pressure.

When your resting blood pressure is higher or equal to 140 above 90, you suffer from hypertension or high blood pressure. In this case, there is a constant pressure on the vessel walls and your heart needs more effort to pump blood around. This is not a healthy situation for your heart and vessels.

Lifestyle

In some people, high blood pressure is more common. Older people are more likely to suffer from it. It can also be in the family and in black people it is more common.

An unhealthy lifestyle, for example too much salt, alcohol, smoking and too little potassium and exercise, can increase the risk. A healthy lifestyle can therefore help to prevent high blood pressure.

How do you know if you have high blood pressure? You cannot control this yourself, because you do not notice anything. The doctor can measure your blood pressure, prescribe medication and give you advice to adjust your lifestyle.

Decrease your blood pressure yourself

High blood pressure is not good for your heart and blood vessels. Sometimes medicines are necessary, but often you can also do something about it by adjusting your lifestyle.

There is not one specific cause for high blood pressure. It is often a combination of heredity and lifestyle. Adjustments in your daily habits can thus help to lower blood pressure.

Lose weight and exercise

Overweight is the cause of one in five people with high blood pressure. According to government agency RIVM, weight loss of one kilo already leads to a decrease of the top pressure of 1.6 mmHg and a decrease of 1.3 mmHg to the under pressure.

Sufficient exercise can also help lower blood pressure. This does not mean that you immediately have to go to the gym. More often a block around and shopping on the bike can make a lot of difference.

According to the Exercise Standard, we should move for 30 minutes five days a week. Those accustomed to this can increase the movement a bit and occasionally make some more effort on, for example, the tennis court or in the swimming pool.

Less alcohol

Moderate drinking can have benefits, but if you consume more than three alcoholic drinks per day, you increase your blood pressure and the risk of a heart attack. So look critically at what you drink exactly per day and make sure it stays within limits.

Quit smoking

Smoking causes an increase in blood pressure and a less flexible blood wall. Stopping smoking is always good for your health, but if you suffer from high blood pressure, you still have an extra reason. There are countless methods to stop. Choose a method that suits you well.

Less salt

Salt has good qualities and is indispensable for your body. But too much salt leads to too much sodium in the body. Unfortunately, our diet often contains too much salt.

The average salt intake in the Netherlands is around 10 to 12 grams. According to the Health Council, a salt intake of 6 grams (about 1 teaspoon) per day is the maximum.

Now that seems easy to turn back, just sprinkle less salt. But unfortunately three-quarters of the salt that you get in comes straight from bread, soup, sauces, ready-made meals, and liquor ice and meat products. Choose more often for low-salt products and leave the salt shaker in the cupboard. A little less salt can already provide a lot of health benefits.

More potassium

Make sure you get enough potassium. Potassium is a substance found in many foods and helps your body to excrete excess sodium. This way it restores the natural balance in the body. Potassium is in different vegetables, fruit and dairy products.