Factors affecting High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a modern day disease. The danger is that very often, there are no definite symptoms and even if there is, they are usually mild and nonspecific. Recent studies say that nearly one in three U.S. adults has high blood pressure, yet only one third of these people are aware of it. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can be the cause of strokes, heart attacks, and heart failure or kidney failure. This is why high blood pressure is often called the 'silent killer'. It is of utmost importance to realize that high blood pressure can go unrecognized and undiagnosed for years, causing no high blood pressure symptoms but causing progressive damage to the heart, blood vessels and other organs. The only way to tell if you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure checked by a qualified medical professional.

Today's frenetic life-style coupled with high levels of stress is the main cause of high blood pressure amongst people. Other factors that contribute are:

• Age:Older people usually display more high blood pressure symptoms. This is due to arteriosclerosis, or"hardening of the arteries".

• Gender:Men are more likely to suffer from high blood than women.

• Family History

• Dietary Habits:Individuals who are overweight and who consume too much salt or alcohol have a higher chance of developing high blood pressure symptoms. Another factor is the lack of exercise.

Usually, doctors put someone with high for blood pressure on a low sodium diet as most patients are "salt sensitive", their pressure increasing with sodium intake. Salt is a common flavoring, common to many foods-especially processed food. The recommended maximum daily intake of salt should not be more than 2400mg. For older people and certain ethnic groups, the maximum should be closer to 1500 mg a day.

A blood pressure higher than 160/100 is considered the level at which most people would start to feel the symptoms of high blood pressure. This high a blood pressure could require hospitalization for emergency lowering of blood pressure to prevent brain hemorrhage or stroke.

There are many natural remedies useful in the treatment of high blood pressure. Studies have shown that the allicin in raw chopped or crushed garlic has blood-thinning properties, which help to lower blood pressure. Chopped onions are said to be good as well. Fish oil contains docohexaenoic acid (DHA), which helps stabilize blood pressure and is sometimes used in the natural treatment of high blood pressure. Increasing your intake of oily fish or a daily capsule of fish oil could help alleviate high blood pressure symptoms as also can eating more potassium rich foods. High salt foods should be drastically reduced or better still, completely avoided as sodium increases high blood pressure. Smokers with high blood pressure symptoms were given folic acid, which appeared to lower blood pressure and be an effective treatment.