High blood pressure unknown to many is a silent killer; the reason is that it gives no sign and symptoms before causing a devastating effect on the body. The most dangerous part is that a lot of people don’t even realize they have this condition until the impact becomes life-threatening. Aside from this, it is a condition that leads to other serious health issues such as stroke, heart failure, kidney disease, and heart attack. In other words, it increases the risk of developing these conditions.
Blood pressure is the force of the blood as it moves through the arteries in the body. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is when the average blood pressure is above 140/90. Blood pressure is affected by a lot of factors such as diet, exercise, time, and stress. Blood pressure fluctuates based on these factors, but it becomes dangerous t when it stays high for an extended period. When the blood pressure is high, the heart performs extra work, and if this continues, it loses strength as it as over-exerted itself. Apart from that, it also damages the blood vessels.
Types of High blood pressure
There are two types of high blood pressure
Primary hypertension: this is the most common type of high blood pressure. It is called primary hypertension when the cause of hypertension is unknown. This condition is usually a result of factors such as environment, diet, lifestyle, and changes in the body due to age. Primary hypertension takes a long time to develop, so it may not be quickly detected.
Secondary hypertension: this is when the causes of high blood pressure are known. It might be a result of specific health problems such as kidney problems, thyroid gland problems or some medicines.
Symptoms of high blood pressure
Most times, people with high blood pressure are not aware that they have this condition because of the absence of symptoms. Generally, the common symptoms of this condition headache, shortness of breath. But this usually manifests when the blood pressure is dangerously high.
Causes of High Blood Pressure
There are different causes of high Blood pressure, but it is highly essential to detect the reason for yours. But some of the common factors that lead to high blood pressure are:
- Diets: Eating food high in cholesterol, salt, and fats increase the risk of developing hypertension.
- Health conditions: chronic conditions such as diabetes, hormone problem, and other health issues may be the underlying cause of hypertension.
- Genetics: if your family has a history of high blood pressure, the chances of you developing high blood pressure is on the high side. Therefore, it is crucial to watch out for this and take specific steps to prevent it.
- Lack of exercise: Regular exercise keeps the body in good shape and prevents high blood pressure.
- Obesity: being overweight increases the chances of developing high blood pressure.
- Age: people above the age of 50yrs have a higher chance of developing high blood pressure
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Some medicines
Effect of hot weather on people with high blood pressure
You might probably not know this, but there is a correlation between hot weather and high blood pressure. It has been discovered that temperature above 700 F and high humidity interferes with the body’s ability to sweat and cool off. Due to the body system wanting to cool off, the heart performs an extra job of pumping blood. The body circulates twice as much blood during summer. This extra work can put a strain on the heart or weaken it for people with this condition. It can also lead to dehydration due to loss of fluid from heating and sweating, which can create a strain on the heart. People above the age of 50yrs, individuals with obesity or with a chronic health condition, have higher chances of being affected by hot weather. During warm weather, it is essential to take certain precautions and stay hydrated.
Managing high blood pressure
High blood pressure is a silent killer; however, it can be managed. It just requires commitment and dedication. The goal is to reduce the blood pressure to 120/80 or less. First, you will need to do a regular check-up, monitor your weight and food, reduce alcohol and smoking, and take medicines that help to control the blood pressure.
High blood pressure Program
Another way of managing this condition is the high blood pressure program. This program is designed to help lowers the blood pressure to a safe range and maintain a healthy lifestyle. This program involves three exercises aim towards keeping you fit and healthy. Besides, it can be carried out in any convenient place of choice. But this exercise requires determination and consistency, on the long-run, you might even ditch the medications, which sometimes have a side effect on the body. The blood pressure program is beneficial.
What makes up the blood pressure program
The blood pressure program is made up of 3 main features which will be discussed below:
Walking Exercise: it is a known fact that hypertension is triggered by depression, worry, and other conditions, which causes the heart to perform more work. When this continues for an extended time, the heart becomes overstressed and could shut down. This exercise is aimed at giving you a relaxed mind and body, thus reducing the blood pressure.
Emotion release: this is the second feature in this program and is aimed at helping the body to relieve pressure and release tension. Emotional, psychological, and marital trauma are some of the causes of worries, anger, pain, depression, and others that stress the heart and lead to tension build-up.
Step-by-step Relaxation: this is aimed at relaxing the mind, which in turn leads to a relaxed body. When the body is comfortable, the brain is also healthy and this promotes proper heart function. Stress on the body occurs when the mind is full of worries, and this directly affects the brain and the heart. Engaging in this exercise helps reduce the pressure of the blood to an acceptable range.
All these exercises are aimed at reducing blood pressure. Still, it is achievable when you are disciplined and consistent with it. The blood pressure program contains the precise information needed to achieve a healthy blood pressure. It also comes in electronic format, but the only disadvantage is that it is not in a video format yet.
