Have you been diagnosed with high blood pressure? You are not alone! More than 103 million American adults have HBP, making it one of the most common medical conditions we face.

But what exactly is high blood pressure—and what can you do to lower your risk (or lower your blood pressure)? Our team at AFC Urgent Care Greenwood would like to share some insight.

Why Does Blood Pressure Matter?

Well, all the systems of our bodies are meant to work efficiently and to work collaboratively. When one system is negatively impacted, everything works less effectively.

That’s especially true with blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force with which your blood hits your artery walls as it travels throughout the body. When it hits too hard—as is the case with high blood pressure—those artery walls can weaken and your risk of many medical conditions increases.

Risk Factors for HBP

• Not getting enough exercise
• Eating a diet high in sodium and/or low in potassium
• Smoking
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Having unmanaged stress
• Having a family history of high blood pressure
• Being overweight or obese

What Can I Do to Maintain Normal Blood Pressure?

Start with identifying the risk factors you have in the list above. Then get to work on mitigating them!

While you don’t control your family medical history, you can take active steps to change the other risk factors. Living a healthy lifestyle is the best prevention strategy.

How to Prevent High Blood Pressure

• Exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.
• Eat a diet low in sodium and saturated fat.
• Ensure you get enough potassium in your diet.
• Don’t smoke.
• Limit your alcohol consumption to one drink per day for women and two per day for men.
• Get enough quality sleep.
• Find healthy ways to manage stress.

In need of medical attention? Schedule an AFC TeleCare appointment with AFC Urgent Care Greenwood today to get the care you need from the comfort of home.