Blood pressure is the force that you blood flows through your arteries as your heart beats.
It is measured with a blood pressure cuff placed around the arm to count heart rate (systolic) and rest (diastolic).
A normal blood pressure is less than 120/80. High blood pressure is 140/90 or higher. If your blood pressure is between 120/80 and 140/90, you have what is called prehypertension, which means that if you don’t take important steps, your blood pressure can turn into high blood pressure. Source
Here’s how the cuff is used to measure blood pressure, plus tips for monitoring your blood pressure at home. (These are the vital signs to check.)
High blood pressure (also called hypertension) is a mystery to many. Most people with high blood pressure do not even have symptoms, and nearly one third of people with high blood pressure do not know they have it. It’s known as the silent killer.
Following are little-known facts about high blood pressure, plus some natural treatments for lowering your blood pressure…
Symptoms & Causes Of High Blood Pressure
Fact 1: High blood pressure does not cause symptoms in its early stages. It is usually discovered at a doctor’s visit when the doctor is taking a routine blood pressure reading using the cuff. Symptoms in the later stages include dizziness, headaches, and nose bleeds.
Fact 2: Doctors do not know what causes high blood pressure. Most think it’s due to stress. High blood pressure is not caused by stress.
Fact 3: Children and babies can have high blood pressure as well. While many cases of high blood pressure in children are actually caused by another disease, there are some children who just have high blood pressure for no reason. (High blood pressure is under diagnosed in children.)
Fact 4: High blood pressure is especially concerning during the late stages of pregnancy. If untreated, it can cause harm to the child and mother.
Fact 5: Blood pressure increases with age. Men have a greater risk of high blood pressure than women until age 45. From age 45–54, the percentages of men and women are similar. After age 55, women are more likely to develop high blood pressure than men are.
Fact 6: High blood pressure has risk factors that cannot be controlled. They are:
- Race (blacks have a higher incidence than whites)
- Heredity (family history is a factor)
- Age (older people have a higher incidence than younger people)
Fact 7: Some risk factors of high blood pressure can be controlled, including:
- Obesity (overweight people have a higher incidence than thin people)
- Salt consumption (the more sodium in your diet, the more likely you are to have high blood pressure)
- Lack of exercise (sedentary people have a higher incidence than those who are constantly moving)
- Stress (controlling stress can help to lower your heart rate)
Treating High Blood Pressure
There is no cure for high blood pressure, at least not yet.
However, high blood pressure is controllable. Here’s how:
- Your doctor may prescribe medication that can help to keep your blood pressure in check.
- You can directly influence your blood pressure by watching your weight, reducing the salt in your diet (less than 2.4 grams daily), exercising more, limiting alcohol, and reducing your level of stress.
Natural Ways To Lower High Blood Pressure
- AUDIO: 5 Ways To Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally
- Managing Blood Pressure With A Heart-Healthy Diet
- Home Remedies For High Blood Pressure
- 68 Natural Ways To Lower Blood Pressure
- Foods That Lower Blood Pressure
- Your Guide To Lowering Blood Pressure For Your Body Type
- Chocolate & 7 Other Foods That Lower Blood Pressure
My Personal Story About High Blood Pressure
As a teenager, my mother was diagnosed with high blood pressure.
According to the doctors, she was in danger of having a stroke. She was a feisty woman, but only with her husband and kids.
She allowed friends and relatives to pretty much walk all over her. This stressed her out and made her high blood pressure even worse.
A doctor told her that she needed to be more outspoken, because it would relieve her stress and lower her blood pressure. She was never the same after that. If she thought it, she said it. And her blood pressure went down, down, down.
She became a much happier person, but she did end up finding a different set of friends. She was able to get a job that she loved due to her improved health. And after a couple of years, she was completely off high blood pressure medications .
So in my opinion, happiness is one of the keys to lowering high blood pressure.
I have been a certified tightwad since I became pregnant with my first child and decided to find a way to stay home with him. I enjoy sharing my experiences in my journey back to financial health and planning for a future — which will include sending 2 kids to college and early retirement.
