High blood pressure: are you at risk? High blood pressure, often called the &qu…

High blood pressure: are you at risk?

High blood pressure, often called the "silent killer", can creep up on you without much advance warning.

Over the years, daily habits, such as eating too much salty food, smoking or not exercising, can begin to take their toll.

Combine those bad habits with other risk factors, and you can develop full-fledged high blood pressure (hypertension).

Your blood pressure is normal if it's below 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).

Pre-hypertension is a systolic pressure ranging from 120 to 139 or a diastolic pressure ranging from 80 to 89.

Pre-hypertension tends to get worse over time and, if you have high blood pressure risk factors, you could develop high blood pressure:

Stage 1 hypertension. Stage 1 hypertension is a systolic pressure ranging from 140 to 159 or a diastolic pressure ranging from 90 to 99.

Stage 2 hypertension. The most severe hypertension, stage 2 hypertension is a systolic pressure of 160 or higher or a diastolic pressure of 100 or higher.

Understand what your risk factors for high blood pressure are so that you can help prevent or delay the onset of high blood pressure and its life-threatening complications.

Lifestyle habits that can raise your blood pressure
Your lifestyle will impact on your blood pressure.
This means that you can reduce your blood pressure by making some healthy changes.

Excess weight. If you are overweight, losing as little as 10 per cent of your body weight will reduce blood pressure.

Lack of exercise. Cardiovascular exercise (not weight lifting) can reduce blood pressure. Walking, cycling, swimming up to 30 minutes a day will reduce your risk.

Unhealthy diet. Cut back on salt (sodium), eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Your total daily salt intake should not exceed 2g a day. Salt is not only found in table salt that you add to food, but hidden in many other foods.

Stress. Learn to manage stress.

Tobacco products. Talk to your doctor if you need help quitting.

Excess alcohol. More than two drinks a day for men and one for women can raise blood pressure.

The good news is that by making even small changes to your lifestyle, you can prevent or reduce your chance of developing high blood pressure.

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