The Facts Regarding High Blood Pressure

By John Faletti

Although high blood pressure is a very common issue in
society today, it is a very serious condition. This is
commonly called "hypertension". As the most common type of
cardiovascular disease, it is a day-to-day issue with many
people. If you or someone that you know is a sufferer of
this condition, it is time that you become familiar with the
facts regarding the disease.

Hypertension is typically defined as the elevated pressure
present on the artery walls of the blood stream. This
pressure, if it is higher than normal, is potentially a
serious medical issue. As a leading problem concerning
stroke and heart disease, it is the most common form of
cardiovascular disease in the world. Most heart attacks and
strokes are a direct result of high blood pressure.

There are two main categories under which sufferers of
hypertension fall under. The first is called "primary
hypertension". This is the appearance of elevated blood
pressure without a serious medical reason causing it. Most
people, as much as 95%, fall under this category. "Secondary
hypertension" is a more serious issue, as the hypertension
is caused by potentially serious issues with the kidneys,
heart, or endocrine system.

Adjusting your lifestyle is especially important for people
who are at a higher risk than others. The majority of risk
is genetic in nature. This means that people with a family
history of heart disease, diabetes, and obviously
hypertension, are considered high risk and should take
special care. Other significant factors are obesity, alcohol
and tobacco use, and a poor diet high in sodium and
saturated fat.

If you need to lower the blood pressure, there are many ways
of approaching this. In general, living a healthy lifestyle
is ideal. This includes a sensible diet that you stick to
and regular exercise. Leave foods that are high in saturated
fats and sodium behind. In their place add leafy vegetables
and fruit. Another important idea is regular exercise,
especially cardiovascular workouts.

It is ideal that you avoid drinking alcohol and smoking
tobacco products. Both of these activities directly raise
your blood pressure, putting you in danger every time you
indulge. They can have damaging effects on artery walls.
These are bad habits that make treating hypertension much
more difficult than it needs to be.

Stress also has a direct impact on the problem. Although you
probably won't be able to eliminate stress from your life
completely, you can take steps to reduce it. Anything that
helps you relax can be useful. When you begin to feel
stressed, take a moment and breathe deeply. Try and keep
positive thoughts. If possible, identify sources of stress
and put them out of your life completely. Learning how to
manage your time and setting realistic daily goals for
yourself will also help you deal with stress.

Although it is extremely common, do not overlook the
potential long-term effects of hypertension. Take the
appropriate steps to lower your blood pressure. This has the
potential to shorten your lifespan considerably. Make the
daily lifestyle changes that are necessary, and take steps
to reduce day-to-day stress, and you can begin living a
healthy life.

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Cardiovascular Disease And The Role Of Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids

By Lee Cole

DHA supplements are certainly something you need to consider, if you're interested in avoiding cardiovascular disease. DHA is short for docosahexaenoic acid, and it's one of the many omega-3 essential fatty acids. Omega-3's are essential to good heath. Although DHA is the most prevalent fatty acid in the brain, it's also seen to play a large role in avoiding cardiovascular disease. Not only DHA plays this role, but all omega-3 fatty acids are important when it concerns your heart health.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cholesterol

One diet that is high in omega-3's is the Mediterranean diet. Individuals who follow this diet are apt to have high HDL, or "good" cholesterol. One reason is the Mediterranean diet has a fair amount of fish in it. This is further held up by the fact that Eskimos also are apt to have high HDL cholesterol. They also eat a lot of cold water, fatty fish. These fish tend to be very high in omega-3 fatty acids. You might not want to eat halibut or tuna every day, but you can take fish oil supplements. Numerous studies have shown that these supplements reduce triglyceride levels. In addition to fish, walnuts are recognized to be high in omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Blood Pressure

There have been several studies which have shown that diets high in omega-3's or even fish-oil supplements, can lower high blood pressure. You don't want to self-medicate, however. High Blood Pressure is a serious condition. Make sure you get your doctor's approval before you do anything.

Coronary Disease and Omega-3 Fatty Acids

It's been shown time and time again that diets low in saturated fats and high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (this includes omega-3 efas) help prevent heart disease. There is a lot of clinial evidence that fish-oil, which is high in EPA and DHA (two types of omega-3 essential fatty acids) help reduce instances of heart problems and cardiac event. In addition, fish oil has been shown to have a very good positive effect on lowering triglycerides, risk of death from heart disease, stroke, and abnormal heart rhythms. Fish-oil has also been proven to help mitigate and treat hardening of the arteries through slowing the development of plaque and blood clots.

