Alcohol And High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, which also is called hypertension, plagues millions of people in the United States. But, and this is problematic, many aren’t that educated on this issue. What causes high blood pressure? What are hypertension symptoms? How is it diagnosed? Should I be concerned about it? The goal of this piece is to provide you with answers for the sake of your health.

What is High Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure sounds more complicated that it is. It’s just the pressure the blood gives off while it moves through the arteries. Blood pressure numbers appear as a ratio. For example, take 120/80. If you’re at all familiar with blood pressure, you probably recognize the word systolic, which is represented here by 120. Despite its ominous sound, systolic is just the pressure given off as the heart pumps. The second number, 80, is diastolic. Diastolic is the opposite of systolic. It chronicles the pressure exerted between beats. High blood pressure occurs when these numbers are elevated and there’s excess pressure. 140/90 and up is considered high blood pressure.

How Can I Tell if I Have High Blood Pressure?

A major problem with diagnosing blood pressure is that there are usually few hypertension symptoms. Consequently, around 30% of people who have hypertension don’t know it. This why you must get your blood pressure measured, using validated blood pressure equipment, frequently. Fortunately, doing so is fast and doesn’t hurt. The doctor places an inflatable band over your arm. He or she pumps it up and reads the pressure from a blood pressure meter. It’s entirely possible that you’ve seen blood pressure equipment at your local pharmacist.

Is High Blood Pressure an Issue That I Should Concern Myself With?

High blood pressure can damage blood vessels. Think about water going through a fire hose. If the water pressure is too great, it can harm the hose. This can result in damaging health issues. They include strokes, heart attacks, and harm to the kidneys. High blood pressure can actually result in the end of life! That’s why you need to be not only aware of high blood pressure, but also the causes of it so you can keep your pressure in check.

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

Stress is one of several high blood pressure causes. Further, as you know, stress is an uninvited guest in the lives of many. In addition, sodium can contribute to hypertension. So can alcohol, and tobacco. Also, excessive weight gain can as well. Unfortunately, many of these high blood pressure causes come together. In other words, the same people who are overweight often also, for example, consume foods high in sodium.

As you can see, high blood pressure causes are legion. In addition, as a result of the harm hypertension can affect in your body, it should be top of mind. So get your blood pressure measured and read further for actions you can take to help lower it.

If you are battling high blood pressure there are some things you will want to know. First thing you want to understand is what the numbers mean. Your blood pressure will read with a top and bottom number. The top is your systolic pressure and the bottom number is your diastolic pressure. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 so if your blood pressure reads 130/90 you are at risk for developing high blood pressure. This reading is called prehypertension which is basically a stage before developing high blood pressure. By having your blood pressure checked and monitored often you can easily lower it where it needs to be. The best way to do this is by maintaining or adopting a healthier lifestyle. Have you always had normal blood pressure until recently? If this is the case, consider what you have recently started doing different that may have caused it to rise. Did you change your diet? Have you been exercising less? Maybe you are on a medication; some medications can cause your blood pressure to rise. If you do have high blood pressure you can easily monitor it at home if you choose. If you do this you still want to keep your regular doctor visits. You can share your own results and you can both see what is and isn’t working for you. If you are on other medications consult your doctor. Chances are one of these could be raising your blood pressure and you want to take control as soon as possible. If your blood pressure gets too high without proper treatment you are at more risk of having a stroke or heart and kidney diseases. If you have recently changed your diet you should talk to your doctor, especially if your blood pressure has risen since then. Lots of salt and sodium can cause high blood pressure and not enough fresh fruits and vegetables. If this is the case, try to limit your salt intake and get more vegetables in your diet. Also physical inactivity can be a cause for high blood pressure. Have you recently stopped doing regular every day physical activity? If so, consider starting again. You might have stopped because of an inevitable reason; broken bone, etc. If this is the case talk with your physician. Together you can find a way to still get a little bit of physical activity in your daily routine. You also want to cut off or limit your use of tobacco and alcohol consumption. Many people do not realize these cause high blood pressure. There are many over the counter medicines and even doctor prescribed medicines to help you quit smoking. There are also many different resources to help you quit drinking. If your doctor prescribes blood pressure medicine for you, you want to be sure and remember to take it. Some people are bad at remembering to take medication. There are many different ways you can help yourself remember. You take the risk of a stroke or heart disease by not taking your blood pressure medication. This should be reason enough to take your medicine, but sometimes people just forget. While it sounds like reason enough, if you are not used to taking daily medication it is rather easy to forget. If you have certain questions or concerns talk with your doctor. They will gladly answer any questions you have and do their best to get your blood pressure at a normal rate again.

