At your most recent checkup, your doctor told you that your blood pressure was high. But what does that mean, and how you can lower it?

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is incredibly common, affecting more than 100 million Americans. Read on as our team at AFC Urgent Care Clemson shares some insight about the condition, including how to prevent it.

What Exactly Is High Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is the pressure with which your blood hits your artery walls as it moves through your body. So when your blood pressure is high, it means the blood is hitting your artery walls quite forcefully.

This may seem harmless enough, but over time, this force can actually damage the artery walls. This, in turn, increases your risk of many serious health conditions, including heart disease.

High Blood Pressure Risk Factors

• Living a sedentary lifestyle
• Being overweight or obese
• Eating a poor diet
• Not getting enough potassium
• Getting too much sodium
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Not properly managing stress

How Can I Maintain Healthy Blood Pressure?

Whether your blood pressure is high or you’re simply looking to maintain a healthy blood pressure, there are some basic healthy habits that can help. First things first, review the list of risk factors and determine which ones you have.

Your risk factors can help you decide what to prioritize when it comes to improving your health and your blood pressure.

Habits to Reduce Blood Pressure

• Eat a balanced diet made up of plenty of fruits and vegetables.
• Limit your intake of saturated fat and excess sodium.
• Stick with one drink max for women per day and two drinks for men.
• Find healthy ways to manage your stress, such as meditation.
• Exercise for at least 30 minutes most days.

Feeling under the weather? Stop by AFC Urgent Care Clemson for a diagnosis and treatment plan.