Low blood pressure: symptoms, remedies and nutrition against hypotension
Low blood pressure occurs when there is a general lowering of blood pressure values, basically when the values drop between 90 and 60 mmHg (the millimeters of mercury column that measure the pressure of the arteries at the level of the heart). they refer respectively to the maximum and minimum pressure.
Low blood pressure is a common phenomenon, which in medicine is called hypotension. Its opposite, of course, is high blood pressure, hypertension so dangerous for the heart and circulatory system. Although low blood pressure is not a real disorder, it is good to take care of it to avoid the classic symptoms. What causes and remedies for low blood pressure? Is there an adequate diet to follow, to take care of your blood pressure? Here you will find answers to all your questions, or you need to contact a particular doctor, like this:
Low blood pressure: the symptoms
Low blood pressure presents with very recognizable symptoms, which even those who do not normally suffer from hypotension can feel from time to time. In the summer, for example, even a drop in sugar or mineral salts in the blood can cause a drop in blood pressure, in the most important cases even with fainting. But let's see the main symptoms of low blood pressure:
- dizziness
- dizziness
- ringing in the ears
- fainting
- chronic fatigue
- general weakness
- constant sleepiness
- headache
- blurred vision
- difficulty concentrating
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Symptoms mainly depend on how quickly the blood pressure drops. The more abrupt the decrease in pressure, the more prominent the symptoms (dizziness, paleness, sweating or even fainting).
Symptoms are most noticeable when changing positions, such as standing up from sitting or kneeling.
If, on the other hand, the pressure is constantly low, the symptoms are more deceptive. In fact, chronic fatigue and difficulty concentrating can make you think of other ailments.
Then there are people for whom low blood pressure is physiological, and therefore not caused by any factor or pathology.
For these people, hypotension is part of the normal functioning of their body, so they will not have any symptoms. But people who engage in intense physical activity also tend to have low blood pressure. Obviously, this phenomenon is anything but worrying: indeed, it is a symptom of good heart functioning!
What are the causes of low blood pressure?
Hypotension is caused by several factors. One of the most frequent causes is heredity: in fact, cases of low blood pressure often recur in the same families, as a simple predisposition. This obviously concerns a tendency to low blood pressure, while in acute cases, of sudden drops in blood pressure, there can be several triggering causes:
- diseases such as diabetes, arrhythmia or tachycardia
- dehydration
- diarrhea
- bleeding
- anemia
- vitamin deficiency
- thyroid dysfunction
- allergic reactions
- drug reaction
- reaction to climate and microclimate (in summer the blood vessels dilate with the heat, causing a lowering of pressure)
The causes of hypotension, as you can see, are many, and also very different from each other. It is obviously important to be able to distinguish, for greater peace of mind, between an ordinary tendency to low blood pressure, for which there is no need to worry, and low blood pressure as one of the symptoms of wider problems, such as chronic diseases or acute reactions such as allergies and drug consequences. . For example, some types of medications such as diuretics or antidepressants can cause low blood pressure.
The remedies: from proper nutrition to grandmother's remedies
In mild cases of low blood pressure, the one caused by a simple drop due to the heat, or a momentary reaction, there are the classic grandmother's remedies that always work. Instead of drinking the classic water with dissolved sugar, however, melt a sachet of sugar (preferably cane) under your tongue, helping yourself with a glass of water afterwards. If you feel faint, try lying on any surface, by pulling your legs up, resting them on a chair or a pile of pillows, or asking someone to hold them up for you if you are not at home. This way the blood will get to your heart and brain more easily, making you recover quickly. to emergency remedies, then there are good habits, to follow if you chronically suffer from low blood pressure: always drink plenty of water and other liquids, and above all, follow an adequate "diet, especially rich in mineral salts, the element that most of others it helps to regulate blood pressure. Then, as a good habit, after lunch or for a snack, eat licorice, which is one of the most suitable foods to help those suffering from hypotension. You can always carry licorice with you in your bag, because you never know when you might need it ... To know more about what to eat with low blood pressure, read below!
Low blood pressure: what to eat to recover?
Here is an example of what to eat if you have low blood pressure. As anticipated, the diet must help to replenish mineral salts and sugars to keep up. It is important to replenish especially magnesium and potassium, so it will be good to consume foods rich in magnesium such as dried fruit, green leafy vegetables, cocoa and Brown rice. To recover potassium, however, it is advisable to eat dried apricots, beans, potatoes, spinach, grapes (fresh or dried). Licorice can also be consumed in the form of chewable sticks, although the best version is the juice of licorice.
Discover all the foods to take care of low blood pressure in the images below!
To cheer you up, try these yummy walnut sandwiches!
