What about your blood pressure? Could your current life-style cause high blood pressure in the future? What can you do to keep your blood pressure under control?

Blood pressure is the force blood exerts against blood vessel walls. It can be measured using an inflatable rubber cuff, which is wrapped around the upper arm and connected to an apparatus that records pressure. Two readings are obtained. For example: 120/80. The first number is called systolic blood pressure because it indicates blood pressure during the heartbeat (systole), and the second number is called diastolic blood pressure because it indicates blood pressure while the heart is relaxed (diastole). Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury, and physicians classify patients as hypertensive when their blood pressure is above 140/90.

What makes blood pressure increase? Imagine that you are watering your garden. By opening the faucet or by reducing the caliber, or diameter, of the jet of water, you increase the pressure of the water. The same occurs with blood pressure: Increasing the rate of flow of blood or decreasing the caliber of the blood vessel elevates the blood pressure. How does high blood pressure occur? Many factors are involved.

Factors You Cannot Control

Researchers have discovered that if a person has relatives with high blood pressure, his chances of suffering from the disease are greater. Statistics indicate a higher incidence of hypertension in identical twins than in fraternal twins. One study refers to the ?mapping of the genes responsible for arterial hypertension,? all of which would confirm the existence of a hereditary component responsible for high blood pressure. The risk of abnormally high blood pressure is also known to increase with age and to be greater among black males.

Factors You Can Control

Watch your diet! Salt (sodium) can boost blood pressure in some people, especially people with diabetes, those with severe hypertension, older people, and some blacks. Excess fat in the bloodstream can create deposits of cholesterol on the internal walls of blood vessels (atherosclerosis), thus reducing their caliber and increasing blood pressure. People who are more than 30

Originally posted 2010-01-26 08:19:53. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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The fact that most of us not only can afford to eat beyond the basic needs of survival, but also we enjoy eating rich foods, create ideal conditions for high blood pressure, a common problem in developed countries.

Here is a list of foods to reduce or avoid:

Sodium-rich foods such as processed foods

Since low potassium elevates sodium levels that can lead to hypertension and potassium is known to lower blood pressure, replace table salt with potassium-rich salt. Also, replace sodium-rich foods with potassium-rich foods.

Foods rich in potassium include apricots, avocados, bananas, cantaloupes, honeydew melons, kiwi, peaches, oranges, watermelons, raisins, prunes, dates and figs. Also, pumpkins, tomatoes, greens, potatoes, artichokes, beans, lentils, salmon, sardines and cod.

Tobacco

Caffeinated products, such as coffee and chocolate

There have been studies that show consuming dark chocolate can reduce blood pressure without significant weight gain. On the whole, however, foods containing caffeine can elevate stress levels and keep you up at night.

Alcohol

Alcohol can cause high blood pressure, but when consumed in moderate amounts also help the heart. Therefore, restrict yourself to no more than one or two glasses of red wine a day.

Sugar and other sweeteners, including maple syrup, molasses, brown sugar and artificial sweeteners

Sugar and other sweeteners have been known to raise blood pressure in some people. Developed countries consume too much sweets in their diet, leading to obesity and diabetes, both of which are also closely linked with hypertension. Aspartame, that is found in some artificial sweeteners, can raise your blood pressure.

Try to replace foods containing simple sugars (that are absorbed directly into the bloodstream) with complex carbohydrates that break down more slowly, such as found in fresh fruit.

Raw honey is also a good sweetener, because moderate amounts have been known to help lower blood pressure. However, if you are diabetic or hypoglycemic, you still need to watch your blood sugar.

Animal fats, red meat and internal organs

Traditionally, qigong/chi kung practitioners were predominantly vegetarians, consuming very little, if any meat. If you are not willing to change completely over to a vegetarian diet, at least reduce your consumption of meat: limit yourself to white meat and fish. Eliminate animal fats, red meat and processed meat, such as sandwich meat, from your diet.

Other things you can do:

Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats, such as extra virgin olive oil. Increase your fiber, as found in whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables. To avoid overcooking and destroying essential nutrients, steam or lightly stir fry your vegetables, and eat plenty of leafy green salads.

One particular vegetable to note in the fight against hypertension is celery. Traditional Chinese medicine have included mung beans, honey, water chestnuts, turnip and Chinese celery as a dietary treatment for hypertension. Also, studies have found consuming four stalks of celery a day will lower blood pressure significantly.

Another food supplement that helps lower blood pressure is the essential omega-3 fatty acids. Two of them are found in fish oils, particularly in salmon, sardines, tuna, halibut, mackerel, cod liver and lake trout. A third fatty acid is found in flaxseed, soy products, canola oil and nuts.

Your diet should also include foods high in magnesium, as found in soy products, legumes, seeds, nuts, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, such as bananas, avocados and dried apricots.

