December 16th, 2008
Foods that lower blood pressure should be consumed by anyone who suffers from or is in danger of raised blood pressure. Drugs are important in reducing the blood pressure, but natural blood pressure lowering foods should be eaten as often as possible.
Garlic as well as onions can lower the blood pressure, as the case with multiple varieties of vegetables. Fish oil can also be considered one of the foods that lower blood pressure.
Increased cholesterol can have an unfavorable impact on the blood pressure as it can encourage it to rise to unhealthy levels. Low fat dairy food is priority food items suitable for people with increased blood pressure.
Fruit and vegetables are a major part of the blood pressure lowering food group, this includes Oranges, potatoes, and cabbage etc. Some of these can also be useful in supplying vitamin C which is also useful in assisting with lowering blood pressure.
Low fat yogurt, cheese without fat or with less fat, low calories cheese, cottage cheese with fat levels of just one per cent are other examples of the few dairy products that have advantage as foods that lower blood pressure. These dairy products are capable of reducing the blood pressure in the hypertensive patients quite effectively, mainly because of the low fat content in them. Therefore it’s important the label of any dairy product is checked carefully for the amount of fat it contains.
Excess alcohol especially on a daily basis can raise the blood pressure; alcohol should always be taken in moderate amounts especially by a person in a hypertensive state.
Foods that lower blood pressure should have the sodium content carefully monitored as sodium is well known to increase blood pressure.
Non-vegetarians should choose meat with less fat. For example, the white meat that comprises chicken or turkey without skin may be considered one of the foods that lower blood pressure. Similarly, egg white may be chosen instead of whole eggs as the yolk is thought to contain high levels of cholesterol.
Calcium and vitamins like vitamin E are usually associated with factors that cause reduction in the blood pressure and omega-3 fatty acids are another food that is considered to be healthy.
Eating a healthy diet which comprises of all the right foods, can have huge benefits to a person with high blood pressure and can often be the deciding factor of whether they need to take hypertensive drugs or not.
You’re never too old to change your lifestyle. and you’ll see the benefits of changing eating patterns not only in the reducing of high blood pressure, but also the added bonus of weight loss.
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December 12th, 2008
Exercise is usually an activity that comes at the bottom of many peoples “to do list”; when in reality it should be at the top. Exercise is important because it helps to keep our heart nice and healthy, assists in keeping our blood pressure within normal limits and gives us a good feeling factor.
When deciding on what type of exercise to start especially if you suffer from high blood pressure you should take a couple of considerations into account. The first one (and probably the most important one), is it should be an exercise you enjoy, because if you enjoy it, you’re more likely to stick to it.
The second consideration you should take into account when planning your exercise regime is it must be a rhythmic exercise, because if it’s rhythmic, it will be more likely you are using the larger muscle groups in your body. Taking a brisk walk or going swimming are ideal examples of a rhythmic type of exercise.
Many people complain they can’t swim or they dislike walking as they live in either a dangerous or polluted environment. However this is an excellent chance to think outside the box and really go for a complete change of ideas and thoughts.
For instance, how do you know you don’t like swimming if you have never learnt how to do it? Book yourself onto a course of swimming lessons and give yourself the opportunity to learn. It’s also an excellent way of meeting new friends plus you are learning a new skill.
Walking can be done in places other than your immediate neighbourhood. Look in your local newspaper or guide to see if there are any walking clubs in your area (I bet there are), buy yourself a pair of stout boots and some suitable clothes, and join up.
Walking clubs plan some super excursions to all types of lovely places, and it’s a wonderful way of not only helping you to become fit and reduce your blood pressure, but you also get a chance to see some of the lovely countryside that otherwise you would probably have missed. You can visit your local park or nearest open space to start practicing your walking skills.
At the end of the day, the secret of any exercise regime whether it is to just get fit, or help your health problems is to start it modestly. Another tip is to keep it to yourself. If you tell other people about your plans to take up exercise, you may find yourself the butt of their good natured teasing. You may also find you put yourself under stress because you know they are watching you and just waiting to slip up. Many people feel guilty when they see other people making an effort to do something they know they should be doing, and seeing them fail helps to keep them in their comfort zone.
