The Top Ten Causes Of High Blood Pressure

The percentage of the population in the countries of the West that is suffering from hypertension (aka high blood pressure) is rising all the time. High blood pressure is also called the ‘silent killer’, because there is no real notification that you have it, yet it can kill you stone dead all the same.

Whenever people say that they can feel their blood pressure rising, it is normally merely an idiom meaning that they are getting angry or excited. You cannot know that your blood pressure is high without measuring it.

So, how can you reduce your blood pressure or prevent it from going up without resorting to the daily intake of tablets? Here are the top 10 causes of high blood pressure.

1] The first thing to do is lose weight if you are too fat. Merely losing ten pounds can have quite a serious effect on your BP.

2] Smoking is a cause of high blood pressure, so you could chop that out.

3] Drinking alcohol to excess frequently also raises BP

4] A sedentary lifestyle or plain lack of exercise will not help either. If you cannot bring yourself to go to the gym, only walk more. A walk of thirty minutes in the morning and in the evening will instigate a lot of difference.

5] Diet. It is critical to eat a healthy diet, which will also help you lose weight. Cut out most junk foods; cut down on meats and fatty foods and consume more fruits and vegetables. Sodium plays a big part in weight gain (through water retention) and is a major factor in hypertension. Reduce your sodium intake. (Junk foods have a high sodium content).

6] Try to be happy. Easier said than done in most cases, but try to develop a positive attitude. Stress plays a big part in creating hypertension. Exercise is said to relieve stress as is meditation and yoga. Attempt a couple of items and see what helps you.

7] Some illness and sleep disorders increase blood pressure as do some medications. Sleep disorders like sleep apnoea disrupt your sleep, preventing you from having proper sleep, which increases BP too. Sleep apnoea can be the result of being overweight, so you know how to deal with that, and if you think that medication is causing high BP, speak to your gp.

8] Age can be a cause but although there is nothing you can do about your age, you can attempt to be a ‘young’ whatever you are. individuals more than the age of 55 by and large start getting hypertension rather than younger individuals. You could try to stay fit and optimistic. See exercise above.

9] Race is another factor about which you have no control, yet Africans and their descendants are more prone to hypertension. If you fit this profile, be aware that you are at risk and check your BP regularly.

10] Fear, worry and depression can all have negative influences on BP, so if any of these incapacitating conditions applies to you, seek help.

Owen Jones, the author of this article writes on a number of subjects, but is currently involved with work on high blood pressure charts. If you want to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at High Blood Pressure Recipes.