High Blood Pressure has been called; “The silent killer,” because it has no recognizable symptoms early on that can alert us to the danger. The doctor’s office takes readings so often for this very reason, and also because the levels can change over short periods of time due to various circumstances. 33% of all adults in the United States have this condition and if left untreated, it can lead to heart attack, stroke, and damage to vital organs of the body. A person’s age is an important factor, and the levels need to be monitored more often as one gets older. This is greatly due to the natural accumulated effects of our lifestyles and diet added to possible hereditary and genetic predispositions.

Blood Pressure readings are a combination of two numerical readings; systolic pressure and diastolic pressure. The systolic measurement is the pressure generated by the beating of the heart, while the diastolic measurement is the pressure that exists between heart beats. The blood pressure measurement is a ratio of these numbers expressed in fractional form, with the systolic reading on top and the diastolic reading on the bottom. A normal reading would consist of a systolic number less than 120 and a diastolic reading of less than 80. A condition of pre-hypertension can exist if those numbers are between 1-9 points higher than 120/80 (121/81 – 129/89). Stage 1 Hypertension is diagnosed when those levels are over 140/90, and Stage 2 Hypertension exists when the levels are over 160/100.

High blood pressure (HBP) is broken down into two broad categories; Essential Hypertension, and Secondary Hypertension. Essential HBP, sometimes called primary, or idiopathic hypertension, is a condition with no known cause and has no cure as of yet. Secondary HBP is when the elevated levels are caused by known conditions such as heart, kidney, circulatory and endocrine system complications, or pregnancies.

There are some common misconceptions about what hypertension is also. For years, the primary focus was on the diastolic reading, with the reasoning that it was more indicative of potential problems. If levels were high even when the heart was at rest, then it seemed logical to assume that there was greater cause for concern than if the levels were high during heart beats. However in recent years it has been discovered that high systolic levels are no less significant, especially for older people. This form is called, “Isolated Systolic Hypertension,” (ISH) and it is common among older people.

Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States.  Many times heart disease is preventable with life style changes that you can do.  Here are five changes that you should take to prevent heart disease.

1. Stop smoking and all use of tobacco products.  Even occasional smoking, low tar and low nicotine cigarettes and smokeless tobacco put you at risk.  Even worse news is that even second hand smoke is risky to your health.  Cigarette smoke and nicotine make put stress on the heart and make it work harder.  Women who take birth control pills and smoke increase their risk of heart attack and stroke.  The risk is even greater after women turn 35.  Within only a year after quitting smoking, the risk of heart disease drops quickly.

2. Start exercising.  Moderate exercise can reduce your risk of a heart attack.  It also helps you to maintain a healthy weight and can help reduce chances of high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes.  You should get ½ to 1 hour of exercise most days of the week.  The time can be broken up into shorter segments as long as you reach the total time during the day.

3. Eat better food.  The American Heart Association has published the DASH eating plan that is available online.  The plan encourages you to eat low cholesterol, low fat and low salt.  It is also important to include Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet to lower cholesterol.  Almost all of us should include more fruit and vegetables in our diet.  Also remember that if you drink alcohol, it should be in moderation.

4. Keep your weight under control.  Excess weight leads to greater chances of developing other conditions that lead to heart disease.  One indicator of a healthy weight is a BMI of less that 25.  A ten percent reduction in weight can lower your blood pressure.

5. Visit the Doctor regularly.  Unless you are checked your will probably not know that you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure.  Regularly having these checked also allows you and your doctor to know if the trends are increasing or remaining about the same.  If your blood pressure is normal, it should still be tested every two years.  Cholesterol should be tested at least every five years.  If the numbers are high, then have them checked more regularly.

Heart disease prevention is a numbers game.  If you take steps to reduce the risk factors, you reduce the risk of developing heart disease.  Remember that heart disease is not only the number one cause of death among both men and women, but also is the number one cause of disability for both sexes.  If heart disease disables you, it reduces your earning potential and may cause economic hardship for your family.  If heart disease kills you, it not only causes economic hardship but also causes emotional pain for the family left behind.  Take steps to prevent heart disease you are worth it and your family will appreciate it.

The problem with most high blood pressure remedies is that they are expensive, especially over the long run.

Exercise
Sustained exercise does more than burn calories and help aid you in weight loss. It builds stamina and improves overall strength and endurance, not only in the muscles being worked, but in the heart as well. A stronger heart does not need to work so hard to pump blood throughout your body, which reduces your blood pressure.

Weight Loss
The same is true for substantial weight loss if you are overweight. Studies have shown that even modest weight loss has a significant impact on blood pressure. There is a very strong correlation between obesity and hypertension, and blood pressure steadily drops as you lose weight.

Water
Of all the blood pressure remedies we’ve discussed so far, this one comes as the biggest surprise to many. Recent studies have indicated that persistent hypertension may be a response to chronic dehydration.

When the body is dehydrated, the blood vessels constrict in an effort to hold on to the body’s moisture. That constriction causes what fluids are available to exert more pressure on the blood vessels, increasing blood pressure. So, it stands to reason that an increased intake of water should help relieve that.