When is the most accurate time to measure blood pressure? Test the right hand or the left hand? Failure to pay attention to 6 things may lead to a wasted test

Many people with high blood pressure may have seen or tried the “secret recipes for lowering blood pressure” online:

“The “hypertension-lowering foods” hidden around you were found” “6 kinds of “hypertension-lowering” foods to eat every day”…

Is it really reliable to lower blood pressure just by eating antihypertensive foods?

1. A 56-year-old man from Fujian Province insists on eating kelp to lower blood pressure

Uncle Lin was diagnosed with high blood pressure two years ago and has been paying attention to controlling it. Normally, I would measure my blood pressure at home . Although sometimes it would be a little higher, it would be within a controllable range.

Later I heard that kelp has the effect of lowering blood pressure, and since he is a typical Fujianese and loves to eat seafood, he will have cold kelp or kelp soup with almost every meal.

Looking at my relatively stable blood pressure, I thought it was the effect of kelp, and gradually reduced my antihypertensive medication .

Three months later, Uncle Lin went downstairs for a walk one day and suddenly became dizzy and fell to the ground. The family was frightened and they rushed him to the hospital.

Unexpectedly, he went to the hospital for a check-up and found that Uncle Lin’s blood pressure had reached 170/100 , and the brain MRI showed cerebral infarction . Fortunately, he was rushed to the hospital in time, and after treatment, his condition gradually improved.

When Uncle Lin woke up, he was confused about this. Didn’t he say that eating kelp can lower blood pressure? Moreover, my blood pressure measured at home was obviously normal, so why were the results different from those given by the hospital?

In fact, there has always been a saying about “eating kelp to lower blood pressure”.

Kelp is rich in potassium. This element can promote the discharge of excess sodium ions in the body, thereby reducing the pressure on blood vessel walls and achieving a blood-lowering effect.

However, it should be noted that it can only be used as an auxiliary dietary therapy and cannot completely replace drug treatment . It is unrealistic to simply rely on eating kelp to reduce blood pressure, so everyone should treat it rationally.

2. It is very dangerous to stop taking medicine by eating “hypertension-lowering food”

According to data released by the National Cardiovascular Disease Center in 2018, the prevalence of hypertension among adults aged 18 and over in China is 23.2% , and this figure is still rising. It can be seen that high blood pressure is high.

In order to deal with high blood pressure, various anti-hypertensive foods emerge in an endless stream. Xiaojiu always receives countless private messages seeking the truth: “Can eating XX foods lower blood pressure?” Is this really reliable?

Here I need to explain to you that blood pressure is indeed related to food, but so far no specific food has a clear pharmacological effect of lowering blood pressure , let alone a substitute for medicine.

The only antihypertensive drugs that have been clearly proven to have antihypertensive effects are antihypertensive drugs.

So-called “blood pressure-lowering foods” may sound appealing, but it’s actually your overall diet and lifestyle that’s more important .

Therefore, everyone must not blindly follow the trend, especially because you believe that food can lower blood pressure and stop taking medicine or reduce the dosage of medicine without permission. This is very dangerous and can easily lead to fluctuations and increases in blood pressure. If blood pressure remains high, If it is not lower, it is easy to induce complications such as arteriosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and stroke.

3. The “big booster” was found out, 4 kinds of food should be eaten less

Diet is indeed a major factor leading to high blood pressure, especially these four “big blood pressure boosters”.

1. High-sodium foods

If you consume high-sodium foods, that is, salt, for a long time, it will increase the crystal osmotic pressure, causing water in the surrounding tissues to enter the blood vessels, eventually increasing blood pressure.

2. High-fat foods

For example, fried foods, fatty meats, animal offal, animal oil, etc. Long-term intake of these foods can easily lead to obesity and increase the risk of hypertension.

3. High-sugar foods

Excessive intake of high-sugar foods can increase the risk of obesity and diabetes; high blood sugar is prone to atherosclerosis, further inducing high blood pressure.

4. Pungent food

Excessive intake of spicy foods can stimulate abnormal blood flow in the stomach, causing blood pressure fluctuations and increasing the risk of hypertension.

4. Blood pressure measurement is never accurate. Have you made any common misunderstandings?

For patients with hypertension, measuring blood pressure is one of the daily must-dos. But many people don’t know that there is a difference between self-testing blood pressure at home and going to the hospital.

Generally speaking, the blood pressure measured at home will be lower than the office blood pressure , with the blood pressure value being 5~10mmHg lower and the diastolic blood pressure being 5mmHg lower. Therefore, if the average blood pressure ≥135/85mmHg is continuously monitored at home for 5 to 7 days , hypertension can be diagnosed.

For example, Uncle Lin’s inaccurate measurement was because he did not strictly follow the standards when measuring blood pressure. In fact, not only Uncle Lin, many people don’t understand these four small details when measuring blood pressure.

① Do you have to choose the right time to measure your blood pressure?

Generally speaking, for newly diagnosed patients, it is recommended to measure at two time points in the morning and evening for a week; for patients with stable blood pressure, it is recommended to measure at least 1-2 times in the morning and evening for a week to understand the blood pressure status.

Of course, the most important thing is to fix the measurement time every day. If the blood pressure rises, no matter when it is measured, attention should be paid.

② Left arm or right arm?

This mainly depends on whether you are left-handed or right-handed. If you are left-handed, use the blood pressure of your left arm. However, it is best to measure both sides from time to time. If the difference between the two frequently exceeds 20mmHg , you should be careful.

③ Is mercury blood pressure measurement the most accurate?

Regarding blood pressure measurement, the most recommended one is a home upper arm electronic blood pressure monitor. The mercury sphygmomanometer is not suitable for home measurement because it requires high operation, is difficult to maintain, and there is a risk of mercury contamination , so it is not recommended for everyone to use.

④ How should I sit?

When measuring blood pressure, the most correct sitting posture is with your back against the back of a chair and your feet flat on the ground . Postures such as slouching and lack of support for the back or lower limbs may cause blood pressure readings to be 6 to 10 mmHg higher.

Although certain foods can help lower blood pressure, they cannot completely replace medications. Taking medications as prescribed by your doctor, measuring blood pressure on time, and making comprehensive lifestyle adjustments are the keys to controlling blood pressure. So don’t believe the rumors easily, so as to better stabilize your blood pressure.