Alcohol And High Blood Pressure

Hypertension, Stroke, Heart Disease are common throughout the United States of America and indeed large parts of the Western World. Epidemiologists attribute much of this down to the Western diet.

Sad to say, after years of much research, Scientists have reached the conclusion that the typical Western Diet (USA & UK especially) is a recipe for a disaster waiting to happen as far as Hypertension and other associate Cardiovascular issues are concerned. Too much Salt, too much of the wrong types of fat (saturated not unsaturated), too many calories, not enough fruit and vegetables, too much alcohol and tobacco; basically, whether we like it or not, living life to the full too much.

Depressing or what?

However amidst all of this “doom and gloom” lies the fact that the good news hidden away in all of this is that in fact as far as the above potential problems are concerned, we can in fact do an awful lot about it. Our fat can actually lie in our own hands. You can take an active role in preventing and controlling high blood pressure by watching what you consume.

What can best be described as the watershed approach to the understanding of all of this came about in 1997 with the publication and results of the first Dietary Approaches to stop Hypertension study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Amongst a great many of the findings published in this study came the first real confirmation that we can actually positively influence our diet and through this help to control our Blood Pressure.

The DASH Diet

The results of this study were in fact so positive that the JNC (Joint National Committee on Health) guidelines now recommend most Americans (and others interested) follow the dietary guidelines of what has now become known as the DASH Diet – the key recommendation here is that all people not just those suffering from Hypertension should follow these dietary principles.

The diet proposes a regime that is low in Fat, and rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. Apparently the results of this plan were so impressive that those who were part of the initial study group quickly experienced a significant lowering in the levels of their Blood Pressure.

The initial volunteers on this study group were chosen from a random population of people suffering from Hypertension ad were randomly assigned three various dietary programmes to follow. The first was based on the conventional American diet that was 37% of the calories provided from fatty products. The second group was allocated a programme largely the same but with the additional benefits of added fruit and vegetables. The third group was allocated to the programme that later become known as the DASH Diet. This was 27% of the calories from fat, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, low fat or non fat dairy products and finally small amounts of meat, fish, poultry and nuts.

No prizes for guessing which group came out on top with the DASH participants experiencing an average reduction of up to 11.4 mm Hg in Systolic Pressure and a 5.5 mm Hg drop in Diastolic Pressure levels.

These results were actually favourably comparable to results obtained form similar trials but using Medication and Drugs. Not bad eh?

So the jury is back in, you are what you eat and if you decide and plan carefully what you eat you can do yourself some benefit!

Over 300,000 people will die because of it? Billions upon billions of dollars will be spent on it? It was been called the ’silent killer’? It has been named the ‘widow maker’? It is the fastest growing epidemic of the 21st century? And in the next few minutes, a person will die from it?

Do you know what I am referring to? High Blood Pressure or Hypertension!

But yet, with all of these tragic facts about this fatal disease, most people ignore their blood pressure and pop a pill and hope that medication will be their salvation. Does this remind you of your situation? Is this possibly how your significant other thinks? If so, you are walking a fine line.

If you suffer from high blood pressure, there is more that you can do than take a couple pills a day and wait for your points to go down. In fact, if you naturally treat your high blood pressure with simple, yet effective lifestyle changes; you can drop points off of your blood pressure in 3 weeks. And most of the treatment has to do with naturally treating hypertension with nutrition. High Blood Pressure Medication and their side-effects

I believe that many medicines have helped mankind save lives and live at a better quality. However, some medications have simply acted as a band-aid for a sometimes fatal disease. In the case of high blood pressure, medications are dropping your points but they are also wreaking havoc with harsh side-effects on the patients. Let me explain!

Your body will usually tell you if something is wrong. If you have cancer, you might feel a lump or experience some pain. However, this is not the case with high blood pressure because it is simply a silent, internal ailment that is sometimes unsuspected until it is too late. Luckily, technology has allowed us to see if we have high blood pressure by a machine that is almost found at every pharmacy. Have you checked your points lately?

And it turns out, we listened. Millions of people are taking high blood pressure medication (diuretics, beta blockers, alpha blockers, and vasodilators) and suffering the side effects which include: risk of asthma; low ‘good’ cholesterol; high heart rate; headaches; nausea; weight gain; heart failure; depression and even hairiness.

Though you might be normalizing your blood pressure, your doctor forgot to tell you that you could be doing it for free with simple dieting tips. In fact, simple nutrition tips could actually drop 10 points in one week. High Blood Pressure Dieting – 7 Free Tips1. Sodium is often one major cause of high blood pressure. Therefore, our doctor and researchers suggest you reduce your sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams a day. The recommended daily allowance for sodium is 2,400 milligrams a day in the United States. Begin to look at labels.2. Reduction of meat consumption would also be recommended. If you have to splurge, try to keep it to lean meats including chicken, turkey and fresh fish. Remember that many packaged fish are preserved with sodium.3. Fresh fruits and vegetable with greatly aid in you high blood pressure dieting. Always stick with fresh, raw fruits and vegetables throughout the day. Be daring and eat a variety of fruit with a variety of color. We would recommend at least 7 servings per day.4. Try adding to your diet: nuts; seeds, dried beans, and whole grains. This is a nutritious way to get your body the nutrients it needs but also a good way to drop some HBP points.5. Watch the fat! Fat usually equals cholesterol, saturated fat, trans fat and many high blood pressure ingredients. Try to keep the fat intake to 60 grams per day. Always avoid the unhealthy fast food restaurants because of the temptation to splurge.6. You should only be allowed one alcoholic drink per day. It is unclear why alcohol naturally increases blood pressure but you should know that any binge drinking is going to sky-rocket your pressure.7. Drink some tea! It’s not known exactly what it is about teat that makes it so healthy, but it does seem to reduce blood pressure and improve heart health. Stick to green tea if possible, as it seems to contain more of the healthful compounds. Drink at least one cup of tea daily, hot or cold, and you’ll see all sorts of health benefits. Cut out one soda or cup of coffee a day and drink tea instead.Are You Serious About Normalizing HBP

What supplements should you be taking? What vitamins are absolutely essential for lowering high blood pressure? Why should you start doing simple breathing exercises at work? Why are your lungs so extremely important? What fiber do you need and how much? What herb do you put on your bread can lower points in days? And what should you toss in the garbage tonight?

