High Blood Pressure

Without treatment, high blood pressure can put you at risk for heart attacks, strokes, and aneurysms. Yet, you might not even know you have hypertension. At Mindful Weight Loss in Redondo Beach, California, Vivek Gupta, MD, MPH, uses weight loss in your high blood pressure management plan, which can reduce or eliminate your need for medication. If you have concerns about your weight or your blood pressure, call Mindful Weight Loss or schedule an appointment online today.

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a chronic condition that’s often associated with being overweight or obese. However, you can also have high blood pressure when you’re at a normal weight.

As your blood pumps through your veins and arteries, it exerts pressure on their walls. If this pressure is too high, it could be due to excess fluid within your system, plaque buildup causing your blood vessels to narrow, or other changes happening in your body.

Primary hypertension is elevated blood pressure that doesn’t come from any other health condition. You might have it because of your genes, natural body changes related to aging, or unhealthy lifestyle factors, like a poor diet or a lack of exercise.

On the other hand, secondary hypertension comes as a direct result of some other condition you have. A few conditions that can cause high blood pressure are kidney disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and alcoholism.

Unfortunately, high blood pressure does not come with any symptoms for most people. For this reason, Dr. Gupta checks your blood pressure at the beginning of routine visits.

Other tests such as urinalysis, blood tests, and ultrasound imaging, can rule out potential conditions that may be causing or worsening your high blood pressure. At Mindful Weight Loss, Dr. Gupta asks about your lifestyle habits to find helpful changes you can make to lower your blood pressure.

If you’re overweight, Dr. Gupta focuses on weight loss as part of his approach to treating your high blood pressure and other conditions that arise in relation to excess body fat. He works closely with you to make an individualized treatment plan that addresses unhealthy lifestyle habits that are contributing to your elevated blood pressure.

For primary hypertension, lifestyle changes are highly effective in helping manage high blood pressure. Dr. Gupta works with you to create a personalized plan to manage your blood pressure.

Your treatment plan may include:

A 60-minute intake appointment addressing your health and medical history
Nutritional guidance
An exercise plan
Regular visits for weight and blood pressure monitoring
Stress management with mindfulness training
Communications through the Mindful Weight Loss app

Following your treatment plan closely might allow you to avoid going on medication to lower your blood pressure. If you’re already taking medication, losing weight may allow you to decrease or even discontinue it.

If you have any other conditions contributing to your high blood pressure, Dr. Gupta can work with your primary care physician and other providers to develop a more comprehensive plan for your health.

If you have concerns about your blood pressure or weight, call Mindful Weight Loss or schedule your intake appointment online today.