Finally make sure you tell your doctor of your plans to take up exercise. If you do have some health problems such as hypertension or cardiovascular disease, he may want to check you over to make sure he’s happy for you to start. He will also probably give you a lecture about not over doing it. Having said all that, he will also probably be very pleased that you’re making the effort.
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December 8th, 2008
Many people nowadays get nowhere near as much exercise as they should do, and unfortunately it can and often does have a disastrous effect on our health. The prospect of actually getting up and starting an exercise regime can seem daunting to some people and they often refused to see the value that regular exercise can have on reducing raised blood pressure.
For many people exercise can be a depressing thought especially at the end of a day which has been tiring and busy, and the very thought of actual exercise can be a daunting thought.
The fact is though, exercise plays a key part in reducing raised blood pressure (hypertension), and cardiovascular disease, and many people who have had problems with their blood pressure have discovered that commencing an exercise regime coupled with a sensible diet, is often enough to ensure the blood pressure is kept within normal limits with either a reduced amount of prescribed medication or none at all.
The problem with exercise is a person’s actual perception of it. Many people are of the opinion that to start exercising correctly, they should join a gym or start lifting weights. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous, and indeed if very unfit, a person should never commence a strenuous health workout especially if they have accompanying health problems such as raised blood pressure.
The first thing to do when deciding to start an exercise regime is to consult your doctor to ensure he is happy for you to exercise. Once you have his permission, then it is time to start thinking about the type of exercise you should start taking.
If you want to join a gym, that’s excellent. But it is imperative that you are given an exercise plan to work to from a qualified fitness coach. You should never just start using the equipment by yourself as there is a real risk you can cause yourself some injury.
Another method of taking some exercise which lies much closer to home is to walk. Walking is an excellent method of exercise, and if you can manage to go for a brisk half hour walk at least three times a week, then you are making an excellent start. Owning a dog is an excellent excuse for going for long walks.
Other methods of increasing your exercise output are small but quite effective. These include such methods as getting off your bus a stop earlier (or missing the bus and walking).At work if you get into the habit of walking up the stairs instead of using the elevator, park your car further away from the office so you have to walk that bit further, or even better if not too far away, leave the car in the garage and walk to work.
You’ll soon find you start to feel healthier (and slimmer), and hopefully your blood pressure will soon drop to more normal limits.
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December 6th, 2008
Hypertension or high blood pressure is probably one of the most common cardiovascular diseases in the world. It has been estimated that there are over 690 million people throughout the world who suffer from high blood pressure and in any western society this number can be as high as 20% of the population.
Hypertension is now reaching epidemic proportions throughout the world and one of the reasons for this is that the ever growing elderly population makes up a large proportion of this number.
Traditionally elderly people have not been treated for their high blood pressure assertively with appropriate antihypertensive medication as it was thought that high blood pressure in the elderly was a normal part of the aging process. It was also thought that elderly people would succumb to the sometimes aggressive side effects of some of the medications on the market.
However it is now realized this is not true and elderly people should be treated for their hypertensive problems with appropriately prescribed medication.
Researchers conducting trials into the efficiency of hypertensive drugs in the elderly believe diuretics, one of the most common anti-hypertensive drugs there is, are probably the most effective for this age group.
There is no actual consensus at the moment as to what constitutes a “normal” blood pressure in an elderly person though they readily admit that any reduction from a conventional definition of hypertension which is likely to be more than 160mm Hg systolic or more than 95mm Hg diastolic “is likely to be beneficial”.
Also one of the biggest benefits of using diuretics to reduce blood pressure is the sheer cost effectiveness of the treatment as most conventional diuretics are very cheap.
It’s thought that if diuretics were used effectively in the treatment of elderly people, they could probably reduce up to 40% of stroke related death, therefore reducing the incidence of heart related diseases and assist in helping older people live a healthy continuously active lifestyle.
Other irrefutable evidence from some studies has also discovered doctors only have to treat 50 patients over the age of 60 with these types of antihypertensive drugs for approximately five years to prevent one stroke rather than 168 younger patients. The cost implication in this is tremendous.
It’s important that the problem of hypertension in older people is taken seriously and not just considered a part of the normal aging process. Hypertension is a serious disease no matter what your age and should always be treated.
