Here at Matthews Internal Medicine, our specialty is preventative medicine. We try to help you avoid medical complications in the first place, or we can help you catch problems early and make some healthy lifestyle changes. One common ailment we see at our practice is high blood pressure.
There are many reasons that a patient might have higher blood pressure, ranging from stress to hereditary factors, but your weight might also be an issue. Losing weight can actually help you lower your blood pressure and help you deal with a variety of other health problems. That’s why we also help our patients with safe weight management plans.
Our Weight Management Programs
When a patient of ours is trying to get into better shape, we can help. We’ll monitor your health and figure out how much weight you need to lose. From there, we’ll find safe ways that you can lose that weight and get you on the path to a healthier lifestyle.
That means that we can give you tips on how to eat healthy and let you know how to exercise safely. Just jumping into a workout plan can be dangerous depending on your age, weight, health, and other factors. We’ll find a workout plan that works without overtaxing you. We can also evaluate your weight management needs to see if you can benefit from surgical weight loss methods or weight loss medication. If you’re overweight, we will find a way to help you live a healthier life.
Benefits of Losing Weight
When you start to lose weight you could notice a decrease in blood pressure rather quickly. In some cases, losing just five to ten pounds can lower your blood pressure. As you begin to slim down, you’ll noticed continued health improvements as your blood pressure gets lower and lower. Eventually you may be able to come off of your blood pressure medication. Of course, you should be consulting a medical professional before dropping any medication. Never quit taking your blood pressure medicine on your own, no matter how much weight you’ve lost.
Why Lowering Blood Pressure is Important
By now, you may be wondering what the big deal about high blood pressure is. This health problem can cause a whole host of other health issues. High blood pressure is bad for your heart because it forces it to work harder to pump blood to the rest of your body. When you lower your blood pressure, your heart will be happier and healthier.
High blood pressure can also cause damage to your arteries over time. Patients with high blood pressure have an increased risk of heart failure and damage to the kidneys. High blood pressure can cause health issues in many different areas of the body. That includes the brain as well. High blood pressure can increase your risk of developing an aneurysm or having a stroke. It can even up the risk of developing dementia or cognitive impairments. If you have high blood pressure, start a weight loss plan sooner rather than later. Then reap the benefits.