In other words, fish oil, which contains considerable amounts of EPA and DHA, is really healthy for you. Since with DHA you get a double whammy effect of helping your heart and brain, you probably want to consider DHA supplements in what you eat. As in all things medical, talk to your doctor first.



Lee Cole is a real health and exercise enthusiast! To learn more about dha-supplements take a look at Lee's blog, http://atlantaseomktg.wordpress.com

Factors That Affect Your Blood Pressure

Fluid systems in the body are notorious for the high level of complexity in their physics. The circulatory system is no different, and it is because of this that there are so many different factors that could affect a person’s blood pressure. The rate the heart pumps to the viscosity of the blood itself, blood pressure has influences from multiple factors in the body. These factors may, in turn, be influenced by outside factors such as diet, exercise, disease, or drugs. It is because of this that blood pressure has an even greater number of indirect influences.

Let’s start by discussing probably the most influential factor associated with blood pressure: the rate of pumping, more commonly referred to as the heart rate. The average heart rate for a healthy human being runs between 70 and 75 beats per minute. The higher the heart rate is, the higher the blood pressure. Another physical factor related to blood pressure is the blood volume of the body. The more blood there is in the body, the higher the rate of blood return to the heart and the higher the blood pressure. There is a correlation between salt intake and blood volume in many people, though the amount to which it raises blood pressure varies.

Resistance and viscosity are two other major influencing factors in blood pressure. Resistance here relates to the size of blood vessels as well as the smoothness of these vessels. There are things in the body that affect the size of blood vessels. Some make them thinner, which increases blood pressure, while others do the opposite. Fatty acids are responsible for the smoothness of blood vessels, because the more that is deposited on the walls, the less resistance there is. Viscosity, on the other hand, is the thickness of the blood flowing through the body. The thicker the blood that’s pumping through a body’s veins, the higher the blood pressure will be. Certain illnesses affect the viscosity of blood, as well as the level of sugars in the blood.

While thus far high blood pressure has been the effect of these factors, there are certainly ones that influence low blood pressure as well. Some causes of low blood pressure include sepsis, hemorrhaging, certain toxins, and hormonal abnormalities. On a lighter note, simply sitting and standing could lower blood pressure as well, though the factors that influence low blood pressure are usually more severe.

Your Body's Many Cries For Water

By Nicos Stylianou

The other day I finished reading a fascinating book named
"Your Body's Many Cries For Water". What impressed me the
most from reading this book, is that the author establishes
a clear association between the benefits of drinking water
and our overall wellness.

In order to support his arguments about the importance of
drinking water, the author goes on to prove, by using
medical facts, that just by getting into the habit of
regularly drinking water can relieve us from a number of
ailments that we all experience from time to time. Below, I
mention some of these ailments.

Headaches and migraines

We all suffer from headaches, or even worse migraines now
and then. Some of us more and some others less severely.
What you might find interesting to find out, is that more
often than not, we should blame ourselves for not drinking
enough water.

You see, 75% of our brain consists of water and when it
senses that there is shortage of it, it generates histamines
which cause pain and fatigue. The intention is to make us
slow down our activities, so as to maintain the minimum
water quantity that will allow our brain to function
properly.

So, the next time you think that your head will explode from
a splitting headache, resist the temptation of taking an
aspirin and do this: Drink a full glass of fresh, pure water
and then sit back and unwind for half an hour. More often
than not, you will be amazed. Your headache will just go
away!

When our back hurts

According to statistics, one out of four adults experiences
at least once in his lifetime the pain and distress
associated with a sore back. As the author claims in his
book, another one of the benefits of drinking water is that
it helps mitigate our suffering.

Let me explain.

As you might probably know, our backbone is made up of a
number of discs. While externally these discs are made up of
a hard shell, internally they are filled with water. When
the level of water inside is adequate, then they provide
ample support to the disc, helping it cope with the pressure
exerted on them when we move our upper body.

When we move our body, then pressure is exerted and released
on the discs depending on the type of movement. This creates
a suction which allows fluids in the body to enter the disc,
thus keeping them properly hydrated.

