Living With BP Problem

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