People suffering from hypertension are also lacking in calcium. However, you don’t have to consume dairy products to get your calcium. In fact, milk is not necessarily your best source of calcium because it is low in magnesium, a mineral required for your body to absorb calcium. If you take dairy products, consume only low-fat dairy foods.

Foods rich in calcium include soya milk, leafy greens such as collard greens, baked beans and canned salmon.

Finally, other foods not mentioned but also helpful in the fight against high blood pressure include reishi mushrooms, Chinese white fungi, shitake mushrooms and blueberries.

Any treatment for hypertension must include a healthy diet, and throughout history, qigong/chi kung has always been practiced in line with a diet of herbs and foods that promote health and wellness.

Look forward to my next article on the fourth qigong/ci kung practice for hypertension ? herbs and related supplements.

Originally posted 2009-11-03 09:48:26. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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Unfortunately, to the patient’s demise, doctors always recommend a variety of medications to reduce high blood pressure. Whether the medication is synthetically widening the arteries or slowing the heart rate, medications are only hiding the true problem of high blood pressure? build up in your arteries!

Choosing to a Natural Cure

The biggest mistake you can make is to naively take high blood medication the rest of your life. Millions do and the side-effects can be annoying after the first few months, not to mention the next 20+ years.

Though natural health, also called holistic treatments, have had their fair share of skeptics. It might be surprising that research in the last 10 years has actually proved some of the oldest remedies.

For instance, one of the most important nutrients for your body when it comes to treating high blood pressure is potassium. However, diuretics (a high blood pressure medication) can flush potassium as well as sodium from the body. Researchers at Duke University found that getting more potassium could lower blood pressure by as many as 20 points for people most at risk for high blood pressure.

A Diet to Reduce High Blood Pressure

Here are 10 simple dieting tips to lower your score in weeks!

1. High Fiber Breakfast- Eat cereals with at least 5 grams of fiber. A good fiber cereal will also make a great snack during the day. Purchase some baggies to make it more convenient.

2. Beans- Beans are an excellent source of both fiber and protein. You can purchase them raw or canned. Try adding beans to soups and salads.

3. Fruits and Vegetables- These are loaded with water-soluble fiber which will naturally flush cholesterol, toxins and even plaque. Brightly colored fruits and veggies contain phytochemicals which are also extremely beneficial.

4. Nuts- Nuts contain monounsaturated fats. Eat them instead of chips and snack crackers that contain saturated and Trans fats.

5. Oils- Always use oils that come from plants. Olive, sunflower, and safflower oils are great instead of butter.

6. Fish- Fish usually contain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids have been documented as the heart-healthy fatty acid. Salmon is always a good choice!

7. Whole Grain Breads- You should finally make the switch from white to wheat. It is always extremely important to eat whole-grain and fiber-rich bread products. Eat bread that contains at least 3 grams of dietary fiber per slice.

8. Meats- Choose leaner cuts for meats. It might be also a good idea to choose game meats such as elk, deer, bison or ostrich. Typically game meats are leaner which means less fat and less cholesterol.

9. Poultry- Poultry is always a good option for meat! However, you should always pass on the skin.

10. Dairy- Reduced and nonfat dairy products will reduce the cholesterol and plaque levels. If you are a milk drinker, you can shave a few points in weeks by switching to skim.

Normalize Your Blood Pressure in Days

Before you purchase those expensive prescriptions again, have you considered what 3 minerals have been shown to naturally normalize your blood pressure? Did you know that breathing exercises can increase oxygen levels and normalize your score?

Discover a Natural Hypertension Treatment that works in days and guarantees to normalize your score. If you are interested in a step by step natural remedy report, please visit us today. We also offer a free HBP quiz that could help you see why you might be more prone to hypertension

Originally posted 2009-10-30 06:07:03. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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Causes of Primary Hypertension

Lack of physical activity: Most of the causes for primary hypertension are caused by the lifestyle factor. The lack of physical activity could, first of all, increase cholesterol levels. Rising cholesterol levels narrows the blood vessel, thus increasing the pressure of blood flow – hypertension.

Adrenal tumors that are causes of secondary hypertension are pheochromocytoma, primary aldosteronism, and Cushing’s syndrome. The last two types of adrenal tumors require complicated treatment, which unfortunately is not always effective in lowering blood pressure while removal of the pheochromocytoma has a better chance of treating hypertension.

Signs and Symptoms of Hypertension

Hypertension is only determined through a blood pressure measurement equipment and reads the systolic and diastolic of the blood. There is actually no identified sign of hypertension; rather, it varies from one person to another. Some people report to have experienced headaches, fatigue, dizziness, blurring of vision and facial flushing.

