What is Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is a combination of systolic and diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure represents blood force, or pressure, while the heart is beating and diastolic pressure stands for blood pressure when the heart is at rest.
Systolic pressure is always the first or top measurement in a blood pressure reading. In a reading of 130/80, 130 represents systolic pressure and 80 represents diastolic pressure. In prehypertension, systolic numbers range from 120–129 and diastolic numbers are less than 80.
Blood pressure ranges include: (3)
Normal: Less than 120/80 mm Hg
Prehypertension: Systolic between 120–129 and diastolic less than 80
Stage 1 high blood pressure: Systolic between 130–139 or diastolic between 80–89
Stage 2 high blood pressure: Systolic at least 140 or diastolic at least 90 mm Hg.

information for act 1 hypertension alter from 130–139 for systolic principles and/or 80–89 in diastolic numbers. With podium 2 hypertension, systolic readings are 140 or advanced and/or diastolic readings calculate 90 or higher. though mutually statistics are significant, after about grow old 50, the systolic add up to is on the whole important. lone 10 percent of in height blood force belongings are proper to resultant or certain causes such as medications, or setting and diseases of other organs.

High blood pressure happens when the pressure on the arteries and blood vessels becomes too high and the arterial wall becomes distorted causing extra stress on the heart. Long term-high blood pressure increases the risk of stroke, heart attack and diabetes. Most people don’t even realize they have high blood pressure until serious problems arise.

Consequences of High Blood Pressure include:
Arterial damage

Aneurysm

Heart failure

Blocked or ruptured blood vessels

Reduced kidney function

Vision loss

Loss of cognitive function: concentration, recollection and capacity to learn

Metabolic syndrome: a cluster of metabolic disorders such as anticyclone cholesterol and insulin, atherosclerosis and greater than before waist size

Frequently, at hand are no symptoms as blood weight increases, but word cipher for extraordinarily lofty blood demands bottle rope in chest pains, confusion, headaches, ear blare or buzzing, haphazard heartbeat, nosebleeds, drowsiness or image changes.

Causes of High Blood Pressure include:
A high-salt diet
Emotional stress
Alcohol
Caffeine
Smoking
Obesity
Inactivity
Birth control pills
Heavy-metal poisoning

Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure
So, what are some natural ways to lower blood pressure? There are foods that reduce blood pressure, as well as supplements to lower blood pressure and lifestyle changes you can make. These high blood pressure home remedies are pretty easy to incorporate into your life. By slowly making these changes to your daily habits, you can create new, healthier routines and a much healthier you.

Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline
Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. Being overweight also can cause disrupted breathing while you sleep (sleep apnea), which further raises your blood pressure.
Weight loss is one of the most effective lifestyle changes for controlling blood pressure. Losing even a small amount of weight if you're overweight or obese can help reduce your blood pressure. In general, you may reduce your blood pressure by about 1 millimeter of mercury (mm Hg) with each kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) of weight you lose.

Exercise regularly
Regular physical activity — such as 150 minutes a week, or about 30 minutes most days of the week — can lower your blood pressure by about 5 to 8 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure. It's important to be consistent because if you stop exercising, your blood pressure can rise again.
If you have elevated blood pressure, exercise can help you avoid developing hypertension. If you already have hypertension, regular physical activity can bring your blood pressure down to safer levels.

Eat a healthy diet
Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and skimps on saturated fat and cholesterol can lower your blood pressure by up to 11 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure. This eating plan is known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.
It isn't easy to change your eating habits, but with these tips, you can adopt a healthy diet:
Keep a food diary. Writing down what you eat, even for just a week, can shed surprising light on your true eating habits. Monitor what you eat, how much, when and why.
Consider boosting potassium. Potassium can lessen the effects of sodium on blood pressure. The best source of potassium is food, such as fruits and vegetables, rather than supplements. Talk to your doctor about the potassium level that's best for you.
Be a smart shopper. Read food labels when you shop and stick to your healthy-eating plan when you're dining out, too.

Limit the amount of alcohol you drink
Alcohol can be both good and bad for your health. By drinking alcohol only in moderation — generally one drink a day for women, or two a day for men — you can potentially lower your blood pressure by about 4 mm Hg. One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.
But that protective effect is lost if you drink too much alcohol.
Drinking more than moderate amounts of alcohol can actually raise blood pressure by several points. It can also reduce the effectiveness of blood pressure medications.

Quit smoking
Each cigarette you smoke increases your blood pressure for many minutes after you finish. Stopping smoking helps your blood pressure return to normal. Quitting smoking can reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your overall health. People who quit smoking may live longer than people who never quit smoking.

Cut back on caffeine
The role caffeine plays in blood pressure is still debated. Caffeine can raise blood pressure up to 10 mm Hg in people who rarely consume it. But people who drink coffee regularly may experience little or no effect on their blood pressure.
Although the long-term effects of caffeine on blood pressure aren't clear, it's possible blood pressure may slightly increase.

Reduce your stress
Chronic stress may contribute to high blood pressure. More research is needed to determine the effects of chronic stress on blood pressure. Occasional stress also can contribute to high blood pressure if you react to stress by eating unhealthy food, drinking alcohol or smoking.
Take some time to think about what causes you to feel stressed, such as work, family, finances or illness. Once you know what's causing your stress, consider how you can eliminate or reduce stress.

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