Managing High Blood Pressure with Nutrition

High blood pressure is one of the most common ailment that most Nigerians battle with from 35yrs and above and sometimes younger adults below 30yrs are being managed for high blood pressure. Nutrition and lifestyle is one of the leading causes of these problems: The subject matter shall be discussed under the following headings:

1.  What is high Blood Pressure
2.  Those at risk of high blood pressure
3.  Causes of high blood pressure
4. Symptoms of high blood pressure
5.  Complications of high blood pressure
6.   Natural foods that reduce high blood pressure
7.  Foods that can raise high blood pressure
8.  Habits that raise blood pressure
9.  Juice and fruits for blood pressure
10.  Spices that tones down blood pressure
11.  Essential oils that helps reduce high blood pressure
12.  Conclusion

1. WHAT IS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

When your heart beats, it pumps blood round your body to give it the energy and oxygen it needs.  As the blood moves, it pushes against the sides of the blood vessels.  The strength of this pushing is your blood pressure, if your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain om your arteries and your heart and this may lead to heart attacks and strokes.

What is normal Blood Pressure

Many people worry about low blood pressure (hypotension) but probably don't need to .  Some people have a blood pressure level that is lower thn normal in general this may be good new, because  the lower your blood pressure is, the lower your risk of stroke or heart disease, however, in a few cases, having low blood pressure can cause problems, so you might need to see a doctor or carry out a test to find our the likely cause.

Two Titles are Generally Used to Refer to High Blood Pressure
They are"
1  Essential Hypertension
2. Secondary Hypertension

1  Essential Hypertension: 

 In as many as 95% of high blood pressure cases can not be found or traced to the cause.  This type of high blood pressure is called essential hypertension.  Though essential hypertension  remains somewhat mysterious, it has been linked to certain risk factors.  High blood pressure sometimes runs in some families.  Age play a major role in all types of high blood pressure

Essential hypertension is also seen to be greatly influenced by diet and lifestyle.  The link between high salt consumption and high blood pressure is no longer news; for instance, people living on the northern islands of Japan eat more salt per capita than anyone else in the world and are known to have the highest cases of essential hypertension.  on the contrary, people who hardly add salt to their food show virtually no traces of essential hypertension.  Most  people with high blood pressure are "salt sensitive, meaning that anything more than the minimal bodily need for salt is too much for them and increases their blood pressure.  Other factors that can raise the risk of having essential hypertension  include:  obesity, diabetes, stress, insufficient intake of potassium,calcium, and magnesium, lack of physical exercise and too much alcohol.

2.  Secondary Hypertension

When a direct cause for high blood pressure  can be identified, the condition is described as secondary hypertension.  Among the known causes of secondary hypertension, kidney disease ranks highest.  Hypertension can also be triggered by tumors or other abnormalities that cause the adrenal glands to secret excess amount of the hormones that elevate blood pressure.  Birth control pills especially those containing estrogen and pregnancy  can boost blood pressure, and are responsible in some cases.

There are two types of blood pressure that exist:

1.  Systolic Blood Pressure:  This is the pressure at the moment the heart pumps the blood

2.  Diastolic Blood Pressure:  This is the blood pressure at the moment the heart relaxes  and takes in blood

2.  THOSE AT RISK OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

Certain risk factors or conditions can dis[ose or place you at risk of developing elevated blood pressure, they include:

• Age:  Of course we know that the older you get the more at risk you are, However, there are cases of blood pressure with younger adults probably due to excess weight or other unhealthy lifestyles or medical conditions.
• Too much salt:  People addicted to consuming foods cooked with too much salt especially table salt
• Being Overweight:  Excess body weight will definitely require more pressure for the hert to pump though some cases of overweight do not come with high blood pressure if the person maintains healthy lifestyle., moderate exercise and healthy cholesterol.
• Stress:  Too much stress makes everything worse including high blood pressure
• Too little potassium
• Thyroid problems
• Certain medications such as cold remedies, birth pills
• Family History
• Certain defects may be from birth  can predispose you to high blood pressure

3.  WHAT CAUSES HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

The exact cause of high blood pressure sometimes are not known, but several things may play a role including:

• smoking
• being overweight
• Lack of physical exercise
• Too much salt
• Too much alcohol consumption
• Stress
• Old age
• Genetics
• Family history of high blood pressure
• Chronic kidney disease
• Adrenal and thyroid disorders
• Sleep apnea
• Worry - Our lord Jesus says, "
  Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereoff" Carrying  yesterdays pains, todays frusrations, and tomorrows apprehensions may place pressure on the arteries.  They were not designed to work that way, the Creator cautions  "Cast Your Cares upon me" but we wont listen.  Hence High Blood pressure. 

4 \.  SYMPTOMS OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE  To be continued

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