Other symptoms such as fatigue, nervousness, palpitations, racing or irregular heartbeats, chest pain suggest hypertension caused by other conditions. Bleeding in the retina, also known as retinal hemorrhage, or from the nose (Epistaxis) may be indicative of high blood pressure. Cramping in the leg while walking, excess perspiration, nausea, vomiting, frequent urination, shortness of breath and restlessness are other possible symptoms of hypertension. In rare cases, the high blood pressure may cause heart attacks, kidney failure or brain swelling, which can lead to drowsiness and coma. Disturbed levels of consciousness such as sleepiness and even seizures in severe cases of hypertension, may occur.

Treatment of Hypertension

Drugs used in the treatment of hypertension include thiazide diuretics, beta blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers. The newer ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers were promoted as being better for the treatment of hypertension than the older thiazide diuretics and beta blockers, however this was mostly marketing hype since the newer drugs were on patent and made more money for the drug companies. However the studies showed that, at least compared to thiazide diuretics, the newer drugs weren’t as good, even they cost much more.

Thiazide diuretics. These medications act on your kidneys to help your body eliminate sodium and water, reducing blood volume. Thiazide diuretics are often the first — but not the only — choice in high blood pressure medications. Still, diuretics are often not prescribed. If you’re not taking a diuretic and your blood pressure remains high, talk to your doctor about adding one or replacing a drug you currently take with a diuretic.

Originally posted 2009-11-06 06:46:35. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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Approximately 30% of case of essential hypertension are ascribable to the genetic factors. Essential hypertension in common have a particular anomaly of the arteries: an increased resistance (lack of elasticity) in the tiny arteries which are furthest away from the heart. Blood and the food oxygen-containers of offer of small arteries to all fabrics of the body. The small arteries are connected by capillaries in fabrics to the veins (the venous system), which returns blood in the heart and hypertension of lungs. Essential is often confused with the mental tension, effort and concern.

Essential hypertension is usually controllable with the suitable treatment and the perpetual monitoring. There are many classes of the drugs for the essential hypertension of treatment, these of the drugs called the antihypertensifs. the adjusters of Calcium-channel reduce the tension of muscle in the arteries, increasing them and creating more part for the flow of blood. The reduction of weight and the regular aerobic exercise are recommended like first stages in the soft treatment to moderate hypertension. The regular soft exercise improves the flow of blood and assistance to reduce the heart rate at rest and the blood pressure.

Lifestyle changes can help to reduce your blood pressure. This includes the regular exercise, including the loss of weight if you are excessive weight. The therapy of relieving, such as the meditation, which reduces the environmental effort, reducing the high noise levels and the with-top-illumination can be an additional method to improve hypertension. The tobacco of suspension employ and the alcohol consumption was shown with hypotension. Dietetic adjustments to lower grease and to modify sodium in your mode. Salt, MSG, and the bicarbonate of soda all contain sodium.

Originally posted 2009-11-07 22:21:33. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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You might not realize that both hypertension (high blood pressure) and sleep apnea (sleep disorder when your breathing stops) are related to each other. Recent research has found high blood pressure patients are more inclined to have a higher prevalence of sleep apnea. This research might explain why your spouse is always complaining about your snoring and why you always feel tired throughout the day.

Though things might sound bleak now, you can actually lower high blood pressure naturally and increase your levels of quality sleep with a few lifestyle changes.

And it might be simpler than you think!

Do you have high blood pressure?

Do you suffer from a cardiovascular disease? If you run the risk of high blood pressure, it would be recommended that you start treatment ASAP. High blood pressure has been nicknamed the ’silent killer’ because there are no symptoms to the disease which claims almost 50,000 lives each year. It has been stated that almost 1 and 3 adults are now walking time-bombs of hypertension.

Hypertension could be caused by any of the following factors: excessive alcohol consumption, high sodium (salt) intake, being overweight or obese, having high cholesterol, not exercising, high levels of stress, a poor diet or low levels of potassium, magnesium and calcium in your diet.

And the good news! You can lower high blood pressure in two weeks if you choose to be pro-active with simple nutrition and lifestyle changes.

Do you suffer from sleep apnea?

You might have sleep apnea and not even know it. About 10 percent of Americans stop breathing in their sleep and suffer from sleep apnea. It has been reported that an average suffer can stop breathing in their sleep, sometimes up to 100 times an hour, every hour. And over time, the body’s sympathetic nervous system sets up an inflammatory response in the blood vessels causing increased high blood pressure. This sleep apnea phenomena causes a vicious cycle which could be fatal over time.

Sleep apnea suffers usually have the following symptoms: heavy snoring, periodic breathing stoppages, fatigue, high blood pressure, daytime headaches, and possible diabetes.

Naturally Lower High Blood Pressure and Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Do you remember how your teacher used to hark about the cause and effect? The cause of a problem will always create an effect! And it turns out, she was right. High blood pressure causes numerous problems including sleep apnea.

