Hypertension: What Causes It?
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Hypertension: What Causes It?

By: Carl Pruitt

High blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension, is referred to often as a silent killer because significant damage has already been done to the patient's body before any obvious symptoms show up. Many patients find out about their high blood pressure during a routine physical without having experienced any symptoms. Do not take high blood pressure lightly just because you don't feel the symptoms. A large percentage of people who suffer heart attacks or congestive heart failure started out with symptom free high blood pressure. No factor is more closely associated with heart disease than high blood pressure. A third of the population will develop high blood pressure.

Your blood pressure will be checked as a standard preliminary procedure to any physical. Usually before you are even assigned to an examination room. Be aware of a condition known as White Coat Syndrome in which a person's blood pressure actually increases dramatically as a direct response to visiting the doctor. I react just that way myself, often leading my doctors and their nurses to try to send me to the emergency room when they see my normally high blood pressure become extremely high blood pressure once the cuff is strapped on me in the doctor's office. My solution to this was to buy a home digital blood pressure monitor. They are relatively cheap, and are very accurate. Don't use it to replace the doctor though.

Even though high blood pressure is the major cause of strokes and heart disease, 90% or more of hypertension cases have unknown or uncertain causes. There is no easy answer to what causes hypertension and no easy solution to the problem. This disease is best approached in a holistic fashion.

Ordinarily, a person's body keeps blood pressure under control naturally. In a non-hypertensive person blood pressure stays within strict limits. When blood pressure falls, the body automatically constricts the arteries and increases blood pressure. When blood pressure is high, this process occurs in reverse. For some reason, this process malfunctions in people with long term high blood pressure. When this happens the disease must be controlled by diet, drugs and lifestyle changes.

Some of the factors which are thought to cause high blood pressure include the following:

* Excess consumption of alcohol

* Smoking

* Failure to maintain normal weight

* Excess sodium in the diet

* High stress levels

* Excessive Caffeine

* Genetic factors

Most of the factors listed are well within our individual control. We can make great progress toward controlling blood pressure with natural techniques. Switching to a healthy diet with more fruits and vegetables and less fat can make a huge difference. Losing just a few pounds of excess fat can work wonders in lowering blood pressure. Easy exercise such as walking for 30 minutes 3 times a week has beneficial effects on blood pressure. Switching to the low sodium DASH diet has been proven in studies to lower blood pressure. These actions will have greater effects when combined. Be sure to consult your medical doctor before beginning any new exercise program or making major changes in your diet.

Article Source: http://articlenexus.com

Controlling high blood pressure is crucial to preventing heart disease later in life. Learn more about how to treat high blood pressure at bloodpressuredanger.blogspot.com Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

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