The holiday season is a time of really healthy foods and tons of exercise, right? Okay, maybe for some people. But for many of us, the holidays are full of rich, salty meals, a smorgasbord of sweets and a general “lounge-y” demeanor. It also means that people with high blood pressure need to put in the extra effort to avoid sabotaging their own health.

There are several precautions you can take to keep your blood pressure in check among all those appealing holiday foods. But first, let’s define High Blood Pressure (HBP).

HBP, which is often referred to as hypertension, is a condition where the force of the blood in your arteries is too high and pushes against the artery walls. And because of the constant high pressure, the walls get tears in them where plaque (from bad cholesterol) begins to collect. The more this happens, the smaller the arteries become – making it difficult for blood to get to the heart and brain. HBP can lead to a total blockage in the artery and cause a heart attack or stroke.

So, what are the steps you can take to maintain healthy blood pressure among the impending temptations during the holidays? Here’s our advice:

Limit the Sodium

Salt causes the body to retain extra fluid, which makes your heart work harder to pump blood. It can raise your blood pressure, which means it increases your risk for stroke, heart attack and kidney damage. It causes your kidneys to work harder and it can cause swelling in the ankles. Try to avoid large portions of bread, cheese, prepared meats and other sodium-rich foods.

Moderate Alcohol Intake

One to two drinks in one day is usually not harmful, but excessive alcohol drinking is not a heart-healthy decision. The American Heart Association recommends only one to two drinks per day for men and one drink a day for women – on average.

Manage Your Stress

The holidays can be a stressful time of year for a lot of people. When we experience stress, our bodies release hormones into our blood that put us in “fight or flight” mode. And while our bodies are equipped to handle this dramatic increase of blood pressure on occasion, it’s not ready to handle it consistently. Try to find ways to relieve your stress. Ask your friends, family or your doctor for help.

Take Your Medicine

Seems simple enough, right? It should be, but some people don’t take their blood pressure medicine as prescribed, whether intentional or unintentional. Stopping, skipping or taking them any other way than directed can have serious – even deadly – consequences. Abrupt discontinuation of blood pressure medication can result in a withdrawal syndrome characterized by a rebound of high blood pressure with signs and symptoms of sympathetic overactivity, which includes increased heart rate, an increase in respirations, increased sweating and an increase in body heat. The extent of this sympathetic overactivity depends on the type of medication you are on. So, taking your medication as prescribed is an extremely important step in controlling your hypertension.

The busyness of the holidays can easily distract us from something as simple as taking medicine correctly. Read the instructions on your prescription and follow them carefully. If you’re having problems with the blood pressure medicine you’re taking, talk to your medical provider right away so you can properly manage your HBP.

Exercise! Exercise! Exercise!

You’ve heard it many times: Exercise is key to a healthy lifestyle. Well, it’s even more important with high blood pressure.

Your heart has to work harder when you have HBP. Our hearts are a muscle, which means we can exercise to make them stronger. Don’t let the busy holidays or even the cold weather stop you from taking care of your heart. We recommend at least 30 minutes of cardio exercise a day.

If you find that you have overdone it at a party or at mealtime, take a 15 or 20-minute walk – nothing strenuous, just a light stroll to help your body metabolize the heavy intake. You likely will find that this helps prevent that bloated, uncomfortable feeling after overindulging.

Whether you live with HBP now or want help avoiding it in the future, we can help you develop a healthy lifestyle plan that works best for you. Don’t put it off – take care of your body so it can take care of you for many more holiday seasons.

Resources

• http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/AboutHighBloodPressure/
  What-is-High-Blood-Pressure_UCM_301759_Article.jsp#.Wf35O6grLBI
• https://news.heart.org/five-blood-pressure-tips-this-holiday-season/
• https://www.unitypoint.org/livewell/article.aspx?id=6d4a6198-18a8-49d6-b3f6-ec11292b499a
• https://www.uptodate.com/contents/withdrawal-syndromes-with-antihypertensive-therapy?source=search_result&search=rebound%20hypertension&selectedTitle=1~150