The problem begins when we don't replenish our body's
natural stock of water by drinking enough quantities. When
the discs are shifting, then there is not enough water
around them to be sucked inside, as explained above. The
result is devastating: The internal fluids are gradually
depleted and so the outer shell of the discs is no longer
supported. Without this support, our poor discs are
helpless, as the whole weight of the body is shifted on
them! Pain and swelling ensues, putting us in distress and
agony.

When our blood pressure goes up

Water also plays a vital role in the biological process
associated with high blood pressure.

According to medical experts, hypertension very often
happens when our body detects blood volume loss. Since our
blood is more than 83% water, then the most common cause of
blood volume loss is dehydration.

Our body's internal mechanisms have the ability to monitor
the level of our blood volume. When there is an alert that
this volume has fallen below acceptable limits, then our
body switches into an emergency mode, directing supply of
blood only to vital organs switching everything else off.
This redistribution of the circulatory system more often
than not leads to high blood pressure.

In summary, the examples I gave you above are just a few of
the many health benefits of drinking water, for you and your
family as well.

However, I should stress the following: Not all water that
we get at our homes is created equal. Its quality varies
greatly, depending on a lot of factors such as where it
originates (could be ground water or surface water), the
kind of treatment it undergoes, etc. The subject of water
quality is a very diverse one and is surely beyond the scope
of this article. My personal opinion is that it is
definitely worth it to spend some time investigating the
issue and decide on taking action to ensure that the water
at your home is the purest it can be.

Nicos Stylianou is a firm believer that drinking
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healthy, pure water is one of the cornerstones of a balanced
diet. Visit his (http://www.your-nutrition-guide.com/)
nutrition guide website now to find out what he recommends.

Natural Ways To Reduce Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against blood
vessel walls as it circulates through the body. When the
heart pumps more blood and if the arteries are narrow, the
higher the pressure. Narrow arteries also make the heart
work harder. Daily life events, such as exercise, stress or
emotions can cause the pressure to rise temporarily. This is
normal. But chronic high blood pressure must be treated.

Some of the symptoms of high blood pressure or hypertension
are headaches, nose bleeding and sweating. Hypertension is
sometimes also said to be the "silent-killer". In some
cases, it's symptom free until you have a heart attack or
stroke.

Blood Pressure numbers:

Systolic and Diastolic are the two measurements used in
blood pressure. For example, 120/80. Systolic, 120 from the
example, is the measurement of the blood pressure during the
heart beat. Diastolic, 80 from the example, is the blood
pressure level when the heart is at rest in between heart
beats. It is said to be in normal range when the measurement
is 120/80.

Diet and life style changes:

Consuming a diet rich in plant foods is one of the best ways
to reduce blood pressure. Plant foods are generally richer
in blood pressure-lowering potassium than animal products.
Also, they are not loaded with sodium, as many packaged
foods are. Salt (sodium chloride) plays a major role in
hypertension. People who consume less salt have little
problem with hypertension.

One teaspoon of salt contains 2,325 mg of sodium. In order
to lower the blood pressure its suggested to take 1,500 to
2,000 mg daily. But remember to consult with your own doctor
for individual intake levels. Some of the main source of
excess sodium in your system comes from packaged and
processed foods.

Some of the foods that are low in fats and high in
potassium, calcium and magnesium, which help lower the blood
pressure, are as follows: Whole grains, fish, nuts and
poultry. Celery, onions and garlic also can help reducing
blood pressure.

Heart Health - Talk To Your Doctor

An essential step in preventing and managing heart disease
is being open with your doctor about your questions and
concerns. You're not alone when it comes to difficulties in
talking to a medical practitioner about your health
concerns. But when it comes to heart wellness no question
should be left unanswered.

There are those who hope that their questions will be
answered through the course of an examination, rather than
having to actually voice them. Physicians don't always have
as much time as they would like with each patient due to
their demanding schedules and long waiting lists. In
particular, women need to voice their concerns, since heart
disease isn't as readily associated with women, even though
they are equally at risk.

Questions that you should ask your doctor include what your
blood pressure is recorded as and what is normal for you.
Glucose and cholesterol levels need to be checked to see if
they're in an acceptable range. Ask your doctor which tests
are suggested for people of your age, both currently and in
the future.

