Heart & Stroke recommends that Canadians eat less than 2,300 mg of sodium (about 1 tsp / 5 mL of salt) a day total from processed foods and salt added during food preparation and at the table. Also try to limit your use of salt in cooking and at the table. This includes fast foods, prepared meals, processed meats (such as hot dogs and lunch meats), canned and dried soups, bottled dressing, packaged sauces, condiments and salty snacks. High sources of sodium are found in highly processed foods. Follow these links to more information about medications for hypertension and heart disease or hypertension and stroke.
#Blood pressure chart age how to#
The following steps towards a healthier lifestyle can help you lower your blood pressure and keep it at a healthy level:įind out more about how to lower your blood pressure.What can I do to control my blood pressure? For other people, low blood pressure is a problem.įind out more about low blood pressure. These are generally people who are very fit and who have a slow pulse. Most doctors would say that you have low blood pressure if it is below 90/60 mmHg.įor some people, low blood pressure is a sign of good health. This is why it’s important to see your doctor and have your blood pressure checked regularly, especially if you have one or more of the known risk factors.Ī few people with very high blood pressure may experience headache, dizziness or the sudden effects of diseases of the arteries such as chest pain or stroke.ĪRE YOU AT RISK? - Are you at risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease? Use our Risk Checker to find out. Most people with high blood pressure have no symptoms, and may feel quite well. Your doctor may confirm this using a 24-hour blood pressure measurement or getting you to measure your blood pressure at home. Generally, if a person has a blood pressure reading greater than 140/90 mmHg taken at least 3 times at the same clinic, they have high blood pressure.
Most doctors would say that a healthy blood pressure is higher than 90/60 mmHg but lower than about 140/90. Your blood pressure varies from day to day, even moment to moment. Blood pressure is measured in ‘mmHg’, which refers to millimetres of mercury. It is given as 2 figures - highest over lowest or systolic over diastolic. Your blood pressure is a measurement taken of the highest reading (systolic) and the lowest reading (diastolic).