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December 4th, 2008
The problem with high blood pressure nowadays is it’s so common and talked about so frequently that many people don’t appear to treat it with the “respect” it deserves. The fact is high blood pressure or hypertension (to give it its medical name) is a killer and should be treated as such.
Many doctors and scientists have spent a great deal of time money and effort trying to define exactly what a true definition of Hypertension is.
There have been many human population studies performed on this subject which have given the scientists and doctors a wide range of blood pressure values. However the results are usually skewed as invariably the results differ from country to country and even from district to district within a specific country. Therefore it’s been concluded that the definition of hypertension can only be arrived at through constant observation and experimentation.
Normal blood pressure is recognized in a similar way to a normal body weight. In other words, the defining level is that which is associated with the greatest chance of life expectancy. This is the level at which the heart and other important functions of the body such as the circulatory system are able to continue under optimum conditions without running the risk of heart disease and other related disorders.
There are other considerations to be taken into account when defining hypertension or high blood pressure and some have to be excluded. For instance If a healthy person was to become excited, their systolic blood pressure can be expected to rise by as much as fifty percent. This is because their blood flow increases in response to their extreme emotional excitement or any type of energetic exercise. However it doesn’t stay high for long, because once the level of excitement has gone down, the blood pressure also reduces back down to its normal level.
One way of recognising this as a normal reaction is to look at the diastolic reading of the blood pressure. If it doesn’t rise but stays constant throughout, it can be safely said this blood pressure is within normal limits.
As the diastolic pressure is the more important of the two readings, it is an excellent guide to ascertaining whether a high reading is a false positive or not. The reason the diastolic pressure is the most important is because it reflects the state of the person’s arterioles. If a person has a high reading, this means their arterioles are constricted with the channels less free flowing than they should be.
A person with a blood pressure reading of 170/110 or above will probably experience severe headaches, fatigue and/or dizzy spells. If someone suffers with a blood pressure which reads 230/130, then they are extremely likely to develop serious medical problems such as heart disease, stroke and other conditions.
Hypertension is not a disease in itself, but an important criterion by which doctors can diagnose or predict other illnesses. It cannot be cured as such, but it can be very well controlled.
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December 3rd, 2008
The dangers of high blood pressure have to be addressed in a systematic manner. First, the patient should understand the basic and scientific facts on dangers of high blood pressure.
When correct therapeutic management related precautions are not adequately undertaken in the management of high blood pressure, the patient becomes vulnerable to different kinds of clinical problems due to their hypertension. The pathogenic effects of this increased blood pressure in any person depend on the type of organ affected in their body.
The dangers of high blood pressure get more complicated by the presence of concurrent diseases and hence, the differential diagnosis becomes very difficult for the doctor who is treating these hypertensive patients.
One of the dangers of high blood pressure in a person is the blood vessels supplying the eyes may severely affected. There is then a danger of them losing their vision.
The cardiac region can also become affected; therefore high blood pressure can also cause severe cardiac problems. The affected person may have disruptions in the cardiac blood flow by means of capillary leakage or rupture and this depends on the extent of affection in cardiac blood vessels.
Mostly, the arteries and arterioles have to face the impact of high blood pressure and in addition, the myocardium has to pump blood with vigorous effect, so as to attempt for compensation of blood leakage and in the process, there is then a danger of the patient developing a blood clot.
If a patient is unaware they are suffering form high blood pressure, then their condition is obviously left untreated until such a time as when they may have a sudden medical emergency such as heart attack or stroke, this could then lead to a potentially fatal situation.
The pathogenic effects of hypertension also affect the cerebral tissues. If the patient is not prescribed the correct medication, they may reveal signs of damage to the nervous system such as convulsions, ataxia or impaired coherence in talking. Even, brain death may happen in vulnerable patients with severe hypertension and this has been documented in several occasions.
Ulcers may develop in the gastro-intestinal regions, thus adding further medical problems to patients already suffering from other medical ailments due to prolonged hypertension. Depression is often noted as one of the dangers of high blood pressure, probably due to increased clinical effects arising from secondary effects of increased blood pressure on various organs of the body.
