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High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is when your heart works extra hard to pump blood around your body. It means that the force of blood flowing through your arteries is higher than normal.

But to understand what this means, you first need to know what blood pressure is.

Everyone has blood pressure (BP).

It refers to the force of blood pushing against your artery walls, as it flows through your heart. A reading breaks down into 2 numbers, e.g. 120/80:

Systolic: This is the first number in a blood pressure reading. It measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats.

Diastolic: The second number in a blood pressure reading. This measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests, i.e. between heart beats. 

If your systolic or diastolic force is high, you have high blood pressure – a.k.a. hypertension. And if your systolic or diastolic force is low, you have low blood pressure.

Categories

According to the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, high blood pressure categories include:

Normal blood pressure

A reading below 120/80.

Prehypertension

Systolic pressure from 120 to 129 with diastolic pressure of 80 or below. Prehypertension usually gets worse over time. Hypertension symptoms may begin here.

Stage 1 Hypertension

Systolic pressure from 130 to 139, or diastolic pressure from 80 to 89. High bp treatment often begins at this stage, e.g. diet changes, medications, herbal supplements.

Stage 2 Hypertension

Systolic pressure is 140 or higher, or diastolic pressure is 90 or higher. This is a severe form of high BP.

High Blood Pressure Crisis

Call your doctor asap if your systolic pressure is over 180 or your diastolic pressure is 120 or more. This is a medical emergency.

Your high blood pressure will be either:

  • Primary Hypertension – When high blood pressure causes are unknown. It’s not caused by another medical condition and tends to develop over time. Primary hypertension may relate to obesity or genetics.
  • Secondary Hypertension – When high blood pressure develops because of another medical condition or factor, e.g. kidney disease, alcohol abuse, certain medications.

Sometimes high blood pressure causes you to feel unwell, but not always. Some people go years without knowing they have a problem as symptoms never develop. This is dangerous as high BP causes the body to become susceptible to other conditions, such as:

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Heart attack
  • Stroke
  • Dementia
  • Eye diseases
  • Erectile dysfunction.

If YOU want to stay healthy and feel well into your senior years, it’s vital to seek high bp treatment if you need it.

Visit your doctor or health professional if you suspect your blood pressure is high. Don’t wait for World Heart Day (September 29) to look after your health – start today.

Celebrities with High Blood Pressure

These celebrities, and their families, learned about the dangers of high blood pressure the hard way.

Barry White, singer/songwriter, suffered from high blood pressure for years. Did he wait too long to get help? It’s possible, as standard high bp treatment wasn’t enough to keep Barry in the music studio. His high blood pressure contributed to kidney failure and a fatal stroke.

Whitney Houston, beloved singer and actress, passed away in 2012. Many people believe she died from a drug overdose, but the coroner’s report reveals more. Whitney’s official cause of death was drowning, as well as heart disease related to undiagnosed high blood pressure.

Signs and Symptoms

High blood pressure can be a ‘silent’ condition. Often, high blood pressure symptoms don’t develop at all, even when the condition is severe. Signs of high blood pressure to look out for include:

  • Headache
  • Shortness of breath
  • Nosebleeds
  • Heart palpitations
  • Dizziness.

Treatments For High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure treatment often includes diet and lifestyle changes, plus using medication. Standard high BP treatment and recommendations from your practitioner may include:

  • Diet – Reduce salt and fat intakes while eating plenty of fruit and vegetables.
  • Quit Smoking – Cigarette smoke weakens the blood vessels and arteries.
  • Weight Loss – Being overweight or obese increases your risk of high blood pressure. Losing even small amounts of weight can be helpful for controlling high BP.
  • Limit Alcohol – Minimise alcohol intake as much as possible. Having more than 3 drinks in one sitting can temporarily increase your blood pressure. Binge drinking can lead to long-term high blood pressure.
  • Medications – Use these if diet and lifestyle factors don’t remedy hypertension. Medications may target the cardiovascular, endocrine and/or urinary system (kidneys). Options include: diuretics, beta blockers, vasodilators, calcium channel blockers and more.
  • Alternative Therapies – Allied health professionals offer high BP treatments. Speak with a Naturopath, Homeopath or Ayurveda Practitioner for help.

