I randomly checked my blood pressure last night at walmart and it was 145/75. According to the chart, 120 and bellow is normal and I have hypertension?I'm a 21 year old male. I have about 10% body fat, don't smoke or drink(even coffee), eat ok(usually good home cooked meals). But since I work full time and go to school full time, I haven't gone to the gym in a few months and actually haven't done regular cardio besides sex in about two year(i used to run a few miles a day).
So that's one thing I know I can change. I'll start running again.
Another is stress. I don't get along with my dad, and when he visits, I always argue and fight with him. Earlier that day he was pissing me off and then later I was stuck in bad traffic. I don't drive in traffic usually because I'm one of those people that can't handle it well and yell at cars and stuff. So it's safe to say that I got a pretty good share of stress that day.
I'll try to handle stress better but I've never been good at that.
What else can I do to help lower my blood pressure? Is 145 really bad?
Pooky™ - Did you wait a few minutes before it was taken? Most patients when they use the self-service BP machine at a local pharmacy, they walk around for a bit - then sit down and started the measurement right away.
ReplyDeleteYou should wait for a while, at least five minutes, then take it - it will be more accurate.
By the way, if your arm is very large (i.e. from lifting), the BP cuff will be too 'small' for your arm, and the reading will be too high. I don't think that is your case.
One high BP does not mean anything. You have to take it a few times (at rest), until a doctor would even consider that you have hypertension (high blood BP).
Try to resume some cardio excercise when you can. Just a few minutes a day (enough to sweat for a while), is indeed good for you.
Sky - Naw man, that ain't bad. You aren't fat, you don't smoke, you eat ok, your blood pressure is probably just naturally a bit higher. But it could very likely be stress, try relaxation techniques like breathing and maybe even yoga.
ReplyDeleteStephen - You shouldn't trust the automatic machine at Walmart, there is too much user error for it to be a reliable source. Have it checked professionally (cuff and stethoscope by a medical professional). As for the numbers, 140/80 is what you should stay under.
ReplyDeletehasse_john - There are many things that naturally make your blood thinner, so it can circulate better at a lower pressure. Garlic, Gingko, Natto. And L-Arginine helps relax your blood vessels. Get more "B" vitamins. Don't take drugs. they change the numbers, but don't give you health.
ReplyDeleteThe First Dragon - Notice that the lower number is only 75. That is very good, and it is more important than the upper number, which is only a little high.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing you have to consider is that your blood pressure goes up and down all day, depending on what is happening and what you are doing. When you exercise, it goes up temporarily, in order to help furnish enough blood to your muscles. This is normal and healthy. When you sleep or rest, it tends to go down. It also goes up temporarily when you are nervous, angry, or upset. This is normal too.
To get a standard blood pressure, you are supposed to be in a relaxed state of mind, not in a hurry, and you should not have done anything vigorous in the last few minutes.
You would need to take your blood pressure again, another day, and see what it is then.
gangadharan nair - Don't use blood pressure gauges in supermarkets or pharmacies; they're rarely well maintained. Go to the doctor's office and check your blood pressure. Blood pressure up to 140-159/90-99 mmHg is mild. You have to take blood pressure on several occasions.
ReplyDeleteIf the BP reading is correct, you have got stage 1 hypertension (Isolated systolic hypertension). Isolated systolic hypertension is defined as a systolic pressure that is above 140 mm Hg with a diastolic pressure that still is below 90.
Your blood pressure reading is 145/75 mmHg. Pulse pressure is 145--75 = 70 mmHg. Optimum pulse pressure is 40 mmHg.
Control your high blood pressure by diet and exercise.
Adopt DASH diet (Mediterranean diet). Eat a low-cholesterol, low-fat diet, which includes cottage cheese, fat-free milk, fish, vegetables, poultry, and egg whites. Use monounsaturated oils such as olive, peanut, and canola oils or polyunsaturated oils such as corn, safflower, soy, sunflower, cottonseed, and soybean oils. Avoid foods with excess fat in them such as meat (especially liver and fatty meat), egg yolks, whole milk, cream, butter, shortening, pastries, cakes, cookies, gravy, peanut butter, chocolate, olives, potato chips, coconut, cheese (other than cottage cheese), coconut oil, palm oil, and fried foods.
roger - 140 over 90 is the outer limit set by the WHO for normal blood pressure. Yours is a bit over that but not much. Your resting heart rate is excellent. But you need to average out your readings as your bp will change from one moment to the next.
ReplyDeleteDr Frank - Single blood pressure readings don't mean very much. Mildly elevated systolic pressures such as yours should however send you to see your physician for monitoring. In an ideal world the definitive way to do this is by using a 24 hour BP monitor.
ReplyDeleteIn a non diabetic treatment level is >160/90 after adequate monitoring.