High Blood Pressure – or hypertension – is the blood force in your arteries when your heart beats (systolic pressure) and when your heart is at rest (diastolic pressure).  High blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).

Whether your blood pressure is normal, high, or normal depends on several factors:

• Blood output from the heart
• The resistance of blood flow within your blood vessels
• Volume of blood
• Blood distribution to your body’s organs

Everyone is different.

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), high blood pressure is:

• 120/80 or lower is normal blood pressure
• 140/90 or higher is high blood pressure
• Between 120-139 for the first number (systolic pressure), and between 80-89 for the second number (diastolic pressure) is pre-hypertension

Even though high blood pressure has no overt symptoms you can feel, most cases of high blood pressure are caused by arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis factors - as well as poor kidney function and obesity - that can be brought under control by diet and lifestyle changes.  Occasionally, there are high blood pressure warning signs:

• Headaches
• Seating
• Rapid pulse
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness

Every report we reviewed suggests that blood pressure can be tied to other health problems, which include:

• Diabetes
• Kidney function problems
• Heart disease or failure
• Previous stroke
• Enlarged heart (genetic or drug-related)

Besides disease, the four main contributing factors for increasing blood pressure are:

• Obesity
• High sodium intake
• Lack of exercise or physical activity
• Stress

Risk factors:

• Race – especially African-Americans
• Low levels of nitric oxide
• Insulin resistance
• People with diabetes, kidney disorders, mellitus, or gout
• People over 55
• Heredity
• Obesity
• Chronic alcohol consumption
• Use of certain medications: women taking oral contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy and steroids
• Previous or current drug use, especially cocaine

Controlling Blood Pressure:

• Diet – eat low-sodium, low-fat and low-sugar
• Weight loss or maintaining healthy weight
• Exercise
• Stop smoking
• Limit alcohol consumption
• Medications

 If you are looking for steps to lower blood pressure naturally:

1. Eat good foods and fats and enjoy a healthy, low-sodium, low-fat, low-sugar, high-fiber diet
2. Enjoy juice or tea daily
3. Exercise
4. Aim for a healthy body weight
5. Add vitamins, herbs and supplements to your diet
6. Drink alcohol in moderation

And avoid:

1. Tobacco products of any kind
2. Bad foods and fats
3. Lack of exercise
4. Excessive eating – no more than 2,000 calories per day (depending on height, weight and activity level, this number may vary)

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