Symptoms, Risk factors, Prevention, and Diet during Hypertension

SYMPTOMS of Hypertension(Blood Pressure)


A high blood pressure can cause the following symptoms. However hypertension is usually asymptomatic:

* Headache accompanied by fatigue (these headaches are located in the neck and occur very early in the morning);
* Dizziness or ringing in the ears;
* Palpitations;
* Nosebleeds;
* Of confusion or drowsiness;
* Numbness or tingling in the feet and hands.

People at risk


* People over 55 years. Blood pressure tends to increase from that age.
* Among young adults, the percentage of hypertension is higher among men than among women, among people aged 55 to 64 years, the percentage is roughly the same in both sexes, among people over 64 years, the percentage is higher among women.
* Americans of African origin.
* People with a family history of early hypertension.

Risk Factors

* Obesity.
* A diet rich in salt and fat and low in potassium.
* Excessive consumption of alcohol.
* Smoking.
* Physical inactivity.
* Stress.
* Regular consumption of black or liquorice-based products licorice black, as non-alcoholic pastis.

Prevention


Why to prevent blood pressure?

* Because the risk of cardiovascular problems doubles each time the systolic pressure increases by 20 mmHg and the diastolic pressure increased by 10 mmHg.
* Because controlling blood pressure reduces the risk of stroke by 35% to 40% and also reduces the risk of kidney disease, dementia and vision problems.
* Finally, because most people who adopt a healthy lifestyle will never be hypertension.

Screening measures

* Measure your blood pressure should be done once a year by a doctor (at the time of periodic medical examination).

Basic preventive measures

Maintain a healthy weight. Ideally, combining exercise with good eating habits.

Be active. The physical activity of moderate intensity, for 30 to 60 minutes, four to seven times per week is recommended to prevent and treat cardiovascular disorders. In a study of more than 6 000 men aged 35 to 60 years, who had walked 11 to 20 minutes per day were reduced from 12% to their risk of hypertension compared to those who had not. Better yet, those who had walked more than 20 minutes per day had reduced their risk by 30%.

Pay attention to signs of chronic stress. The relationship between stress and hypertension is complex. Everything indicates that adrenaline is secreted under stress raises blood pressure because of its vascoconstrictive effect. When stress becomes chronic, it eventually damages the arteries and heart. It is important to understand the origin of stress in order to better control it.

Consume with moderation very salty foods. Maintain a good balance between the consumption of sodium (contained in the salt) and potassium (found in fruits and vegetables) is important to keep blood pressure within normal limits. A sodium / potassium in 1 / 5 would be ideal for maintaining good blood pressure. Yet the average American diet contains twice as much sodium as potassium8.
It is recommended to limit sodium consumption to no more than 2 300 mg day7. A good way to reduce sodium intake is to avoid meats, prepared sauces, chips, meals, minute, and some canned foods - including soups which are often very salty.
Ensure also eat foods rich in potassium. Cantaloupe, baked potato with its skin, winter squash, bananas and spinach cooked are excellent sources.

Consuming two to three meals of fatty fish per week. Omega-3 they contain provide cardiovascular protection, according to numerous studies (see fish oil). Focus on fatty fish such as herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines and trout.

Consuming fruits and vegetables in abundance. Beneficial for their contributions in fiber, antioxidants and potassium.

Limit consumption of fat. To maintain good cardiovascular health.

Moderate consumption of alcohol. It recommends a maximum of two drinks per day (two beers or two glasses of wine) for men, and consumption per day for women. Some will be interested to abstain completely from alcohol.