We all know what high blood pressure, or hypertension, can do to our heart. Poorly controlled blood pressure is one of the biggest risk factors for life-threatening cardiac events.
Nevertheless, high blood pressure could be prevented and managed by making healthy lifestyle changes. You could prevent life-threatening cardiac events by managing your blood pressure, and make your heart stronger swimming on a regular basis.
Hypertension is a chronic medical condition that puts extra stress on your blood vessels as well as other vital organs, especially the heart and the kidneys.
You can reduce the risk of developing hypertension by keeping yourself physically active and by eating a well-balanced diet.
It has been claimed by health officials that swimming is one of the best exercises to prevent and manage high blood pressure, and improve heart function.
According to a renowned medical website WebMD, swimming is an effective aerobic exercise that helps to lower blood pressure. Aerobic exercises drive the body to maximize the amount of oxygen in the body, allowing the heart to beat faster.
Swimming trains your heart to pump blood more flawlessly and effectively, eventually improving overall blood flow.
The website mentions, “Making exercise a habit can help lower your blood pressure. It also gives you more energy, and it’s a great way to ease stress and feel better.”
It recommends checking with a physician to make sure you are ready for physical activities. WebMD says, “You don’t need to go to a gym. You just need to be active enough that you are breathing harder and making your heart beat a little faster. That includes brisk walking, jogging, swimming, biking, lifting weights, or doing yard work.”
The website added, “Cardiovascular, or aerobic, exercise can help lower your blood pressure and make your heart stronger. If you decide to take up swimming, you should do around 150 minutes in a single week.” It explained that swimming does not have to be done all at once; you can break it down to five sessions, each of 30 minutes.
Also, you could lower or manage your blood pressure by making changes in your daily diet. It is important to limit the amount of sodium (salt) in your diet. Do not eat more than 6g of salt in one day, which is equivalent to a teaspoonful. Your blood pressure tends to higher if you eat more salt.
Often called “the silent killer,” high blood pressure symptoms are experienced when the figures are extremely high. Common symptoms of hypertension include chest pain, severe headaches, and hematuria (blood in urine). Make sure you check your blood pressure on a regular basis. People above 40 years should get their blood pressure checked every five years.
