You May Have Hypertension and Not Even Know It

Urgent Care Blog

You often hear people talk about high blood pressure, but you may be unfamiliar with the term hypertension. They are exactly the same thing, but it’s often referred to simply as high blood pressure. Regardless of what you call it, this serious health condition is one of the leading causes of heart disease around the world. In fact, the World Health Organization has warned that high blood pressure is estimated to cause close to 7.5 million deaths, which equates to 12.8% of all fatalities across the globe. As you can see, hypertension is something you can’t afford to ignore.

While these statistics are frightening, it’s even scarier to realize that you may have it and never experience any symptoms. If you are one of the millions who endures major stress, eats an unhealthy diet, and doesn’t engage in regular activity, you may be at risk for developing high blood pressure, but you can protect yourself with a hypertension diet. To help you protect yourself from the dangers of hypertension, MD Now Urgent Care has provided important information below on the causes of hypertension and how to reduce blood pressure by simply following The DASH diet for hypertension and engaging in regular physical activity. And if you want to find out if you have high blood pressure, visit your nearest MD Now location at your convenience for a fast and easy, free screening.

The Causes of High Blood Pressure

Hypertension may be one of the most common health conditions today, but its causes are clear and the condition can be prevented. A healthy blood pressure level for adults is 120/80 mmHg. High blood pressure occurs when blood is constantly pumped through the blood with extreme force, which leads your blood pressure to exceed this healthy level. Hypertension is under-diagnosed because some of the earliest symptoms are practically undetectable. But medical experts say that the most common causes of high blood pressure include:

  • Obesity
  • High salt intake
  • Insufficient physical activity
  • Smoking
  • Excessive drinking
  • Stress
  • Lack of proper sleep
  • Sleep apnea
  • Family history of high blood pressure
  • Age

The Symptoms of Hypertension

It can be so difficult to spot symptoms of high blood pressure that The American Heart Association refers to hypertension as a “silent killer.” You may even have high blood pressure right now and have no idea because you haven’t experienced any major symptoms. The only way to be certain is by having your blood pressure monitored on a regular basis at your local MD Now center or by your primary care physician.

The Recommended Diet for Hypertension

Many people assume that the only thing that affects their blood pressure is the amount of stress in their daily lives. While stress is certainly a major factor in your blood pressure level, it is not the only one. Hypertension is also directly associated with how often you exercise and engage in physical activity, but perhaps the largest factor is your daily diet. While stress may be beyond your control and you may find it difficult to exercise on a regular basis, the easiest factor to control is the foods you eat each day. Simply choosing foods to lower blood pressure and engaging in as much physical activity as possible can help to maintain normal blood pressure levels and avoid facing the life-threatening risks of hypertension.

If you’re like most people, you may have no idea how to lower blood pressure naturally through your diet or what the best kinds of food for high blood pressure are. But luckily, it’s easy to maintain a hypertension diet, as long as you know the following general blood pressure diet guidelines.

Perhaps most importantly when following a high blood pressure diet, you will need to focus on reducing your daily salt intake. Some foods you will need to limit include canned foods, pickles, and condiments that are very high in salt. Medical experts advise the following recommendations:

  • Consume less than 2400 mg of sodium every day.
  • Curb your fat intake, particularly the amount of saturated fats and trans fats.
  • Have your cholesterol levels checked on a regular basis.
  • Eat plenty of foods that are high in potassium, calcium, and magnesium because these minerals are natural remedies for high blood pressure.
  • Avoid an excess of alcoholic beverages.

MD Now Is Your Source for the Highest-Quality Care

Discover the caring, convenient, and cost-efficient treatment that can always be found at MD Now. All of our locations operate on a walk-in, no-appointment basis with hours to conveniently suit your schedule. With 26 locations throughout Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties, quality care is always within your reach. For the Florida locations nearest you, visit https://www.mymdnow.com/locations.

To learn more about our urgent care centers, visit www.MDNow.com.

MD Now® Urgent Care Walk-In Medical Centers is the leading provider of fast and affordable urgent care to adults and children in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties. Our state-of-the-art, walk-in medical centers are open seven days a week to deliver an affordable and convenient alternative to long emergency room wait times and the limited hours of family physicians. No appointment is necessary and major insurance plans are accepted. In addition to providing a comprehensive range of urgent care services to treat a variety of illnesses and injuries, our multiple locations offer digital x-rays, EKG, lab testing, physicals, immunizations, vaccines, occupational medicine, travel medicine and selected primary care services. Find the medical care you need with the convenience you want at MD Now. Online: www.MDNow.com.

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