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December 2nd, 2008
There have been many studies performed which prove a direct link between habitual exercise and a vigorous healthy heart. Any type of exercise that will make demands on the cardiovascular system otherwise known as aerobic exercise will tend to increase the strength of the heart and reduce the more common risk factors associated with coronary heart disease.
Lowering the blood pressure is only one way that exercise assists in keeping the heart healthy, as it also lowers the levels of fat in the blood, discourages the formation of clots or thrombosis, assists us in keeping our body weight stable, releases tension and also releases endorphins into the blood stream that give us a feeling of well being.
Many of us tend to view exercise with a jaundiced eye. We often make excuses that we don’t have the time to exercise where in reality we can’t be bothered.
It is a struggle sometimes to make the effort to get up and get ready to go to the gym or for a long walk or even swimming or cycling, especially if we have had a hard day at work. However once the effort is made, it’s surprising how those feelings of exhaustion can dissipate as those good feeling factors kick in.
The best approach to take when starting an exercise regime is to take it easy. It probably sounds a contradiction in terms, but if you are hopelessly unfit, trying to take on a workout which is more suited to someone of better fitness levels is just asking for trouble.
And for goodness sake don’t even think about taking up a high energy sport such as squash. You’re just liable to do yourself an injury and if you are hopelessly unfit, you could make your blood pressure rise to an alarming level and brink on a heart attack or stroke.
Aim for about 3 20-30 minute sessions every week. Think about going for a few brisk walks, (take the dog if you have one). or get out your cycle, brush the cobwebs off it and start riding it. (Cycling is an excellent form of exercise).
If you want to start a completely new exercise that is fun as well as healthy, consider taking up horse riding. You’ll not only get fit, you’ll learn a whole new skill in the process.
Many people take up horse riding when they are older, and they find caring for their horse, mucking out the stable and actually learning to ride not only helps them to become fit, it also assists in reducing their stress levels which in turns helps to reduce their blood pressure and stave off heart disease.
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December 1st, 2008
From the day we are born, to the day we die (Whatever age we are); our heart never stops its ceaseless pumping of oxygenated blood around the body. Amazingly it contracts between 70 -80 times per minute day and night for a typical lifespan of 70 years, and for many individuals an even longer period. The muscular walls do get an occasional respite during the diastolic phase, but it is only a temporary respite.
The walls of the heart contain decidedly specialised muscular tissue which is designed to be very durable and very strong. As the heart works so hard, it needs a constant supply of oxygen. The reason for this is because the heart is never given time to recover from its arduous exercising as other muscles do.
If we are in poor physical condition and decided to run for a bus, our heart and lungs would be unable to meet the sudden demand for extra oxygen rich blood and because our leg muscles are then in short supply of the oxygen they need they become painful and can cramp. However the plus side of this is we can rest the muscles in our legs, and give them the opportunity to recover from their exertion.
Unfortunately our heart does not have this luxury for the simple fact being, if the muscles of the heart were to stop working to take a rest, we would die! The heart is the spring from which its own blood supply is taken.
The coronary arteries which transport the blood to the walls of the heart emerge from the aorta where it leaves the left side of the heart. The heart has to carry on pumping the blood so it is able to infuse all areas of the heart tissue. Problems arise when atheromatous plaques seriously limit the cardiac output.
One of the problems of hypertension (or high blood pressure), is that if it left untreated, it can lead to serious cardiac damage. This is because the pressure of the blood going through the heart is abnormally high, and eventually the heart cannot cope with the prolonged and systematic pressure. It will eventually begin to fail with resulting sometimes devastating results.
Once the heart is damaged through someone suffering from high blood pressure, many other problems can follow if not treated quickly and/or effectively. These can include heart disease such as angina and heart attack with accompanying symptoms and problems.
Any symptoms of chest pain should be reported to a doctor immediately. Failure to do so can lead to serious consequences which could include death.
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November 30th, 2008
Is high blood pressure bothering you for many years? You are not alone. It is one of the ten (10) leading causes of death in the world. Based on studies, it will have a 60% increase by year 2025 where the worst hit will be in the third world countries.
It is estimated that 1 out of 3 people have the plague and it expected to grow in an alarming rate. This is the reason why everywhere in a family, there is one or two relatives who have the tendencies to high blood pressure.
