Special occasions and festivals can be challenging for those with chronic conditions such as hypertension. Read on to know how to manage hypertension during festivals in India.
Festivals are for enjoyment, a time when you can go off track from your daily schedule and relish the special treatment. But is it ok to stray away occasionally from a healthy lifestyle if you have hypertension? We tell you how to manage hypertension during festivals in India so you can enjoy the festivities while taking care of your condition.
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How is Hypertension Managed?
Hypertensionor high blood pressure is a chronic condition where your blood pressure is consistently too high.
Generally, as an adult, your blood pressure is considered to be high when your blood pressure is greater than or equal to 140/90 mm Hg.
Adopting healthy lifestyle changes such as having a heart-healthy diet, exercising regularly, maintaining ideal body weight, and limiting your sodium intake can help you manage hypertension. In cases where lifestyle changes are not enough to manage hypertension, your doctor may prescribe anti-hypertensive medications that will help manage the condition.
With hypertension, you ideally need to keep an eye on your daily routine and make sure you follow healthy practices consistently. It can get difficult at times, especially on special occasions such as festivals when you may not want to or be able to follow your daily schedule. You may also want to enjoy the festivities and the food as much as other family members are.
Read on for a few tips on managing hypertension during festivals.
Festivals and High Blood Pressure: Tips You Must Know
Managing hypertension during the festive season is not difficult. You can keep the following tips in mind.
Manage How You Eat Festive Foods
Try and prepare low-fat and low-sugar versions of your favourite festive foods, and watch your portion sizes. Also, opt for foods that are high in fibre, proteins, and healthy fats for most meals of the day.
While cooking, try baking or roasting food items instead of deep frying them. Watch your consumption of liquid calories in the form of sugary drinks and sherbets, which are easily disregarded. You can opt for water or sugarless fruit juices instead of sugary drinks.
Stress Less and Rest More
Both chronic and occasional stress can contribute to high blood pressure. Fulfilling all the chores during festivals can get tiring and stressful. It is important to set aside 10 to 20 minutes for self-care in between your busy schedule.
You can practise relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation. It is equally important to get enough sleep (at least 7 hours) to relax and rejuvenate your mind and body. Inadequate sleep can adversely affect your blood pressure.
Avoid Salty Food and Alcohol
Though festivals call for a mouth-watering feast, it is important to keep an eye on what to eat with hypertension. Having excess salty food can elevate your blood pressure. Salt can lead to water retention, thus increasing your blood volume and elevating your blood pressure. Stay away from excess salt in food.
If you are consuming alcohol, make sure to have it in moderation. Alcohol, when consumed in excess, can elevate your blood pressure by narrowing the walls of your blood vessels. You can try to replace alcoholic beverages with healthier options such as coconut water or unsweetened fruit juices.
Check Your Blood Pressure Regularly
Though you might be occupied with the festive preparations, do not forget to monitor your BP regularly as advised by your doctor. A sudden change in your daily routine and diet may lead to fluctuations in blood pressure.
Monitoring your BP regularly and taking the medications as prescribed will help prevent a rise in your blood pressure and related complications.
Don’t Have Time To Read?
- Festival season is here. It is challenging to manage chronic conditions such as hypertension during festivals as your daily routine and diet can often go off track during these times.
- You need a plan for managing your blood pressure during festivals in advance in order to avoid complications.
- There are certain precautions a high blood pressure patient can take during festivals. Try to avoid excessively fatty or salty food, and opt for foods that are high in fibre, proteins, and healthy fats.
- Choose healthy drinks such as coconut water and fruit juices over alcoholic beverages. Also, make healthier versions of your favourite festive foods and control your portion sizes.
- Make sure you manage stress by getting adequate rest and quality sleep. Though you will be on a busy schedule, make sure you monitor your BP regularly and take your medications as prescribed.
- Use the Phable Care App to consult India’s leading diabetologists, order medicines, book lab tests, integrate blood sugar monitoring and other devices to get real-time remote care from the comfort of your home. Also, check out our Diabetes Management program which provides 360º care. Let’s treat diabetes together.
Friendly Asked Questions
Try to stick as much to your daily routine and diet as possible, even during festivals. Make healthier versions of your favourite festive foods, control your portion sizes, and avoid excessively fatty or salty food. Opt for foods that are high in fibre, proteins, and healthy fats. Choose healthy drinks such as coconut water and fruit juices. Get adequate rest and quality sleep to manage your stress. Monitor your BP regularly and take your medications as prescribed.
Having high blood pressure should not stop you from leading a normal life. Be it festivals or any other special occasion, you can have fun with certain precautions. Make sure that you eat healthy, stay active, and get enough rest. Also, make sure you check your blood pressure often to manage any fluctuations promptly.
It is ok for a hypertensive to fast during festivals but advisable to do so only after consultation with a doctor. Studies show that fasting can help lower your blood pressure and improve heart health. It may also help lower your cholesterol levels and improve your blood sugar levels. Make sure you keep track of your blood pressure levels.
If your concern is how to manage hypertension during festivals, there are certain things that you need to avoid. It is important that you keep an eye on your sodium intake. During festivals, make sure that you avoid salty foods as excess salt can disrupt the fluid balance in the body leading to high blood pressure. You can also avoid excessively fatty food and limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages.