Do you feel the pressure?
Have you ever joked about stress pushing your blood pressure through the roof? You’re not wrong. We live at a hectic pace and stress at work or at home releases hormones that make your blood pressure spike.
It’s not clear if high blood pressure in the short term leads to hypertension but we do know that stress can lead to bad habits like poor diet, excessive alcohol use and smoking, which can increase your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. High blood pressure is a leading cause of heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and premature death.
Know your measurements
Did you know that about 13 million adult South Africans have hypertension? Only about 13% of South Africans who have the condition know they have it. To avoid becoming part of the unlucky statistic, the Heart and Stroke Foundation recommends these tips for managing or preventing high blood pressure:
Seven tips for you
- Eat a healthy diet with limited salt, plenty of fruit and vegetables, and some dairy products
- Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day
- Stop smoking
- Manage your stress better
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Cook with less salt and look for Heart Mark products
- Keep on testing regularly so your blood pressure never catches you by surprise!
Bankmed pays for your blood pressure test from your Wellness & Preventative Care Benefit. If you have all the other tests done at the same time, it saves you money and helps you understand your health better. You don’t have to face the dreaded needle for a blood pressure measurement. You just have to wear an unfashionable inflatable armband for a few minutes, that’s it!
If your blood pressure is higher than 140/90 mm Hg, you may have hypertension. Since hypertension is a Prescribed Minimum Benefit (PMB) condition, you have cover on any Bankmed Plan once you are registered for hypertension on the Chronic Illness Benefit. Medication is only one part of the solution. Follow a healthy diet and do regular exercise to lower your blood pressure and any associated risks.
References
American Heart Association. Manage stress to control high blood pressure accessed 25 April 2017
South African Hypertension Society. General information about hypertension accessed 25 April 2017
The Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa. May measurement month accessed 25 April 2017
WebMD. Stress and high blood pressure: What's the connection? accessed 25 April 2017