|
Genital herpes
alternative treatment
Herbal remedy for rheumatoid arthritis
Herbal remedy
for Gout
Natural herbal acne remedy
Herbal
remedy for dark circles
Oily skin care
Natural
treatment for dry skin.
Natural body skin care
Natural
herbal remedy for wrinkles
Herbal face
packs for fairness
Herbal teas to increase skin glow and fairness
Increase
fairness
Ayurveda remedy to increase libido
Erectile dysfunction causes and herbal remedy to Increase
erection
Increase quality and
quantity of semen
Hair
care
Natural
remedies for Benign prostatic hypertrophyt
Obesity and Weight reduction
Psoriasis Natural alternative ayurvedic herbal treatment
Winter care
Feed Back
Tell
A Friend About this site
Translate this page
|
Index
>
Home
>
articles
> How To Reduce The Risk Of
High Blood Pressure
|
How To Reduce The Risk Of High Blood Pressure |
|
By conservative estimates, there are over 600
million adults worldwide believed to be suffering from persistent
high blood pressure or hypertension to use the technical term. In
the last few years doctors have defined a new level of risk,
prehypertension (a borderline pressure range which is a warning of
trouble to come.) Over the
course of our lives, maybe 90% of us will develop a blood pressure
problem, with half of us dying from either a
stroke or heart disease - hypertension's frequent outcome.
|
"The Stealth Killer" is a title often given to hypertension as it
does most of its damage without alerting the
individual. Yet put on a pressure cuff for a few painless seconds
and you can identify hypertension. Adopt a few
changes to your lifestyle and the condition can be simply treated.
So why has the problem grown to this extent? We are
all continually bombarded with commercials, and magazine articles
which reinforce the importance of living a healthy life. Yet most
of us choose to ignore the message and indulge in all the "bad"
things such as smoking, drinking alcohol, and high fat snacks.
Are You At Risk?
First lets take a look at your blood pressure
reading and what it means.
A blood pressure reading is represented |
|
Weight Reduction Kit |
|
Reduces the
excess fat.
Rejuvenates
the body.
Increases
the body energy.
Increases
the body resistance
Metabolizes
the fat without any side effects.
Reduces
cholesterol levels.
Purely
herbal.
Do not have
any side effects |
|
by two numbers, 120/80 or 160/100 for example. The first number refers to the
pressure against the blood vessel
walls during a heartbeat, the systolic pressure. The second number
is the pressure taken between heartbeats, the diastolic pressure.
Here are the American Heart Association's recommended levels of
blood pressure (units
mm Hg):-
Normal: 120 or less / 80 or less
Prehypertension: 120-139 ( systolic) or 80-89 (diastolic)
Stage 1 Hypertension: 140-159 or 90-99
Stage 2 Hypertension: 160 and above or 100 and above
Factors We Cannot Change
Although it is unclear why African Americans and dark complexion
natives (Bahamians and Native Americans for
example) have a much higher risk. Some believe it's due to either
genetics or the environment in some way.
High blood pressure has no mercy on the sexes. Men are more likely
than women to have hypertension before the age of 55. Women are
generally more aware of their health and take preventative
measures to ward off hypertension, but they are still susceptible
to the disease.
The risk of having high blood pressure increases as you age. It's
common for adults between 50 and 65 to have
hypertension. As the body changes, it affects your heart, blood
vessels, and hormones. These changes, combined with other risk
factors, increase your chances of developing hypertension
Family history can also indicate a risk. Twenty-five percent of
adults that have a family history of heart disease or high blood
pressure have a 60 percent risk of developing hypertension.
Genetics, environment, and your access to receiving good health
care are all determining factors. A family history doesn't mean
that you are
destined to have high blood pressure. However, it does mean that
you should take preventative measures to ensure that your
vulnerability is low.
Changeable Risk Factors
Being aware of your risk is the first positive step you can take
in "lowering" your risk of hypertension Being
overweight or obese, a lack of exercise, eating badly, smoking and
drinking too much, all play a role. Changing
your lifestyle has a definite impact.
Excess weight contributes to hypertension in all sorts of ways.
Diets which are high in fat are often high in salt,
which boosts blood pressure. Carrying that extra weight also
causes the heart to work more, forcing the blood
even harder through the vessels. Also a blood gas that helps the
vessels relax is destroyed by fat situated around the gut.
Healthy eating is the first step to reducing your risk. A low-fat,
low-salt, high nutrient diet is recommended.
Reduce your intake of processed foods, salty snacks and cured
meats. Eat more fish and poultry. Fill up on fruits and
vegetables. Better eating habits can lower the needle on the
bathroom scales and on the pressure monitor.
Sodium can be a deadly enemy of the body. The most popular dietary
source of sodium is ingested through the
use of salt. Increasing your salt intake requires the body to hold
more water. The body first stores this water in the bloodstream
and then it deposits it in the tissues. Fluid retention causes
stress on the heart and escalates the chances of developing high
blood pressure. Potassium helps promote a healthy balance of the
amount of sodium in cell fluids. Fruit - such as bananas - and
vegetables are an excellent source of potassium.
Various forms of physical activity - a short 20-minute walk or
housecleaning task - can have a serious impact on
your life. Any type of exercise aids in the heart's effort to pump
blood through your body. Lack of exercise
places stress on the heart, resulting in escalated blood pressure.
Make a commitment to exercise for at least 30
minutes three or four times per week.
Can there be anything worse for hypertension than smoking tobacco?
Smoking steps up the heart rate while hardening and constricting
the blood vessels. This creates even higher pressure, which causes
further damage to the heart and blood vessels.
Alcohol is another "no-no". An occasional beer or glass of wine
will not send you over the edge, but indulging in them can cause
serious problems. Consuming three or more alcoholic beverages a
day nearly doubles your risk of high blood pressure.
Get Smart
Those who are most at risk for high blood pressure should consider
a change of lifestyle in order to decrease the
chances of developing the disease. The commitment to a healthier
life style is something that can be made by
everyone. Don't gamble, make an intelligent decision to lower your
risk of hypertension.
Author Edward Vorwerden suffered a stroke at the age of 37.
Since his recovery he has put his efforts into helping others
on health related issues through his website,
RV Health.
You can visit http://www.rvhealth.com for more help, advice
and tips from Edward.
Go to free consultations
email
us
|
