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Nicknamed the “silent killer”, hypertension (high blood pressure) is a common condition that can occur in anyone. Even at a young age, it may impact a person’s cardiovascular and brain health.
Pacific Prime Hong Kong will give you a rundown of what it is, how to prevent it, and why it pays to secure individual health insurance as a hypertension patient.
What is hypertension?
Hypertension occurs when the flow of blood in your arteries is too high. This puts pressure against the walls of the arteries and increases the risk of them rupturing. It may lead to complications, like a hemorrhagic stroke if it occurs in the brain. What’s worse, hypertension has no symptoms until it is too late.
How is it diagnosed?
When your blood pressure is at or above 140/90 mmHg, you’re diagnosed with hypertension. The lifetime risk of developing hypertension is more than a whopping 90% for individuals aged 55 to 65. So, ask your general practitioner to quickly measure your blood pressure next time you’re due for a visit.
What causes hypertension?
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Stress is one of the major causes of hypertension. With the COVID-19 pandemic at large, many people are worried about an uncertain future. Here are some tips to boost your mental health during the pandemic.
Other contributing causes include obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and more. Besides lifestyle and environmental factors, you’ll also find that aging and genetics increase the probability of developing hypertension.
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There is little you can do about aging and genetics. However, you can still make healthy lifestyle choices to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
1. Eat a healthy diet
Fresh produce and meals made from scratch are good for your body. The DASH healthy diet plan is a good starting guideline. If cooking isn’t an option, be sure to replace unhealthy snacks with fruits and veggies to keep your weight in check.
2. Be physically active
Exercise helps you maintain a healthy weight and lowers your blood pressure and stress levels. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per day, five days a week. Can’t make it to the gym? Look up video tutorials on yoga, HIIT, and more on YouTube and follow along.
3. Stop smoking tobacco
Nothing spikes your blood pressure quite like tobacco. Smoking tobacco increases your risk of heart disease. Moreover, it damages your lungs. Thus, it’s crucial to stop smoking altogether, particularly if you have hypertension.
You should always have a plan B in place in case life takes a turn for the worse. Individual health insurance in Hong Kong grants you access to top hospitals, so you won’t have to pay out of pocket.
With more than two decades of experience in the health insurance industry, Pacific Prime Hong Kong knows about all things insurance. Contact their team for a free quote now!