Hypertension: 5 Reasons Why You Have High Blood Pressure
Hypertension is often referred to as a disease.
That implies that there is a cure, a magic pill that will make it go away.
I prefer to view having high blood pressure as a condition.
One that is often linked to our lifestyle choices and that can be managed.
Here are 5 reasons why you have high blood pressure: # 1.
Family history of hypertension: They say you can choose your friends, but not your family.
When it comes to the risk of developing high blood pressure, a history of the condition on one or, worse, both sides of your family will greatly increase the likelihood of you also getting it.
At least if you are aware of the family history you can do something about it before it is too late.
The following reasons why you might develop hypertension are all lifestyle related.
That means you can take effective action to counter them.
# 2: Sedentary lifestyle: A generation ago, we were more active.
Exercise was part of our everyday lifestyle.
It was a time when gymnasiums were slightly disreputable places.
As we have become more affluent, our lifestyle has become much more sedentary.
We drive to work and to the shops.
We sit in front of the television or games console at home for many hours each day, often with a bag of chips and a bottle of soda at hand.
# 3.
Diet: Over the last half century, "Western" lifestyles have changed dramatically, particularly as regards our diet.
We are in the habit of eating a lot of highly processed convenience foods.
These have high fat and high sodium content.
They do us no harm if eaten occasionally, the problem, however, is that they now form a significant part of our diet.
We also now eat much larger portions than we did in the past.
No wonder so many of us develop high blood pressure, especially if we are...
# 4.
Overweight: This is often the consequence of a sedentary lifestyle and poor dietary choices.
There is little incentive to lose weight if we depend solely on the pill our doctor prescribed to manage our condition.
Yet shedding our excess weight is one of the best things we can do to reduce our hypertension.
# 5.
Stress: In the right circumstances, stress can be a lifesaver.
The problem for managing our condition is that our lives are now filled with almost continuous low-level stress, not the fight or flight reflex" it was intended to be.
Stress causes our bodies to increase our hypertension so that we are ready to respond to danger, except there is no danger, but our blood pressure remains high.
Relaxation is the antidote to this type of stress.
Try some deep breathing exercises and quiet your mind.
This will reduce your blood pressure.
Now you understand why you have hypertension.
Even though you cannot alter your genetic makeup, you can take effective action to lower your high blood pressure.
That implies that there is a cure, a magic pill that will make it go away.
I prefer to view having high blood pressure as a condition.
One that is often linked to our lifestyle choices and that can be managed.
Here are 5 reasons why you have high blood pressure: # 1.
Family history of hypertension: They say you can choose your friends, but not your family.
When it comes to the risk of developing high blood pressure, a history of the condition on one or, worse, both sides of your family will greatly increase the likelihood of you also getting it.
At least if you are aware of the family history you can do something about it before it is too late.
The following reasons why you might develop hypertension are all lifestyle related.
That means you can take effective action to counter them.
# 2: Sedentary lifestyle: A generation ago, we were more active.
Exercise was part of our everyday lifestyle.
It was a time when gymnasiums were slightly disreputable places.
As we have become more affluent, our lifestyle has become much more sedentary.
We drive to work and to the shops.
We sit in front of the television or games console at home for many hours each day, often with a bag of chips and a bottle of soda at hand.
# 3.
Diet: Over the last half century, "Western" lifestyles have changed dramatically, particularly as regards our diet.
We are in the habit of eating a lot of highly processed convenience foods.
These have high fat and high sodium content.
They do us no harm if eaten occasionally, the problem, however, is that they now form a significant part of our diet.
We also now eat much larger portions than we did in the past.
No wonder so many of us develop high blood pressure, especially if we are...
# 4.
Overweight: This is often the consequence of a sedentary lifestyle and poor dietary choices.
There is little incentive to lose weight if we depend solely on the pill our doctor prescribed to manage our condition.
Yet shedding our excess weight is one of the best things we can do to reduce our hypertension.
# 5.
Stress: In the right circumstances, stress can be a lifesaver.
The problem for managing our condition is that our lives are now filled with almost continuous low-level stress, not the fight or flight reflex" it was intended to be.
Stress causes our bodies to increase our hypertension so that we are ready to respond to danger, except there is no danger, but our blood pressure remains high.
Relaxation is the antidote to this type of stress.
Try some deep breathing exercises and quiet your mind.
This will reduce your blood pressure.
Now you understand why you have hypertension.
Even though you cannot alter your genetic makeup, you can take effective action to lower your high blood pressure.