High Blood Pressure is critical because it is a leading cause of heart disease in America.

Simply put, blood pressure, is the force of the blood against artery walls when the heart beats and rests. It is called “the silent killer” because it has no symptoms.

What should my blood pressure be?

When you have your blood pressure checked by a doctor/nurse, a cuff is placed around your arm, pumped up, and released, and gives two measurements – systolic pressure and diastolic pressure.

Systolic pressure is the maximum pressure when your heart contracts and pumps blood out to the body. Diastolic pressure is the minimum pressure when your heart relaxes between beats. A reading below 120 (systolic) and below 80 (diastolic) is considered normal. If you have a reading of 120 – 139/80-89 or higher, your doctor may recommend treatment.

When your heart pumps blood through the arteries, it supplies oxygen and nutrients to the organs of your body. The blood then returns to your heart through the veins.

Nerve impulses cause your arteries to dilate (become larger) or contract (become smaller). If these vessels are wide open, blood can flow through easily. If they’re narrow, it’s harder for the blood to flow through them, and the pressure inside them increases. When this happens, your heart becomes strained and blood vessels may become damaged.

High blood pressure adds to the work your heart and arteries must do. Your heart needs to pump harder, and the arteries that carry blood are under greater pressure. If this situation continues for an extended period of time, your heart and arteries may not work as well as they should. When high blood pressure exists with obesity and high blood cholesterol, the risk of heart attack or stroke increases several times.

What causes high blood pressure?

Except in rare cases, doctors don’t know what causes high blood pressure. What they do know is that about 50 million Americans have it. They also know that only a small percentage of people with high blood pressure are being adequately treated.

What can you do about high blood pressure? May have positive effect on your blood pressure.

First and foremost, if you are prescribed medication, take it as directed. But even with medication, diet and exercise are still important. There is emerging evidence to suggest that aerobic exercise may have a positive effect on blood pressure. Weight loss is also a good idea because people who are overweight are more likely to have higher that normal blood pressure. When it comes to diet, choose food that are low in sodium and high in potassium.

How do sodium and potassium affect the blood pressure?

Most of us consume more salt (sodium) than our bodies need. Heavy consumption of sodium can lead to increased blood pressure in some people, which can lead to high blood pressure. Many people diagnosed With high blood pressure. Many people diagnosed with high blood pressure are put on a sodium-restricted diet.

Nutrients in certain foods have been shown to have a positive effect on blood pressure. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), potassium may help lower blood pressure. Potassium helps maintain the normal function of the heart and nervous system and can be found in fruits and vegetables. Other beneficial nutrients include calcium and magnesium found in low-fat dairy foods. By eating more of these types of foods, you can increase your chances of lowering your blood pressure.

Research has shown that people with lower sodium levels in their diets tend to have lower blood pressures, regardless of whether or not they suffer from high blood pressure.

Does Gender Matter? Who’s at Gender Risk?

Heart Disease accounts for nearly half the male deaths in the U.S. This might lead you to conclude that heart disease is a man’s disease. This is a common misconception. The fact is, as many women are affected by heart disease as men.

Are you African American?

Heart Disease is the #1 killer of African Americans accounting for 37% of all deaths. The incidence of high blood pressure in African Americans in the U.S. is amongst the highest in the world. It’s estimated that some 44% of the African American community suffers from hypertension, but only 16% are diagnosed. Not only do black women have a higher incidence of heart disease than white women, they are twice as likely to die from the disease.

You can start taking steps now

Now you know there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of heart disease. Among other things managing cholesterol and blood pressure are equally important to maintaining a healthy heart. Maintaining a healthy diet is essential, a diet low in sodium and high in potassium.