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How To Reduce The Risk Of High Blood Pressure
by Edward Vorwerden
http://www.rvhealth.com
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 sinister thing about hypertension is that it kills by
stealth. Most of the damage it does occurs without the
person realising it. Yet hypertension is incredibly easy to
detect with a few pain free seconds in a pressure cuff, and
also relatively easy to treat with a few lifestyle changes.
This is not an excessively complex problem so what is going
so badly wrong, when everyone is bombarded with
advertising, and magazine articles that promote a healthy
lifestyle. For whatever reason the majority choose to
ignore the warning and continue doing all the "bad things"
such as drinking alcohol, eating high fat snacks, and
smoking.
Could You Be At Risk?
First lets take a look at your blood pressure reading and
what it means. A blood pressure reading is represented 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 Beyond Your Control
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.
Hypertension offers mercy to no-one. Males are more apt
than females to suffer from hypertension before the age of
55. Since women tend to be more health-conscious, they
often take preventive measures to eliminate the possibility
of hypertension, though they are still at risk for 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.
Factors Within Our Control
Consciousness of your risk is the primary step toward the
reduction of the risk of hypertension. Carrying too much
weight, no exercise, poor diet, smoking and drinking
excessively are all contributing factors towards a
hypertension problem. Amendments to your lifestyle can have
a significant impact on your health.
Overweight individuals are vulnerable to hypertension in a
number of ways. High fat diets are usually high in salt,
which raises blood pressure. Carrying excess weight
requires the heart to work harder, which forces the blood
to flow even harder through the vessels. In addition a
blood gas that relaxs the vessels is destroyed by the layer
of fat located 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 your worst enemy. The most common dietary
source of sodium is salt. The more sodium your body holds,
the more water it retains. The water is first stored in the
bloodstream, and then off-loaded into the tissues. When
your system becomes "waterlogged", the strain is felt by
overfilled vessels, increasing your chances of developing
high blood pressure. Potassium can help balance the amount
of sodium in cell fluids with the best source being found
in fruits and vegetables like bananas.
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.
There can be few things worse for hypertension than smoking
tobacco, which increases the heart rate while hardening and
constricting the blood vessels. This leads to even higher
pressure, which in turn further damages 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.
Make an Effort
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.
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