High blood pressure affects one in every three Americans, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While genetics do play a part, there are also several behaviors that we engage in that affects our blood pressure.
Hammonton Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing would like to bring all of these factors to your attention.
- Family History
The CDC believes genetic factors do play a role when it comes to passing down traits that produce high blood pressure and related conditions like heart disease. However, people with a family history of high blood pressure may also share certain unhealthy lifestyle choices.
- Age
Your blood pressure rises as you age, so the risk of hypertension also increases as you get older.
- Race/Ethnicity
Black people tend to develop high blood pressure more frequently (and earlier in life) than any other ethnic group, including whites, Hispanics, and Asians.
- Unhealthy Diet
Obesity is listed as a risk factor for high blood pressure, but that’s usually a result of two things. The first is an unhealthy diet. A diet high in sodium and low in potassium is a recipe for high blood pressure. You can find potassium in bananas, potatoes, beans, and yogurt. If you’re looking to cut back on sodium, start with eating less processed and restaurant foods.
- Lack of Exercise
Physical inactivity is another factor that results in obesity. Excess weight forces your body to work harder to pump blood from the heart, which increases blood pressure.
- Alcohol and Tobacco Use
Regularly consuming too much alcohol can result in high blood pressure. That’s recommended as one drink a day for women and two for men. Tobacco use can damage the heart and blood vessels, along with reducing the amount of oxygen that your blood can carry.