If medication has been prescribed, do not hesitate to ask if
there are side effects, what the drug is supposed to do, and
whether you should take other medication, even over the
counter, with your prescribed medicine. Also find out if
this is a long term medication or temporary. Tests to
monitor the effects of the medication you are taking should
be conducted at a later date if it is recommended by your
doctor. The liver is one organ that most doctors consider
testing when a patient is on certain medicines.

If you always get home and remember something that you
forgot to ask the doctor, make a "need to know" list and
take it with you on your next visit. Do not forget to bring
with you the medications that you are presently on as well.
This is essential if you are under the care of more than one
health care practitioner.

Add to your list any surgeries or relevant illness that you
have had and been treated for in the past few years. This
should be in your medical chart so that the doctor can be
aware of anything that might cause a problem.

In conclusion, if you think that you may forget what you
physician has told you, you can always write it down or
record the appointment for later referral. Do not be afraid
to check around for a second opinion if you are not
comfortable with the treatment that your doctor recommends
or if you do not feel that he or she listened to your
worries or questions.

LDL Cholesterol And Heart Disease

Cholesterol is a substance that is found in our blood. It is
usually associated with other substances, notably the
lipoproteins named LDL and HDL. The association with HDL is
good for our health whereas the association with LDL is bad.
Let us find out how these associations actually affect our
health and how we can guard against their adverse effect on
our health.

HDL cholesterol is beneficial to the body and must be
transported to all parts of the body by the bloodstream,
whereas LDL cholesterol must be eliminated from the body via
the very same bloodstream. The body has a mechanism to
regulate the levels of LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol
in the blood. Bad eating and lifestyle habits cause the
cholesterol levels to exceed the normal healthy bounds thus
overloading the regulatory mechanism. If this condition
continues for a long time our health is jeopardized.

LDL cholesterol tends to stick to the inner walls of the
blood vessels it moves through. The coating reduces the
blood flow through the affected vessels. This means poor
circulation which translates to poor health. The coating may
increase to an extent where the blood vessel is severely
constricted. This condition is known as arteriosclerosis.

If this situation carries on for a long time, the blood flow
is obstructed and the blood pressure increases leading to
overloading of the heart. The plaque can accumulate to such
an extent that it completely blocks the blood vessel, or it
may get dislodged from one location and lodge itself in a
narrower blood vessel, like a capillary, creating a blockage
there. Blood supply is choked off at that point, and leads
to blood starvation in the region beyond the blockage.

If this blood starvation occurs in a critical area of the body,
as for example in the brain, then we get a crisis. The
affected area of the brain shuts down and this leads to a
'stroke' wherein the body experiences paralysis in those
areas controlled by the area of the brain which has shut
down. If the blood vessels of the heart are affected by
blockage, then we get a critical situation known as a heart
attack. All this is due to an excess of LDL cholesterol in
the blood.

The best way to recover from this situation is to help the
body to regulate the amounts of HDL and LDL cholesterol. We
can do this by changing over to a low-fat diet, free of
foods that are rich in LDL. Some fats, like the omega-3 fats
found in fish, are actually helpful in reducing LDL
cholesterol. So we should include fish in our diet. Drink a
lot of water to increase blood circulation and excretion.

Check the medium your food is cooked in. Stop using
polyunsaturated vegetable oils because they change to
trans-fats on heating, and trans-fats are harmful for
health. Use olive oil instead, because it is a good cooking
medium. Just this much is good enough to bring about a
drastic reduction of LDL cholesterol.

Smoking actually helps to elevate the LDL cholesterol level
in the blood. Give up smoking and see the LDL cholesterol
beat a hasty retreat. Follow the other steps in this article
to ensure your freedom from a dangerous heart condition.

A stressful lifestyle adds fuel to fire if you have an
excessive LDL cholesterol level. Tension adds to the high
LDL cholesterol situation, whereas a tension free lifestyle
actually goes a long way to decreasing the LDL cholesterol
level.

If you (or a near one) suffer from a high LDL cholesterol
level, don't get all stressed about it. That will be
counter-productive. You should be positive instead. You can
do a lot to bring the LDL cholesterol levels down to normal.
Start having a good, healthy and balanced diet. Increase the
amount of your activity. Start exercising, and continue to
do so regularly. Stop smoking altogether. Not only will your
bad cholesterol level get itself back to where it belongs,
but your exposure to heart attack and stroke will disappear
as well.