High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure or hypertension is a serious medical condition that affects many obese and overweight individuals. This is the most common form of cardiovascular disease, and affects both adults and children. Blood pressure measures the amount of resistance to blood flow there is in the arteries in relation to the amount of blood an individual’s heart is pumping. As the amount of blood pumped by the heart increases and the arteries become narrower, the blood pressure level begins to rise.

For many people, high blood pressure does not have any symptoms of its own, but it does put you at risk for a number of serious medical conditions including:

• Heart attack

• Stroke

• Aneurysm

• Heart failure

• Metabolic syndrome

In addition to these medical conditions, high blood pressure can cause blood vessels in the kidneys to become weak, and blood vessels in the eyes may become thick or even tear, occasionally resulting in the loss of vision. The inability to concentrate or remember things correctly could also develop as a result of uncontrolled blood pressure.

Causes of High Blood Pressure

There are a variety of factors that contribute to high blood pressure, including a genetic disposition, age, stress, and tobacco use. In addition to these factors, being overweight or obese and lacking regular physical activity are two primary causes of the development of the disease. Overweight and obese individuals are at heightened risk for hypertension because as the weight of the body increases, more blood is needed to supply the tissues with oxygen. Blood pressure increases alongside the volume of the blood that is needed to be circulated. Individuals that are sedentary often experience high blood pressure because inactive people often have higher heart rates, meaning that the heart is forced to work harder at each contraction.

Treatment Options

For most people, high blood pressure will be diagnosed during the course of a general office visit with their physician. Blood pressure is determined with an arm cuff and a measuring gauge, and is often tested prior to any doctor appointment. If you are found to have high blood pressure your physician may recommend medication. In addition to medical treatment, there are a variety of lifestyle habits and home remedies that you can participate in to return your blood pressure to a healthy level. One of the leading recommended home remedies for hypertension is weight loss. By losing weight you can relieve the pressure on your heart and naturally restore your blood pressure level to a healthier state.

Lifestyle factors that can influence blood pressure include:

• Eating a healthy diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy foods and whole grains

• Decreasing the amount of salt in your diet

• Maintaining a healthy weight level

• Increasing your daily amount of physical activity, ideally achieving 30 minutes of physical activity every day

• Limiting your alcohol consumption

• Managing your stress levels

• Refraining from tobacco use

• Practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises