It isn’t surprising to know many people who have been diagnosed with hypertension as its incidence is once again on the rise. It is considered as the silent killer, a condition that sometimes present itself with non-severe symptoms that most tend to ignore it until it’s too late. Inactivity and obesity have become primary risks of hypertension – conditions that are often preventable, but left unattended.

Statistical reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveal that 600 million people having high blood pressure are at risk of cardiovascular complications such as cardiac failure, heart attack and stroke. High blood pressure causes 7.1 million deaths worldwide and causes 5 million premature deaths, making hypertension one of the top disease killers in the world.

Blood pressure is the force of the blood on walls of the arteries. It rises and falls within the day, and continuous elevation is called high blood pressure or, in medical terms, hypertension. A blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg and above is considered high. Blood pressure is represented in two numbers, the systolic (upper number) and diastolic (lower number) blood pressure.

The Effects of Hypertension

Having hypertension is considered dangerous as it works the heart too much and leads to atherosclerosis, which then elevates the risk of stroke and heart disease, 2 of the top 3 leading causes of death among Americans. Not only that, it can also result to other conditions such as kidney disease and blindness.

The effect of high blood pressure in the body is very vital in the development of certain diseases. High blood pressure is a huge risk factor for stroke. This can cause a breakage in a weak blood vessel, bleeding the brain, or blood clotting in narrow arteries that can both result to stroke. Hypertension can also cause bleeding in the blood vessels of the eyes causing blurred and impaired vision. It also causes the arteries to harden causing the heart and kidney to work harder. When the arteries harden and become narrow, the kidney filters less fluid and wastes build up in the blood which may cause the person to need a kidney transplant later on. The same as the kidney, the narrowed arteries of the heart causes less oxygen-carrying blood to pass through causing chest pain or angina and heart attack later on.

Causes of hypertension vary and may include a greater than normal amount of blood, the arteries narrowing or a faster and more forceful heartbeat. Detection of high blood pressure is just normally found out through having it checked regularly by your physician, as it often has no symptoms.

Taking steps earlier in order to avoid hypertension can be identified if one has pre-hypertension, or a blood pressure between 120/80 mmHg and 139/89 mmHg, which means that you don’t have hypertension now, but you may develop it in the future. Avoiding hypertension in one’s lifetime is a challenge, as people at age 55 have a 90% chance of developing it in their lifetime.

To prevent hypertension, one could also resort to lifestyle habits like following a healthy diet pattern, sustaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking, becoming physically active, limiting intake of alcohol and minimizing salt and sodium in the diet. Other lifestyle habits will be discussed later on. If the case is already present, maintaining a controlled blood pressure of 140/90 is needed. Having a healthy lifestyle is the first step in both prevention and treatment; however, if these are not enough, blood pressure medications may also be taken with prescription from the doctor.

Lifestyle Change, Lower Blood Pressure

• When walking, do the power walk.

  Doing simple power walks daily can significantly help in lowering one’s blood pressure. Patients with hypertension who engaged in fitness walks at a quick pace significantly lowered their blood pressures by 8mmHg over 6mmHg. Exercising helps the heart in utilizing more oxygen, making the heart pump more blood. Getting a dynamic cardio exercise most days of the week will help and remember to increase distance or speed continuously to challenge you more.

• When breathing, breathe deeply.

  Engaging in meditation activities like yoga, qigong and tai chi, as well as slow breathing, helps calm the mind and body. It lowers stress hormones and elevates a kidney enzyme that regulates blood pressure called renin. Performing meditative exercises every morning does the job, as well as many other benefits. Spending at least 5 minutes in the morning and at night may also do. Inhale and expand your belly, then exhale and let loose of all the tension in the body.

• When eating, eat potassium-rich foods.

  Linda Van Horn, PhD, RD, a preventive medicine doctor at Feinberg School of Medical in Northwestern University, says that eating foods rich in potassium plays an important role in lowering one’s blood pressure. Prof. Horn suggests 2,000 to 4,000 mg of potassium a day for maximum benefits. Great sources of potassium include orange juice, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, bananas, kidney beans, honeydew lemon, cantaloupe, and dried fruits.

• When buying foods, check the labels for sodium

  A nutritionist researcher at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Eva Obarnazek, PhD, says that everyone should limit their sodium intake. Certain types of people like the African Americans, elderly, and those whose family has high blood pressure history are advised to be aware of their sodium intake as this can influence further increase in blood pressure. She suggests a 1,500 mg daily intake of sodium, almost half of the average intake of Americans. However, cutting sodium does not only mean watching the amount of salt you put in your dish, which only comprises 15% of the sodium in a normal American diet. Be aware of sodium in processed foods, she says, for it is where most of the sodium comes from. Replacing salt with seasoning like spices, herbs, lemon and seasoning blends free of salt can be used. Also, make the right transition to organic sea salt instead of table salt.

• When craving for chocolate, choose dark

  Aside from the well-known delicious and addicting taste of chocolate, choosing dark chocolate may be a good place to start for acquiring more health benefits. It contains flavanols that elasticizes the blood vessels. A study observed a significant decrease in blood pressure levels in 18% of the patients who ate dark chocolate every day. Eating ½ ounce per day is a start, but make sure it contains at least 70% cocoa. Remember that the darker the chocolate is, the healthier it is for you.

Sources
medicinenet.com
nhlbi.nih.gov
prevention.com
always-health.com
mayoclinic.com
lifeclinic.com