Is Your Blood Pressure within Normal Levels

Blood Pressure is the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. There are two forces that make up blood pressure. One is the result of the heart pumping blood into the arteries (blood vessels), which carry the blood throughout the body, while the other is created by the arteries as they resist blood flow. The heart forces blood through the large arteries into the smaller arteries, or arterioles, when it pumps.

High Blood pressure also known as hypertension is a condition wherein the blood pressure is chronically elevated. This condition is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood to the body and it can cause hardening of the arteries and the development of heart failure. It usually has no symptoms and one can have it for many years without even being aware of it, which is why it is called "The silent killer."

Classification of Hypertension:

• Primary hypertension - it indicates that no specific medical cause can be found to explain patient's condition.
• Secondary hypertension - indicates that the high blood pressure is a result of another condition, like kidney problem, vision problems and certain cancer.

Blood pressure is read as systolic pressure over diastolic pressure.

• Systolic - is the blood pressure when the heart is contracting. It is specifically the maximum arterial pressure during contraction of the left ventricle of the heart.
• Diastolic - refers to the time when the heart is in a period of relaxation and expansion. It is the minimum arterial pressure during relaxation and dilation of the ventricles of the heart when the ventricles fill with blood.

Blood Pressure Category

• Normal - less than 120(systolic mm Hg); less than 80 (diastolic mm Hg)
• Prehypertension - 120-139 (systolic mm Hg); 80-89 (diastolic mm Hg)
• Hypertension Stage 1 - 140-159 (systolic mm Hg); 90-99 (diastolic mm Hg)
• Hypertension Stage 2 - 160 or higher (systolic mm Hg); 100 or higher (diastolic mm Hg)

Symptoms of High Blood Pressure: HBP don't usually have any symptoms, the only way to know if you have HBP is to have it checked, but if your blood pressure is extremely high you may feel the following symptoms: Fatigue, Chest Pain, Difficulty in Breathing, Irregular Heartbeat and Severe Headache.

Who are prone to develop Hypertension?

• People who parents or any member of the family who have high blood pressure
• People who eat too much fatty and salty food
• Overweight or obese people
• People who drink too much alcohol
• People age 35 and up
• People who don't exercise and who lead an inactive lifestyle
• Smokers
• Pregnant women
• Women who take birth control pills

How to normalize your High Blood Pressure: You can normalize your HBP by making changes in your lifestyle. Below are the following ways on how you can bring back your blood pressure to a normal level.

• Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, as well as fat-free and low fat dairy products. You'll get lots of potassium, calcium, magnesium and protein and your intake of saturated fat and bad cholesterol will dramatically decrease.
• Drink plenty of pure water to clean the system of toxins and to make the blood thinner.
• Cook your food using healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil, this contains a substance that can clean your arteries of fat deposits.
• Take food and supplements that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, this will help unclogged your arteries.
• Avoid salty foods and use less salt when cooking and eating.
• Limit or avoid drinking alcoholic drinks.
• Exercise regularly to control your weight, as the pounds drop, so will the blood pressure.