Why Weight Loss Is The Key To Managing High Blood Pressure
Yes, it’s true that weight loss is one of the best ways to manage your blood pressure. That’s because too much fat around your belly puts extra stress on your heart and kidneys. Thus, whenever you lose even a slight amount of weight, it lowers blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart-related diseases.
The Connection Between Excess Weight and Hypertension
When you carry excessive weight around your abdomen, which is also known as visceral fat, your heart has to work harder. Your arteries may get stiff, and your kidneys also retain more sodium as well as water.
All of this raises your systolic pressure which is the top number and diastolic pressure which is the bottom number. Additionally, when we talk about obesity, it often leads to insulin resistance, higher cholesterol levels, and inflammation in your body, which worsens hypertension.
Losing even a modest 5 to 10% of your body weight can make a huge difference. Weight loss helps you reduce systolic and diastolic pressure, lower visceral fat, improve insulin resistance, and reduce inflammation.
Effective Lifestyle Changes for Sustainable Weight Loss
To manage your high blood pressure through weight loss, you’ll need to combine diet, regular exercise, and other healthy habits. Here are some of them:
- Use a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than you burn. Even a small deficit adds up over time.
- Follow diets such as the DASH diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium.
- Limit salt by reducing your intake of processed foods high in sodium.
- Drink enough water, but avoid excessive salt intake, as it can cause water retention.
- Engage in aerobic exercise, such as walking, jogging, and cycling, for at least 150 minutes per week at moderate intensity, in addition to strength training 2 to 3 times a week.
- Work on reducing visceral fat, not just general weight. Waist circumference matters.
- Manage stress and improve your sleep; stress and sleep apnea can exacerbate high blood pressure.
- Monitor weight and BMI (Body Mass Index) regularly. Maintaining a healthy BMI range helps reduce cardiovascular risk.
Long-Term Health Benefits Beyond Blood Pressure Control
When you lose weight, it not only helps you lower your blood pressure but also comes along with lots of other benefits, like:
- Losing weight reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney damage.
- Improves cholesterol levels such as lower LDL and higher HDL.
- Lower triglycerides
- Improves metabolic health, reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance.
- Reduces arterial stiffness and lowers inflammation in the body.
- You’ll also get relief from conditions like sleep apnea and reduced kidney strain.
Steps To Start Your Weight Loss And Blood Pressure Journey
- Set your weight loss goal: Firstly, target a 5-10% weight loss. It’s enough to see benefits in blood pressure.
- Track your BMI, waist size, and blood pressure: Note down your systolic and diastolic numbers every week, as it helps you measure your progress.
- Eat healthy: Try the DASH diet, or a low-sodium diet. Limit processed salt, sugar, and bad fats.
- Move your body: start with walking daily at least 10,000 steps, light aerobic exercise, then include strength training.
- Reduce salt and manage water retention: Read labels on food items you purchase and cook fresh.
- Improve sleep and reduce stress: Managing stress is one of the best techniques to lose weight. You should practice meditation, deep breathing, and get 7 to 8 hours of sleep.
- Watch cholesterol and triglycerides: It is high in people with obesity and hypertension, so diet and exercise help.
- Stay consistent: Weight management is not just a 2 to 3-month journey; it is a long-term lifestyle change, so you have to be consistent.
Ready To Lose Your Weight Naturally? Begin With Healthy Weight Loss
If you begin these changes now, you’ll see changes in systolic pressure and diastolic pressure within a few weeks to months, which will lower your blood pressure naturally.
Avellina Aesthetics will help you get a structured medical weight loss plan, which combines nutrition counseling, specially designed workouts, and FDA-approved medications when needed. Book an appointment by calling 215-722-6022 if you need help to lose weight safely, improve BMI, lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure.