Today is World Hypertension Day and this year’s theme is ‘Know Your Numbers.’ According to the World Hypertension League, every 4 out of 10 adults suffer from high blood pressure and more than 50 per cent are unaware of the condition.

Known as high blood pressure or high BP in layman’s terms, hypertension is defined as the force exerted by the blood against the walls of blood vessels. The blood pressure depends on the work being done by the heart and the resistance by the blood vessels.

According to The World Health Organization, higher amounts of salt in processed foods are playing a major role in the increase of hypertension cases worldwide.

The normal blood pressure range is at 120/80mmHg and those with 130/80mmHg are considered hypertensive. Some of the symptoms of high BP include fatigue, severe headache, impaired vision, discomfort in the chest, change in the breathing pattern and striking pain in the neck, chest or ears. If untreated, hypertension can cause stress, heart attack, stroke and kidney disease. Stress management, changes in lifestyle, weight loss can help in bringing down the blood pressure.

Eating low-salt, low-fat, wholegrain loaded diet helps in keeping the levels of blood pressure under control. Check out our infographic for a well-planned diet plan for patients with hypertension.

Recommended By M Somwya Binu, Senior Nutritionist, Netmeds.com