Blood pressure is one of the easiest-to-measure health markers. You can do this yourself at home with a simple blood pressure cuff.
But what do those blood pressure readings actually mean? How do you know if you have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension? Let’s talk numbers!
How to Interpret Blood Pressure Readings
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and made up of two numbers: systolic and diastolic.
- Systolic blood pressure is the pressure your blood puts on your artery walls when your heart beats. It’s the first (and highest) number of the reading.
- Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure of your blood against your artery walls in between heart beats. It’s the second (and lowest) number of the reading.
Both numbers are important and can indicate the presence or development of hypertension.
However, the American Heart Association says that systolic blood pressure “tells more about risk factors for heart disease for people over 50.” This is because when people get older, they usually get higher systolic readings due to the stiffening of arteries and more plaque buildup over time.
Blood Pressure Chart
The blood pressure chart below shows the six different categories of blood pressure, from low to normal to extremely high.
Disclaimer: It’s important to note that only medical professionals can officially diagnose high blood pressure. If your at-home readings are consistently high, you should go and see your doctor for advice and possible medical intervention.
- Low blood pressure: systolic <90 and diastolic <60
- Normal blood pressure: systolic <120 and diastolic <80
- Elevated blood pressure: systolic 120-129 and diastolic <80
- High blood pressure stage 1: systolic 130-139 or diastolic 80-89
- High blood pressure stage 2: systolic ≥140 or diastolic ≥90
- Hypertensive crisis: systolic >180 and/or diastolic >120
Hypertension is often called a “silent killer” because there are typically no visible or noticeable symptoms. Long-term high blood pressure may lead to a heart attack, heart failure, stroke, kidney disease, or vision loss.
It is absolutely vital to manage your blood pressure, which, first, requires regular blood pressure readings and, second, potential lifestyle changes and/or medication. Learn more about high blood pressure here.
Foods That May Lower Blood Pressure
For people with elevated blood pressure, it may be possible to improve their numbers without medication. Often, thoughtful lifestyle changes and better food choices should result in healthier blood pressure in the future.
Lifestyle changes may include starting resistance training, cardiovascular exercise, walking more, limiting alcohol use, and improving sleep.
Making better food choices, on the other hand, could include such things as reducing salt consumption, avoiding ultra-processed foods, eliminating sugary foods and beverages, and getting more potassium and magnesium by eating more fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Here are some examples of foods that may help you lower your blood pressure:
- Fatty fish, such as wild-caught salmon, mackerel, and sardines
- Leafy greens, such as spinach, chard, and kale
- Nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, almonds, pistachios, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and pumpkin seeds
- Herbs and spices, particularly dill, cardamom, cinnamon, and garlic
- Legumes, such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, and green peas
- Fruits, such as bananas, kiwis, citrus fruits, tomatoes, and avocados
- Dark chocolate
Essentially, high blood pressure is often the result of a poor lifestyle and diet. Unless it’s very high and requires medical intervention, it can usually be improved by making better everyday choices in terms of exercise and nutrition. This is where a personal trainer and/or nutrition coach can be extremely valuable!