Learn these answers from our company’s personal health doctor and researchers who put together a complete High Blood Pressure Report that is guaranteed to normalize your high blood pressure or we don’t charge you a cent. To check out how our report (sent to your computer instantly) and guarantee (no questions asked) is revolutionizing the high blood pressure industry, please visit our website and see how you could be part of the healthy thousands who have tossed the medication and cured themselves naturally… the way nature intended!

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is elevated pressure of the blood in the arteries. Hypertension results from two major factors, which can be present independently or together:

• The heart pumps blood with excessive force

• The body’s smaller blood vessels (known as the arterioles) narrow, so that blood flow exerts more pressure against the vessels’ walls

High blood pressure or hypertension means high pressure (tension) in the arteries. The arteries are the vessels that carry blood from the pumping heart to all of the tissues and organs of the body.

Symptoms

Migraine pain tends to intensify over the first 30 minutes to several hours, and may last from several hours to a day or longer. Afterward, the affected person is usually weary, and sensitive to sudden head movements.

Hypertension has aptly been called the “silent killer” because it usually produces no symptoms. Untreated hypertension increases slowly over the years. It is important for anyone with risk factors to have their blood pressure checked regularly and to make appropriate lifestyle changes. Such recommendations are especially important for individuals who have prehypertension or hypertension.

Migraine without aura may be preceded by elevations in mood or energy level for up to 24 hours before the attack. Other pre-migraine symptoms may include fatigue, depression, and excessive yawning.

Risk Factors

During the last decade, the number of Americans with high blood pressure has increased by 30 percent. Over 65 million American adults now have high blood pressure, and this condition affects close to 1 billion people worldwide. Less than half of these people are on medication, however, and only about half of this group has their blood pressure under good control with such drugs.

Age and Gender

Age is the major risk factor of hypertension. Blood pressure increases with age in both men and women, and in fact, the lifetime risk for hypertension is nearly 90%. Two-thirds of Americans over age 60 have hypertension. Older women (60 years and above) currently have the highest rates of hypertension, and mortality rates from hypertension are higher in women than in men.

Ethnicity

Compared to Caucasians, African Americans have 1.8 times the rate of fatal stroke, 1.5 times the risk for fatal heart disease, and 4.2 times the rates of end-stage kidney disease. In general, about 34% of African American men and women have hypertension; it may account for over 40% of all deaths in this group. The prevalence of high blood pressure among African Americans is among the highest in the world.

Causes

In 90 to 95 percent of high blood pressure cases, the cause is unknown. In fact, you can have high blood pressure for years without knowing it. That’s why it’s the “silent killer” — it creeps up on you. Factors that may lead to high blood pressure in the remaining 5–10 percent of cases, which are known as secondary hypertension, include:

• Kidney abnormality

• A structural abnormality of the aorta (large blood vessel leaving the heart) existing since birth

• Narrowing of certain arteries

These problems can usually be corrected. For example, doctors can repair a narrowed artery that supplies blood to a kidney. Most of these problems can be ruled out by a careful history, a physical examination and a few tests.

Hypertension is referred to as essential (primary) when the doctor is unable to identify a specific cause. It is by far the most common type of high blood pressure. The causes of this type are unknown but are likely to be a complex combination of genetic, environmental, and other factors.

Finding out that you suffer from high blood pressure can be surprising. For someone who’s been in relatively good health up until that point suddenly has the rug pulled out from under them. Confused about the repercussions of such a condition, those newly diagnosed with high blood pressure will often go on a fact-finding mission to determine all the factors that impact blood pressure.
As they will soon find out there are a multitude of factors that contribute to high blood pressure. Genetic predisposition, a smoking habit, high stress, physical inactivity, and excessive alcohol consumption can all play a role. But the food we eat can play the most significant role in contributing to high blood pressure. And, consequently, a high blood pressure diet can positively impact blood pressure as well as overall health.
When embarking on a high blood pressure diet, patients will be told to immediately eliminate foods high in sodium. Nothing directly impacts blood pressure more than salt intake. Switching to low sodium foods can be a first step. But the most effective way to eliminate sodium is to eat a high blood pressure diet of whole foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Limiting canned and frozen foods will also limit the amount of preservatives (a.k.a. sodium) that you consume.
Choose lean meats that are grilled instead of fried; increase your water intake to include the recommended eight glasses a day; limit white flour and sugar; and make good choices. Eating a high blood pressure diet does not mean that you have to say goodbye to your favorite foods forever. Rather, it’s a matter of making healthy choices on a more consistent basis, with specific times set aside to enjoy your less healthy but much beloved favorites.
Always work in tandem with your doctor to establish a safe and healthy high blood pressure diet. Medical guidance at this time will ensure consistent changes and successful lowering of blood pressure.
A high blood pressure diet can work wonders to alleviate hypertension. And while there is no cure for high blood pressure, there are many ways to manage it. A high blood pressure diet – one that focuses on natural, whole foods – will go a long way to increasing your health, lowering your blood pressure, and providing you lifelong vitality.