High Blood Pressure - Prevent & Control

MARIAN was afraid! Without warning, her nose had begun to bleed profusely. "I thought I was going to die," she recalls. A doctor informed Marian that her nosebleed had been caused by high blood pressure (arterial hypertension). "But I feel fine," answered Marian. "Many people do not know that they have high blood pressure because they have no symptoms," she replied.

Blood pressure is the force blood exerts against blood vessel walls. It can be measured using an inflatable rubber cuff, which is wrapped around the upper arm and connected to an apparatus that records pressure. Two readings are obtained. For example: 120/80. The first number is called systolic blood pressure because it indicates blood pressure during the heartbeat (systole), and the second number is called diastolic blood pressure because it indicates blood pressure while the heart is relaxed (diastole). Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury, and physicians classify patients as hypertensive when their blood pressure is above 140/90.

What makes blood pressure increase? Imagine that you are watering your garden. By opening the faucet or by reducing the caliber, or diameter, of the jet of water, you increase the pressure of the water. The same occurs with blood pressure: Increasing the rate of flow of blood or decreasing the caliber of the blood vessel elevates the blood pressure. How does high blood pressure occur? Many factors are involved.

Factors You Cannot Control

The risk of abnormally high blood pressure is also known to increase with age and to be greater among black males, according to this study. High Blood Pressure does not automatically mean you will have a Heart Attack or Stroke either, but rather raise the risk. Nevertheless, it is just good sense to try and lower it regardless.

Factors You Can Control

Watch your diet! Salt (sodium) can boost blood pressure in some people, especially people with diabetes, those with severe hypertension and older people. Excess fat in the bloodstream can create deposits of cholesterol on the internal walls of blood vessels (atherosclerosis), thus reducing their caliber and increasing blood pressure. People who are more than 30 percent above their ideal body weight are liable to have high blood pressure. Studies suggest that increasing the intake of potassium and calcium may lower blood pressure, but only when you take these nutrients in food form, not isolated.

Smoking is related to a greater risk of atherosclerosis, diabetes, heart attack, and stroke. That being so, smoking and high blood pressure are a dangerous combination that can lead to cardiovascular diseases. Although the evidence is contradictory, caffeine-contained in coffee, tea, and cola drinks-and emotional and physical stress may also aggravate high blood pressure. In addition, scientists know that intensive or chronic consumption of alcoholic drinks and lack of physical activity can increase blood pressure. To be safe, change your health for good, start eating Super YASAi right here!