It is very easy to say that change in lifestyle is one of the key solutions to this plague. If it is that easy, then there should be a change in the count of cases. Why it is associated with lifestyle is because the way of living is what causes stress and tensions that change the metabolism of the body to react.
Some habits and practices that need attention are: diet, relaxation and medication up to the menial tasks of basic life decision-making. The amount of stress a person derives from economic and social status is a factor that will determine blood pressure stability. To imply a change in lifestyle therefore is too complicated task. It means total rehabilitation of outlook in life that never happens overnight.
Somehow, science will not give abstract solutions to people who have acute attacks, or people who need immediate medical attention at once. These are some of the common medications done to high blood pressure patients:
DIURETICS - called “water pills” are solvents that will flush out toxins from the kidneys
BETA BLOCKERS - these are impulses sent to the heart and blood vessels to slow down the functioning and ease and avoid the heart from working too hard.
ACE INHIBITORS - ACE is Angiotensin converting enzyme, is a hormone that narrows the veins during a high blood pressure attack. The medication will inhibit the production of the hormone and will help the veins to relax so that the blood pressure will drop.
ANGIOTENSIN ANTAGONIST - as a result of administering ACE (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme), this is a shield to angiotensin II hormone to protect the veins from narrowing.
CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS (CCBs) - is a constant replenishment of calcium mineral in the heart cells and blood vessels to help the lower down the blood pressure by relaxing it.
ALPHA BLOCKERS - the treatment done to avoid nerve impulses from surging to the blood vessels
ALPHA BETA BLOCKERS - it almost the same as Alpha blockers except that this works to slow down the heartbeat of the patient, this will result in lesser blood pumped in the heart to ease the pressure.
NERVOUS SYSTEM INHIBITORS - locally this is administered to the nerve impulses to help the blood vessels widen.
VASODILATORS - this relaxes the muscles in the blood vessel walls to open it and ease the flow of blood.
There is nothing like prevention than cure. If one will think about this seriously, no amount of medication will be more help than taking care of the body before its too late.
Good diet with low cholesterol should be considered at once in the younger years of life. Prevention of too much weight gain by doing exercises and avoidance of sedentary life will solve high blood pressures from taking over its lead in lowering a person’s self-esteem through an attack.
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November 29th, 2008
Blood pressure ranges are not necessarily the same for persons in all countries of the world. Many different factors should be taken into account to determine a healthy blood pressure, and this can include age, race health and gender etc.
However blood pressure ranges are important parameters used in the differential diagnosis of many diseases. In general, in healthy people, the systolic pressure should be no higher than 130 mm of Hg and the diastolic pressure should be approximately 80 mm of Hg.
There may be variations in the blood pressure ranges and of course they vary from person to person dependent on the above factors. However 120/80 is considered to be a text book classic blood pressure of an average person.
At certain times blood pressure ranges may not be given as much emphasis, this is because experienced medical experts are aware of the fact that raised blood pressure ranges encountered in some patients may be due to excitement or other similar reasons. Therefore before starting any treatment, the patient in relation to their blood pressure should be carefully examined so it can be established whether the increase or decrease of their blood pressure from the normally reported blood pressure ranges is due to pathological or physiological causes.
A systolic blood pressure ranging from 140 mm of mercury to 159 mm of mercury, along with a diastolic blood pressure ranging from 90 mm of mercury to 99 mm of mercury is known as stage one high blood pressure. Similarly, the systolic blood pressure of 160 or values higher than this, along with a diastolic blood pressure of 100 or values higher than this is called a stage two high blood pressure.
The higher end of the blood pressure ranges in a healthy person is normally expected not to go beyond a systolic pressure of125 mm of mercury. Systolic pressure is a significant measurement which reveals the compression capacity of cardiac tissues in a person’s body coupled with the free flow of blood in their arterioles and arteries.
Similarly, in a healthy individual the lower end of the blood pressure range is expected not to increase beyond 80 mm of mercury. Persistent low diastolic blood pressure ranges in between the values of 85 and 90 may warrant immediate medical intervention by means of the prescribing of suitable anti hypertensive drugs. This is even more important if this condition is linked with symptoms pertaining to cardio-vascular disorders such as feelings of intense pain in the body, increased sweating or with symptoms related to the end organ damage in body.
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