Causes of High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure causes are unique for each person, and are usually a mix of factors. Common high bp causes include:

  • High salt or fat diet
  • Obesity
  • Smoking
  • Alcohol Overuse
  • Long term stress
  • High cholesterol
  • Family history of high blood pressure
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Pregnancy
  • Liver congestion
  • Medication side effects, e.g. oral contraceptive pill
  • Other health conditions, e.g. obstructive sleep apnoea, kidney problems, adrenal gland disorders, diabetes.

What Works For Hypertension – Natural Options

Avoid These Foods – Minimise salty and fatty foods. This helps support cardiovascular and kidney health, and minimise cholesterol. Foods to limit or avoid include table salt, pickles, potato chips, deli and cured meats, tacos, pizza, fried foods, soy sauce, anything high in trans fats.

Choose These Foods – Eat lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and plant proteins. These nutrient-rich foods help to keep the heart and arteries healthy. They also enliven the liver, which is important because liver health impacts heart health.

Supplements are a natural high bp treatment. A specific supplement regime or herbal mix  can support your specific needs. Nutrients may include B-vitamins, Magnesium or coenzyme Q10. Herbals may include: Hawthorn Berry, Garlic, Turmeric.

  • NB: Supplements containing Licorice are contraindicated as they can increase BP.

Acupuncture is a safe and effective high bp treatment. Studies show it can even decrease the need for medication. Make sure you tell your doctor if you’re using acupuncture for high BP.

Relaxation techniques are helpful because they reduce stress hormones in your bloodstream. As stress can temporarily increase blood pressure, it’s good to know it generally returns to normal once the stress disappears. Unfortunately, blood pressure spikes (even short ones) can cause heart attacks and strokes. Try massage, meditation, yoga, and deep breathing.

Aerobic exercise, such as dancing, swimming, cycling, jogging, gets your heart pumping. Therefore, it’s a great way to strengthen your cardiovascular system, improve stamina and promote weight loss.

Find A Professional

The following health experts can help with hypertension:

  • Nutritionists
  • Naturopaths
  • Acupuncturists
  • Ayurveda Practitioners
  • Massage Therapists
  • Yoga Instructors
  • Meditation Teachers

Supporting Someone With Hypertension

Here’s how to support someone with high blood pressure:

  1. Food Options. If you’re hosting a party and your guests have high BP, choose your menu carefully. Look for low salt and low fat options of your favourite party foods. Or even better – make your own. This way you have total control over how much salt/fat is in your food.
  2. Minimise Stress. Try not to stress out your friend with BP issues. If you need to tell them stressful news, do it in the most relaxing setting you can. Blood pressure spikes in people with high BP can be dangerous.
  3. Professional Support. Encourage your friend to see a doctor if they suspect they have high BP. It’s important to get high BP under control asap, as it helps to minimise long term problems.

FAQs

What are high blood pressure causes?

  • Poor diet, e.g. high salt or fat
  • Obesity
  • Smoking
  • Alcohol Overuse
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Long term stress
  • Family history of high BP
  • High cholesterol
  • Pregnancy
  • Liver congestion
  • Medication side effects, e.g. oral contraceptive pill
  • Other health conditions, e.g. obstructive sleep apnoea, kidney problems, diabetes.

What are high blood pressure symptoms?

Many people with high blood pressure have no noticeable symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they often include:

  • Headache
  • Shortness of breath
  • Nosebleeds
  • Heart palpitations
  • Dizziness.

What helps high blood pressure?

  1. Exercise regularly
  2. Avoid salty and fatty foods
  3. Lose weight, if you’re overweight or obese
  4. Minimise stress
  5. Supplements can support heart health and help control high BP, e.g. B-Complex vitamins, Magnesium, Coenzyme Q10, Hawthorn Berry, Turmeric.