Blood pressure is the measure of the force exerted on the walls of the arteries by the blood as it flows through them. The heart is a blood-pumping organ in the body, as this blood flows through the body system; it provides oxygen to vital organs.
Often, certain medical conditions are responsible for the heart being unable to function properly.
A prolonged condition of high blood pressure will therefore lead to serious damage of the blood vessels and other health problems that may even be life-threatening such as; stroke, blindness, heart diseases, kidney diseases, etc.
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). The monitor that reveals the result shows both systolic pressure and diastolic pressure.
Systolic pressure is the top value on the screen of the digital blood pressure meter and it measures the blood pressure during the heart contraction in the arteries.
Diastolic pressure is the value right under the systolic pressure; it measures the blood pressure during the period the heart is resting in between beats.
Normal blood pressure ranges between 90-120mmHg for systolic pressure and 60-80mmHg for diastolic pressure. Any readings higher than the maximum range are elevated/high blood pressure or hypertension.
A hypertensive crisis is when the blood pressure reaches about 180mmHg for systolic pressure and 120mmHg for diastolic pressure, this is a critical stage and immediate medical care is needed.
CAUSES OF HYPERTENSION
Hypertension/high blood pressure can occur in a person because of various reasons, which could be high-fat diet habits, genetics, certain medical conditions, etc. Some other causes of high blood pressure include:
- Obesity; Narrowing the arteries/blood vessels due to excess fat in the body
- Sleeping disorders
- Diabetes
- Kidney disease
- Smoking
- High alcohol consumption
- Certain medications, etc.
SYMPTOMS OF HYPERTENSION
Oftentimes, hypertension is referred to as the “silent killer” because most of the time when people have high blood pressure they do not experience signs or symptoms. Some of the likely symptoms are:
- Loss of breath
- Dizziness
- Nose bleeds
- Blurred vision
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Fatigue, etc.
TIPS ON LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE
If the blood pressure remains high for a long or constant period, the doctor may prescribe medication therapy but on a lighter note, that is in a case where the blood pressure is slightly high, you may be advised to just monitor it and make certain changes to your lifestyle.
NO-DRUG METHOD OF LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE
Altering your diet
Your eating habits can affect lowering your blood pressure
- Reducing the amount of salt in your food
It is advised to lower the salt and increase the potassium you consume for the prevention or management of high blood pressure. Eating too much salt is naturally bad for the heart.
- Eat healthy fats
You want to consume plant source fats like nuts, avocado then fish, and other sources of healthy essential oils like omega oil, olive oil, etc. All these foods mentioned and more like them are healthy and a good step in lowering your blood pressure. If you are trying to lower your blood pressure you should stay off animal-sourced food because they contain unhealthy fats like saturated and trans fat.
- Eat plant-based foods
Try and incorporate a sufficient amount of vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain into your diet for a positive outcome. Avoid eating over-processed food.
- A balanced diet
Your meals should contain a variety of healthy essential nutrients to maintain a healthy state of the body. Avoid unrefined carbohydrates and over-processed meat.
Caffeine
A none-abused consumption of caffeine is safe for high blood pressure patients according to research.
Alcohol
Consuming alcohol can naturally be a way of reducing blood pressure but due to recent research, a couple of hypertension cases have been caused by an overconsumption of alcohol.
Exercise regularly
Before you begin any physical activity, you must confirm from your doctor that you can do it, to avoid any health complications.
Regular exercise is good for the heart and regulating blood circulation, which makes it appropriate for reducing hypertension risks.
Adequate sleep
Bad sleeping habits or not getting enough sleep can add to the complications of high blood pressure. In trying to lower your blood pressure or prevent hypertension, you should try to get a sufficient amount of sleep. According to research people who were likely to have hypertension were those with just 3-4 hours of sleep or even less.