But the good news is this! If you lower high blood pressure naturally, you will also reverse the effects of sleep apnea and lead a much healthier life. In fact, you might also safe your life in the process!

But how do you naturally lower high blood pressure?

It could be as simple as the DASH Diet. It could be as simple as eating a few specific nuts every day. It could be as simple as 4 easy tips that will help you live stress-free. It could be as simple as taking the proper supplements and vitamins? It could be as simple as the hypertension miracle vegetable? Or it could be as simple as following our step-by-step 10 tip plan to normalized your blood pressure for good!

Are you tired of thinking about the ‘what ifs’? If you would like to lower your high blood pressure, get a good night’s sleep and stop worrying about the silent-killer, then you are a perfect candidate for our Lower High Blood Pressure Naturally Remedy Report. We offer a 6-month guarantee and pride ourselves on your results. To learn how to become an ex-hypertension suffer (with no side-effect laden pills), please visit our website and see what are customers are saying.

Originally posted 2009-10-28 06:43:54. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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Originally posted 2009-11-04 08:37:08. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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The medical term for high blood pressure is hypertension. It causes around 50% of coronary heart disease, and approximately 75% of strokes. Hypertension can be especially hard to manage when combined with other disorders, such as diabetes or obesity. Although high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can cause headaches, dizziness and problems with vision, the majority of people with the condition do not display any noticeable symptoms. It is good to be asking about normal blood pressure values for children because most people think “high” blood pressure (hypertension) is something that only happens to adults. High blood pressure often does not cause any symptoms in children, but if not treated, it can cause serious health problems in the future.

Doctors do not know what causes high blood pressure in 90 to 95 percent of people who have it. In about 10 percent of patients, the disease can be traced to specific causes: heredity, kidney abnormalities, adrenal gland tumors, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, hormone abnormalities, use of birth control pills, pregnancy or a congenital narrowing of the aorta. Other possible causes of higher blood pressure are weight gain and decreased physical activity in winter. The nicotine in cigarettes and other tobacco products causes your blood vessels to constrict and your heart to beat faster, which temporarily raises your blood pressure. In some people, alcohol causes blood pressure to rise quite a lot.

The key for any high blood pressure treatment is to bring the condition under proper control. Treatment depends on how high your blood pressure is, whether you have other health problems such as diabetes, and whether any organs have already been damaged. Treatment begins with changes you can make to your lifestyle to help lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease (see the box below). You want to achieve your treatment goal, but sometimes it seems your blood pressure just doesn’t want to budge. You and your doctor can carefully review your treatment and lifestyle to see what’s going on. For hypertension that isn’t controlled by diet and exercise, new treatment guidelines for hypertension recommend that most patients be started on a thiazide-type diuretic, unless there is a compelling need for a different class of medications.

So high blood pressure is a condition that most people have at some point in their lives. You should always have an idea of what your blood pressure is, just as you know your height and weight. However, the biggest problem with treatment of high blood pressure is not a lack of knowledge, but a lack of the application of our current knowledge.

Originally posted 2010-01-15 23:02:57. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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Hypertension is more rife in men than in women. Hypertensive encephalopathy mostly occurs in middle-aged individuals who have a long-standing history of hypertension. The hallmark of encephalopathy is an altered mental state. Depending on the type and severity of encephalopathy, common neurological symptoms are progressive loss of memory and cognitive ability, subtle personality changes, inability to concentrate, lethargy, and progressive loss of consciousness. Other neurological symptoms may include myoclonus , nystagmus , tremor, muscle atrophy and weakness, dementia, seizures, and loss of ability to swallow or speak.

Treatment is symptomatic and varies, according to the type and severity of the encephalopathy. Pharmacologic agents selected for use in hypertensive encephalopathy should have few or no CNS adverse effects. Avoid agents such as clonidine, reserpine, and methyldopa. Anticonvulsants may be prescribed to reduce or halt any seizures. Changes to diet and nutritional supplements may help some patients. Nitroprusside is frequently used as initial therapy because of its rapid onset and short duration of action. Nitroglycerin has been used to provide a rapid reduction in blood pressure complicating myocardial ischemia.

Hypertensive Encephalopathy Treatment and Prevention Tips

1. Dialysis or organ replacement surgery may be needed.

2. Anticonvulsants may be prescribed to reduce or halt any seizures.

3. Changes to diet and nutritional supplements may help some patients.

4. Nitroprusside is frequently used as initial therapy

5. Avoid agents such as clonidine, reserpine, and methyldopa.

6. Hydralazine has a limited role owing to reflex tachycardia,

7. Trimethaphan camsylate is used to reduce the shearing force in the presence of aortic dissection.

Originally posted 2009-12-30 01:54:13. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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