Living With BP Problem
Dos And Donts For A Healthy Life With Hypotension
Although low blood pressure or hypotension is
not as serious as hypertension, yet one needs to practice some
precautions to do away with future health troubles. Refraining these
precautions, your low blood pressure can cause some serious
complications and can even damage your overall health.
Living with low blood pressure entails a lot of things to be done
and not to be done. Here is a list of do's and don'ts for low blood
pressure. Complete compliance with this list is bound to produce
wonderful results.
Do's
Drink plenty of water:
Drink
at least eight glasses of water everyday. Otherwise you might suffer
from dehydration which, in turn, would lower your blood pressure.
Check
your blood pressure regularly:
A regular monitoring of blood
pressure would help you and your doctor diagnose your exact condition.
It also helps you in identifying what causes low blood pressure and
which medication is working for you.
Exercise regularly:
Make
it a point to exercise regularly. Exercise plays a major role in
achieving controlled blood pressure.
Don't cool down suddenly:
Don't
stop all of sudden after having a vigorous exercising session. If you do
so, you would feel a sudden drop in your blood pressure. You should stop
exercising by reducing the intensity of the exercise and then cooling
off slowly. This gives your heart a moment to resume its regular pace
and your breathing returns to normal.
Pump the calves as per
the requirement:
There is a possibility that while standing, your
blood will pool in your legs. To avoid this from happening in the first
place, flex and point your toes and contract and relax your calf muscles
regularly.
Consult the Doctor:
If you feel any
complications or side-effects, consult your doctor. Don't avoid this as
it is important. Also consult your doctor first, before you start taking
any medications for any other condition.
Don'ts
Don't take alcohol:
Avoid alcohol under
all circumstances. Alcohol causes some harmful complications when
afflicted with low blood pressure.
Don't
restrict your intake of salt and sodium:
You should take extra
salt in the form of salty items such as chips and pickles. Ask your
doctor if you need to take a teaspoon of salt mixed in water daily.
Don't
rise all of a sudden:
Rise slowly. You can ape a cat's movement
of getting up. You need to stretch before you get up. Contract and relax
the muscles in your arms, legs and abdomen before you rise.
Don't
lie head-low:
Sleep with your head elevated a little. This will
help your body adjust better to an upright position.
Don't eat
too much:
Don't eat too much. Eat like a bird. Big meals may make
your blood rush to the area where digestion is being performed. As a
result, your brain will not get enough blood resulting in low blood
pressure. But, eating smaller meals will help you maintain a more stable
blood flow.
Don’t do the following:
1) Lift heavy things
2) Strain while in the toilet
3) Give yourself prolonged exposure to hot water and/or
4) Be overweight