The ABCs Of High Blood Pressure - Information You Have To Know

It's amazing that a disease that affects so many people is so misunderstood by most. Everybody knows that high blood pressure is a bad thing to have but they probably know more about restless leg syndrome (thanks to T.V.) than they do about this silent killer. Let's start with the basics.

What Is Blood Pressure?

Our bodies are "fed" nutrients and oxygen by our blood vessels. Arteries are the super highways for blood distribution branching off to surface streets called veins which ultimately pull into individual cell driveways called capillaries. This system of blood vessels is essential for life.

When our heart pumps blood it encounters a certain amount of resistance from the blood vessels and this is what we call blood pressure. Blood pressure can be measured using a blood pressure cuff which determines the systolic pressure, when the heart contracts and pumps, and the diastolic pressure, when the heart relaxes.

The amount of pressure that exists is measured by the blood pressure cuff as millimeters of Mercury or mmMg. A normal ready is 120 systolic and 80 diastolic.

What Is High Blood Pressure?

Our blood vessels are designed to be flexible so they can expand to accommodate those times when we need more blood faster. For example, when we run our muscles, lungs, and other organs need more oxygen as we are burning it up faster than normal. The heart will beat faster to accommodate this need and a greater volume of blood will pass through the vessels.

If those vessels have lost some or all of their flexibility because they have hardened, or if the interior of the vessel has material clogging the vessel and decreasing the diameter, the heart will have more resistance and will pump harder creating higher pressure.

This additional pressure can cause a vessel to rupture. When this happens in the brain it causes a stroke. When it happens in the eye it causes blindness. When it happens in the kidney it can cause kidney failure.

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

No one knows for sure what the root cause of this disease is but everyone agrees on three contributing factors:

• Diets heavy in salt, fats and low in potassium.
• Sedentary Lifestyle
• Stress

What Cures High Blood Pressure?

First of all, drugs do not cure HBP they treat the symptoms, sometimes with disastrous results. The only way to cure HBP or avoid it is by adjusting the three contributing factors. Eating right, getting exercise and managing stress will prevent the onset of the disease in 90% of the population.

Those that already have the disease will see a great improvement in their pressure if they can adjust their lifestyle. If they stick at it, they can get to a point where they can get off of their medication and end living with the side effects.


About the Author
This disease is too serious to ignore. Get a step by step guide (www.bloodpressuretruth.com/?hop=riachel) that clearly and concisely spells out what you need to know about diet, stress and exercise. Your family will thank you!