Diet and High Blood Pressure

As many as 75 million Americans are afflicted with high blood pressure, even children are becoming hypertensive in large numbers. To control high blood pressure, official medical agencies say that hypertensives must go on medication and stay on it for the rest of their lives. In many cases, however, you may not have to take this medication, which can have serious effects, including impotence in men,gout and diabetes.

If your blood pressure is higher than it should be, you can expect it to drop by as much as 15 percent after 28 days on a proper diet and exercise program. This may seem suspect to you until you understand the mechanism. Fat causes red blood cells to bunch up in clumps (agglutinate), the cells stick together as though they had adhesive on their surface. In such clumps, they are unable to pass through the smaller vessels of the circulatory system and actually act like little corks to block circulation at thousands of locations. As in any hydraulic system when part of the system blocked, pressure of the fluid flowing in the system becomes elevated. Now, on the proper diet the fats in the bloodstream substantially reduced, the blood cells becomes unclumped, the circulatory system therefore expands, and the pressure drops accordingly.

In addition, on the typical American diet, high in total fat, the body produces excess thromboxane A-2, a prostaglandin (a hormonelike substance). This prostaglandin makes cells sticky and contracts arteries, raising blood pressure. Because a diet low in total fat that contains primarily polyunsaturated fats, more of the prostaglandin called prostacylin is synthesized. This prostaglandin inhibits cells stickiness and dilates arteries, both of which results in lower blood pressure.

When you have your cholesterol-level test, ask to have your blood pressure measured as well. knowing what your blood pressure is before dieting will indicate what your blood pressure will be like in 28 day after following a proper diet, even if your diet is in a acceptable range, you can still expect an improvement. Normal individuals can expect a 6 percent drop in systolic pressure and a 7 percent drop in diastolic pressure. at the end of 28 days of proper dieting you should record your improvement, Just to let you know I'm no doctor but I have battled with high blood pressure in my life and now it is all under control.