Lower Blood Pressure Natrually

Have you ever wondered why your blood pressure fluctuates? Here is a list of common activities and their impact on your blood pressure.

Attending a meeting: +20.2/15.0
Working: +16.0/+13.0
Commuting: +14.0/+9.2
Walking: +12.0/+5.5
Dressing: +11.5/+9.7
Doing chores: +10.7/+.67
Talking on telephone: +9.5/7.2
Eating: +8.8/9.6
Talking: 6.7/6.7
Doing desk work: 5.9/5.3
Reading: +1.9/+2.2
Doing business (at home): +1.6/+3.2
Watching television: +0.3/+1.1
Sleeping: -10.0/-7.6
(Changes are relative to blood pressure while relaxing)

Please see http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/161/3/277 for original table.

If you have been doing research about high blood pressure, chances are you have seen the phrase “metabolic syndrome”. So, what is metabolic syndrome? According to the American Heart Association (AHA) it refers to a group of conditions that make it more likely that you will suffer from heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other diseases related to plaque buildup in the arteries. The AHA has suggested that you can be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome if you have, or are being treated for, three or more of the following:

-Elevated Blood Pressure such that your blood pressure is equal to or greater than 130/85. High blood pressure alone can be dangerous as it can lead to heart attack, stroke and dementia.

-Abdominal Obesity to the point that a man’s waist circumference is equal to or greater than 40 inches and equal to or greater than 35 inches for women. Elevated waist circumference (i.e. having an “apple shape” body) with excess fat in the abdominal area specifically has been tied to greater risk for heart disease than when fat concentrates in other areas of the body, such as the hips.

-Triglycerides elevated to more than 149 mg/dL.

- HDL (“good”) cholesterol of less than 40 mg/dL for men and less than 50mg/dL for women.

-Insulin Resistance or Glucose Intolerance where you have higher than normal fasting blood sugar (glucose) equal to or greater than 100 ml/dL.

The Nation Heart Lung and Blood Institute report that nearly 25% of the US adult population have metabolic syndrome.

According to the American Heart Association, high blood pressure is the number 1 modifiable risk factor for stroke and approximately 21.3.% of people with hypertension do not know they have the condition. It can lead to a plethora of health problems such as heart attack, stroke, vascular dementia, angina, heart failure, kidney failure, peripheral arterial disease, aneurysm and it can even make blood vessels in the eyes burst or bleed.
High blood pressure facts:

• In 2005, high blood pressure was reported as a primary or contributing cause of death for 319,000 Americans.
• It is estimated that nearly 1 in every 3 Americans has high blood pressure and that nearly one billion people are affected worldwide.
• Approximately 90% of middle-age adults are expected to develop high blood pressure during their lifetime.
• It is estimated that a 2mmHg decrease in systolic blood pressure in the population would result in a 6% reduction in mortality from stroke, 4% from coronary heart disease and a 3% decrease in overall mortality.

In patients with high blood pressure, the heart often has to work extra hard to produce adequate blood flow and this increase in stress on the heart can cause it to enlarge over time. The added pressure on the artery walls can also cause damage to the endothelium making it easier for plaque and cholesterol to build up and narrow the artery. High blood pressure is especially dangerous because most of the time is has no symptoms, earning it the nickname of “The Silent Killer”.
» More: Why is it important to lower blood pressure?