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With easy access to tasty treats, fancy dessert places, coffee houses and the added stress factor of working long hours, it is easy to fall into an unhealthy lifestyle. Every little uninformed choice may lead toward the development of a very silent illness, hypertension.
Hypertension, or more commonly known as high blood pressure, is not an overnight disease. It is a result of various factors and takes time to build its case. For the most part, hypertension stems from lifestyle choices. Left untreated or undiagnosed, it could lead to kidney failure, stroke, blindness and heart attack.
Being overweight has always been known to be one of the causes of critical illnesses such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease. In this case, being overweight often leads to sleep apnea which causes disrupted breathing while you sleep. Prolonged disrupted sleep patterns eventually causes the blood pressure to rise.
After a hard day�s work and a bit of dinner, it can be extremely difficult to motivate yourself to get out of the house for a workout session. But push yourself to exercise at least once a week over a three-week span, and you will notice a big difference in your attitude towards working out.
Food choice is a very important aspect of maintaining one�s health to avoid hypertension. The general rule of thumb is to minimise carbohydrate and sugar intake and opt for higher protein and fibre meals.
While a proper diet is in order, the most prominent part of maintaining a healthy eating habit in regards to hypertension, is to ensure minimum salt consumption. A large salt intake fills your bloodstream with high sodium content and this inadvertently makes it more difficult for the kidneys to filter fluids effectively. As a result, the body retains extra fluid and this causes higher blood pressure.
Knowing your maximum heart rate allows you to gauge the intensity and effectiveness of your exercise. The maximum heart rate for a person is calculated by subtracting your age from 220. If you aim for a vigorous workout, you should aim to hit 70% to 85% of your maximum heart rate. A moderate workout would be between 50% and 70% of your maximum heart rate. Among others, the Polar fitness device offers personalised heart rate-based training guidance. All you have to do is strap the band on your wrist snugly during your workout, and it will guide you to sustain or increase your heart rate for an aerobic workout.
Due to the nature of this silent disease and the absence of prominent signs, it is important to get checked regularly. If trips to the doctor become too cumbersome and expensive, you could invest in a blood pressure monitor at home.
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AIA Vitality is a unique insurance and health programme that actively supports and rewards you for making healthier choices every day so you can live a healthier, longer and better life.
