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The 17th of May is observed as World Hypertension Day and this year the theme speaks about measuring your blood pressure regularly, controlling it and living longer.
Blood pressure issues have become common not only in older people but also in youngsters. This is mainly because of the drastic lifestyle we all have. There is a lack of uniformity and lots of personal and professional stress. Deadlines to meet, loans to pay, duties to do and so on. The role is never ending. The older you become, you get used to this, but the stress it gives remains the same. 

It is only a matter of time that the years of stress you take reflects on your health and well being. Your body begins to change biologically, you need medicines for your body to function properly and will have to keep a tab on your health regularly. 

Well, since it is common, we might not be able to completely overlook the fact that people of all ages are subjected to irregular levels of blood pressure, because of lifestyle issues and other biological factors. 

Here a few factors that can prove extremely beneficial in not just maintaining your blood pressure but also reducing its impact on your mind and body 

1. Reduce the amount of sodium you consume: Today, we live in the era of packaged food, we are all dependent on ‘ready to eat’ food that is available in every market. We think we are saying time by doing so because all of them boast about being ready in 2 mins or 5 mins and it is true, these food items can be prepared by just adding  warm water to the contents of the package or by just heating them in the microwave. But, just take out time and read the ingredients section carefully, you’ll realise that the amount of sodium in each of these packets are relatively higher ingredients. This sodium will be more than happy to disturb your blood pressure levels and will keep it higher for a longer time. Therefore, it might be difficult to reduce the intake of sodium, but you can reduce the intake surely and prefer freshly cooked food than packaged food, you’ll agree that freshly cooked food doesn’t just taste better but gives you complete nutrition and doesn’t impact your blood pressure negatively. 
2. Exercise regularly: The moment we think about exercise we think about gyms and weight lifting. That is definitely exercising, but not the only way to exercise. Each and every body has a different body constitution and does not necessarily need a heavy exercising schedule. Understanding your body and doing the right exercise is the key to maintaining your blood pressure. For people with hypertension, usually, all exercises are not prescribed, and so, the right exercise for your body is to be done. For this, initially, you can take the guidance of a trained instructor and work out accordingly. But the main point here is not just exercise but to do it regularly, without fail. Even on a day where you have very little time or when you are too tired to exercise, at least take out time for a 15-min walk. This will benefit your mind and body. 
3. Diet: Like it is always said, diet and exercise go hand in hand. For your exercise to show its effectiveness, your diet has to be modified and vice-a-versa. Therefore, keep your diet intact, modify it as per your body demands. If required, consult a dietitian, who understands your health issues and body constitution and drafts an accurate diet chart for you. Do remember to have your favorites once a week, this will fulfill your cravings and will help you maintain your diet for a longer period of time. Do not crash diet and bring in diet changes drastically as this might impact your immunity negatively. If you are used to having a certain kind of staple food regularly, do not exclude it from your diet, instead reduce the quantity and replace it with food with similar nutritional value. Do not follow diet charts that are available online or diet routines that ask you to follow patterns that are not in sync with your routine. A Balanced diet is the best way for maintaining good blood pressure levels. 
4. Laughter: Laughter is the best medicine. It is said that laughter can reduce your hypertension faster. Therefore, ensure that you are laughing with your family or friends or watching a movie or television show that makes you laugh. A cheerful mood is the best healer for hypertension. Do not stress over trivial matters, do your best and laugh your lungs out. Do not think twice before laughing at the smallest of jokes and keeping your body sane, health and happy, 

Maintaining your blood pressure is a very tricky business, it is harmless as long as it is in control, but if it isn’t then it can be equally harmful. Therefore, we have to embrace measures, like the ones mentioned above, so that its impact is nullified to the extent that we forget there is actually a hypertension issue. That would be the best to happen.

So, do not stress, exercise, maintain your diet, sleep well and enjoy your life, this is more than enough to tackle your hypertension.