High blood pressure: Six tips to keep blood pressure low over the busy Christmas season - Express

High blood pressure affects more than a quarter of the UK population.

The condition can be dangerous as if left untreated it can cause serious health problems such as heart attacks and strokes.

Ensuring a healthy lifestyle is vital in preventing high blood pressure, but this can be difficult over the Christmas period when our calendars are jam-packed with events and unhealthy food and drinks are hard to turn down.

Blood Pressure UK provides the following six tips to keep blood pressure down over Christmas.

Eat less salt

Salt is a common reason for high blood pressure and unfortunately is present in many Christmas foods.

Bacon, sausages, gravy and stuffing are already salty, so avoid adding more salt when cooking them and leave the salt shaker off the table.

Even small reductions of salt can make a big difference.

Eat more fruit and veg

The potassium found in fruit and veg has blood pressure lowering properties, so fill up on clementines and Brussels sprouts, and remember to aim for your five-a-day.

Avoid stress when Christmas shopping

Christmas shopping can be a stressful event, especially when left to the last minute.

Make a shopping list and phone ahead to check stock levels in order to save time, effort and avoid a wasted trip.

Try not to gain weight

Increased body weight is linked to high blood pressure, so try not to overdo do it on Christmas treats.

Keep warm

Lower temperatures are linked to higher blood pressure, so wrap up warm.

Remember to exercise

It’s easy to neglect exercise over the Christmas period - if you don’t fancy going for a run in the cold, try a workout DVD at home or an indoor exercise class.

Otherwise, wrap up warm and go for a walk on Christmas Day to burn off some of the extra calories consumed at lunch.

“There are several factors that can cause the condition [high blood pressure], which include not only stress, but also eating too much salt, drinking too much and the lack of physical activity – all elements that happen around Christmas time when we start to relax and over indulge,” said Blood Pressure UK.

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