GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (WFRV) – If left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to serious health complications such as heart disease and stroke. But health experts say that something as simple as making healthy lifestyle changes can save lives.
“You can have things like heart failure, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure,” said Dr. Amit Gupta of Aurora BayCare Medical Center Family Medicine. “These are the most common complications of untreated high blood pressure.”
Put simply, high blood pressure is when your heart has to work harder, for various reasons, to force blood through arteries that are smaller than they should be. These include smoking, sedentary lifestyle and excessive alcohol consumption. Gupta also says that some people are at greater risk of developing high blood pressure.
“High blood pressure can happen to any age group and any race,” said Gupta. “Patients who are African American or Hispanic are at greater risk for high blood pressure.”
Gupta says the long-term health effects of high blood pressure can be fatal. But they don’t have to be if the disease is detected early enough.
“Everyone over the age of 40, regardless of race, should be checked annually.”
Health professionals like Aurora BayCare-registered nutritionist Carrie Taicher say diet and exercise play a huge role, and something that many are grappling with right now – stress.
“Yoga is an excellent way to reduce stress,” said Taicher. “Stress is something we all have to work on.”
Taicher says it doesn’t have to be a chore to incorporate more exercise into your lifestyle. Pick something you love and mix it up a little
“Even a fun activity like dancing is a great way to relieve that stress,” explains Kaicher. “Really, the best you can do is do a variety of exercises.”
Taicher recommends the DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension.
“Including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, heart-healthy fats like olive oil or avocados,” Taicher said. “Reducing your intake of things like red meat, candy, and sugary drinks and controlling that salt intake. Salt really is a big notable thing that we think of when we think of high blood pressure. “
According to Gupta, one of the best things people can do is monitor their blood pressure, keep up with preventative visits, and even schedule a virtual visit. He says with all of the extra safety precautions currently in place at Aurora BayCare, patients can feel very safe receiving the care they need.
“Patients don’t have to stand in line, {for appointments} they can check in virtually.” Gupta explained. “The waiting area is distributed appropriately, we have staggered appointments so that people are not suddenly overcrowded. Everyone who walks in is checked. ”
While lifestyle changes can be easy, it doesn’t necessarily make them easy. It takes a willingness and commitment to adopt healthier lifestyles. That’s why Aurora BayCare is here to help. To learn more, you can call Aurora BayCare at 1-866-938-0035 or email [email protected]
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