If you are battling high blood pressure do not be discouraged. Did you know that as many as seventy two million people in the U.S. 20 and older have high blood pressure? Twenty eight percent of these do not even know they have it. Some people do not worry about their blood pressure until they get older. While this might make sense to an extent, it is never too early to monitor your blood pressure. If you have a family history of high blood pressure, you want to start right away. How many people wait until they are diagnosed with something before attempting to prevent it or cure it? Too many. By taking control of your blood pressure today you can prevent a stroke or developing heart or kidney disease later in life. When you are young you might be more active than when you get older. Try to stay active and if you aren’t, get active. All it takes is thirty minutes a day of physical activity or exercise to control your blood pressure and better your health. Eat healthy foods. Try to stay away from salty and fatty foods. Salt increases your blood pressure and fatty foods might cause weight gain, which causes high blood pressure as well. Try to eat more vegetables and fresh fruits. You might find you like more than you thought you would. Stress can cause high blood pressure but there are so many ways to de-stress. Do you have a favorite hobby that has no stress? If so, try to do this every time you feel yourself overwhelmed or stressed out. You will be surprised at the wonders it can do. If you take medications talk with your doctor to make sure they aren’t affecting your blood pressure. Certain medications can raise your blood pressure. Antidepressants, cold medicines, oral contraceptives, steroids, even nasal decongestants might be affecting your blood pressure without your knowledge. If you are unsure of your family history, check it out. If you have a family history of high blood pressure chances are you will end up with high blood pressure as well. If you are aware of this early on, you can start monitoring and controlling your blood pressure before it gets a chance to become high. There are many different kinds of blood pressure medications if you are unable to see results with regular lifestyle changes. Sometimes these medications are needed along with a regular healthy diet and exercise to be more effective. The best thing you can do is talk with your doctor. They can suggest something that will help you control your blood pressure and even prescribe you some medication. If you start medication be sure you tell them of any other medicine you are taking as well. You want to be in charge of your health and not wait until something happens to take that control. When it comes to your health you can never be too late so start as early as you can. You are never alone when it comes to dealing with your blood pressure and other health issues.

If you are battling high blood pressure there are many ways to lower it and prevent yourself from developing it again. The best way to start is without medication if you can help it by making some lifestyle changes. Do you smoke? If so, this can raise your blood pressure. Try to cut back if not quit altogether. There are many aids that can help you quit smoking. Do you drink quite a bit of alcohol? This will also raise your blood pressure so try to cut back to a drink or two a day. Do you consider yourself physically active on a daily basis? Getting at least thirty minutes of exercise a day has been proven to lower and maintain a healthy blood pressure level. Do ten minute intervals if you cannot set aside thirty minutes all at one time. Start a healthier diet. Did you know salt increases your blood pressure dramatically? Limit your intake of salt or substitute it for other seasonings. There are so many different seasonings available you should have no trouble finding one you really like. Add plenty of vegetables and fresh fruits into your diet. This will also help lower and control your blood pressure. Try to stay away from fatty foods as well. If you are over weight this could have a major impact on your blood pressure. Losing as little as ten pounds can significantly reduce your blood pressure. Once you lose ten pounds you will see how easily you can lose more and you will notice how much better and healthier you feel. Not to mention your blood pressure levels will decrease. Do you have a stressful job or life? Try to do away with as much stress as you possibly can. If you cannot avoid all the causes of stress in your life find something that helps you relax and de-stress. Meditation might work wonders for you. There are certain things you cannot avoid that have an effect on high blood pressure. Your race: African Americans are at a higher risk. If you are older than fifty-five you are at risk as well and unfortunately you cannot make yourself younger. If you have a family history with high blood pressure, you want to start early prevention. Knowing about your family history will help in cases like this. Even if you do not have high blood pressure now you have the risk of eventually developing it, but that doesn’t have to happen. Early prevention can keep your blood pressure down. Stay away from drugs and painkillers if possible as they can cause high blood pressure. Some prescription medications can cause high blood pressure such as: nasal decongestants, anorexia drugs, steroids, antidepressants, oral contraceptives and cold medicines. If you are taking any of these and are having problems with your blood pressure levels, be sure your doctor is aware you are taking them. Having high blood pressure can put you at a higher risk of stroke and heart and kidney disease so preventing this can benefit your health immensely. Talk with your doctor of any questions you might have or concerns. No question is silly and it is never too early to start taking better care of your health starting with your blood pressure.