Health Risks Hypertension
Based on your genetics, your genetic predisposition for Hypertension is
What does this mean?
Your genotypes indicate that you have a typical risk for hypertension. See below for some recommendations to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle.
How Is Your Genetic Risk Calculated?
12.35
This result is based on the SNPs(single nucleotide polymorphism)that are associated with Hypertension.
Risk Factors Can Influence The Risk of Developing Hypertension
Genetics are NOT the only risk factor for Hypertension.
Hypertension is believed to be caused by a combination of environmental, genetic and lifestyle factors. Now that you have learnt about your genetic risk, you can determine how aggressively you need to make lifestyle changes to reduce your risk.
The earlier in your life that you commit to living a healthy lifestyle, the more you can reduce your risk for or delay the development of Hypertension.
Smoking
Using tobacco can cause your blood pressure to temporarily increase and can contribute to damaged arteries. Secondhand smoke, exposure to other people’s smoke, also increases the risk of heart disease for nonsmokers.
Diet
A diet that is too high in salt consumption, as well as calories, saturated and trans fat, and sugar, carries an additional risk of high blood pressure.
Weight
Being overweight or obese, and the lack of physical activities increases the risk of developing high blood pressure.
Age
As we age, our blood vessels gradually lose some of their elastic quality, which can contribute to increased blood pressure.
Family History
If your parents or other close blood relatives have high blood pressure, there’s an increased chance of developing high blood pressure.
Suggested Lifestyle Changes
Dietary Recommendations:
- Aim to have a healthier diet regime including eating more fruits, vegetables, and fish, and reducing saturated fat intake.
- Aim to reduce your salt intake by avoiding processed (fried food, canned food, fast food) foods that commonly contain high salt (sodium) content.
- Reduce alcohol consumption. Excessive alcohol consumption can damage the blood vessels which increases the risk of hypertension.
Lifestyle Recommendations:
- Avoid or quit smoking as smoking is one of the major risk factors for high blood pressure.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese drastically increase the risk of hypertension.
- Aim to increase your physical activity. Have modest levels of aerobic exercise on a regular basis (e.g. brisk walk or swim for 30-45 min, 3-4 times a week).
Result Explanation Recommendations:
- Maintain a healthy weight. For individuals who are overweight or obese, losing weight can also help to increase HDL levels.
- Stay active by maintaining regular physical activity. Workouts like strength training, high-intensity exercise and aerobic exercise are shown to have positive effects of HDL levels.
- Stop smoking as it can suppress your HDL cholesterol.
- Consume moderate amounts of alcohol. In fact, moderate consumption of red wine can help to improve HDL levels and lower risks of heart diseases.