High Blood Pressure Risk Factors That You Can Control
- Overweight: A larger body requires more blood, which puts more pressure on the blood vessels.
- Sedentary lifestyle: Lack of activity causes the heart to work harder to pump blood, increasing blood pressure.
- Tobacco : Smoking causes the arteries to narrow, increasing blood pressure.
- Excess sodium salt intake: A diet with too much sodium can lead to fluid retention, increasing blood volume
- Low potassium intake: Potassium balances sodium; without adequate potassium intake, sodium levels increase.
- Excess alcohol use: Too much alcohol over time can damage the heart, making it pump harder to work effectively.
- Stress: High levels of stress increase heart rate, which causes blood to be pumped more rapidly through the body.
So now you know what to do! mmm, maybe easier said than done!