No more shots please! Limit alcohol consumption to prevent high blood pressure

Several factors can play a role in high blood pressure, including alcohol consumption. The more alcohol you drink, the more likely you are to develop high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a widespread health problem globally and, if not controlled, can increase the risk of serious illnesses such as heart failure and strokes.

Every time the heartbeats, blood is pumped into the veins throughout the body. Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of the heart. Whenever your heartbeats, blood pressure is at its highest.

Chronic Hypertension Linked With Excess Alcohol Consumption

When a person’s blood pressure stays high longer than normal, it causes the heart to pump harder and leads to hypertension. Alcohol consumption in high quantities can constrict most blood vessels.

If your blood pressure is found above 130/80 mmHg, it will clearly be categorized as hypertension.

Drinking more than three alcohol servings at a time can temporally hike blood pressure, but drinking too much regularly can make it rise for a long time, which can have hazardous consequences on health.

According to a study, alcohol may cause hypertension by affecting the autonomic nerve activity and since the nervous system plays a role in controlling blood pressure, it disturbs the entire receptor cycle.

High blood pressure is often referred to as the ‘silent killer’ because there are minimal warning signs and many people do not get to know if they have it.

Indirect ways alcohol can affect blood pressure

Below stated is how alcohol can affect blood pressure in different ways-

• The empty calories in alcohol lead to weight gain. Obesity is known to increase blood pressure.
• Alcohol hikes cortisol (stress hormone) levels and increases blood pressure. It creates trouble in circulation by narrowing blood vessels and also disrupts fluid filtration in the kidneys.
• Alcohol causes the accumulation of calcium in the muscles around the arteries. This leads to artery contraction and high blood pressure.

Break the addiction

For many people, drinking alcohol is nothing more than a fun way to relax. However, people who drink too much and put themselves and others at risk.

Drinking too often, or being unable to control alcohol consumption can lead to alcohol abuse or alcoholism, also known as ‘alcohol dependency’. It urges the person to drink alcohol in order to get through their day.

Treating alcoholism often involves taking professional help, learning new coping strategies, and adopting better ways to deal with anxiety.

• Counseling sessions can help with long-term addiction. Connect with an emotional therapist on The Wellness Corner for your addiction recovery journey. Get support via chat/audio/video calls.

• Sometimes doctors will prescribe medication to reduce cravings. Other medications can help you stop drinking by making you feel sick when alcohol enters your body. You will eventually want to quit because your body will no more support its intake.

Conclusion

If you already know that you have high blood pressure, you should drink alcohol in moderation (no more than 2 drinks for men and 1 drink a day for women). Monitor your blood pressure regularly or order a blood pressure monitor from the online pharmacy on The Wellness Corner app. Add regular exercise to your routine for at least 30 minutes a day. Consult a dietitian to get a healthy diet plan for high blood pressure.