May you never meet The Silent Killer – hypertension! And why is hypertension called The Silent Killer? Because you can have it without knowing! There are no direct symptoms. And high blood pressure increases your risk for heart disease and stroke. These can also hit you without warning.
Two pieces of good news!
- You can prevent hypertension
- If you already have it, you can manage it
Know your enemy
You can’t manage what you don’t know, so the first step is to get regular health check-ups. Let your doctor or the nurse take your blood pressure reading. Also, talk to your family; find out whether your parents, uncles or aunts suffer from hypertension. And then, if you don’t have hypertension, how do you protect yourself against this villain? Here are a few steps:
Defense!
- Aim for a healthy weight. This is not under or over-weight.
- Follow a healthy eating plan: go for fresh foods, lose the sugar and increase your fibre.
- Eat less salt. Don’t add extra salt to your plate and take care with salty sauces
- Exercise regularly. Make this fun and do it often – even a brisk 20-minute walk every day is a start!
- Manage your stress levels (this is important!) We have a great infographic to help you with this.
- Stop smoking, and don’t get stuck in a new trap with alternative tobacco products.
Attack!
Has your doctor put you onto medication for your hypertension? Here are some valuable tips to keep you well. Use them – they’ll make you feel years younger, and better!
- Take your medication at the same time each day. A reminder on your phone can help! This will help you not to forget or to double-up by accident.
- Do all of the prevention tips anyway – keep to a healthy weight, eat a proper diet, exercise every day, quit smoking and manage your stress levels
Outwit the silent killer!
None of these tips and tricks cost much, it only takes a decision and a little care. Put them into place and that Silent Killer won’t be able to sneak up on you.
Sources: ABC of Blood Pressure, World life Expectancy