I suffered high blood pressure in my third pregnancy so I thought I would write a little bit about it……..

                        As

                        One in five Australians suffers from high BP. High BP will damage heart and blood vessels which will lead to stroke, heart attack and kidney disease.

                  Causes of high BP are;

n      Narrowed kidney artery

n      Pregnancy

n      An adrenal gland disorder

n      A drug side affect

                 Underlaying factors which may cause a rise in BP are;

n      Age

n      Salt intake

n      Runs in families

n      Diabetes

n      Obesity

n      Stress

n      Smoking

n      Excessive alcohol

n      Sedentary lifestyle

                        Diet plays a role in both prevention and treatment…..

                  Some examples are;

n      Limit your salt intake;

                Avoid adding salt

                Avoid processed foods, these are loaded with salt

n      Keep your weight down

               Even a slight weight loss will cause a drop in your BP

n      Eat less fat

               Cut back on butter and margarine, check food labels for saturated fats, switch to low fat milk and dairy products, choose lean cuts of meat and use low fat cooking methods

n      Reduce alcohol and caffeine intake

               They say that one glass of wine a day lowers the chance of heart attacks, to consume more than this will contradict any benefits

n      Mind you minerals

                Some studies have linked low calcium levels to high BP. You should provide 2-3 servings of low fat milk and milk products a day

n      Get more garlic

                Studies have shown that garlic may help in lowering BP. The only set back is that the amount that is necessary for this can cause bad breath and body odour; tablets do not have the same benefit

                          Other life style changes that may help in reducing BP are;

n      Regular aerobic exercise

                 This conditions the heart to work better, therefore lowering BP

n      Give up smoking

                 Quitting can lower BP by 10 points or more

n      Use medication with care

                 Cold, allergy and diet tablets can raise BP

n      Reduce stress

                 Meditation, yoga, self hypnosis and other relaxation techniques may help in lowering BP

                            Before prescribing drugs for high BP, Doctors will recommend about 6 months of life style changes, to see if BP will return to normal. The most widely used drugs are diuretics, which reduce salt and fluid volume by increasing the flow of urine. Off course there are a dozens of drugs that can be used and a Doctor may find one or a combination to help lower BP with minimal side effects.

                            BP is expressed in two numbers, such as 120/80. The higher number is called SYSTOLIC, This pressure is the peak force when the heart contracts and pumps a small amount of blood into circulation. The lower number is called DIASTOLIC and this measures pressure exerted when the heart is resting momentarily between beats.

                    Examples of high and normal BP are;

n      Normal…….less than 120/80

n      High-normal……between120/80 and140/90

n      High……..140/90

n      Very high….equal to or more than 180/110

                            When people suffer from high BP…it’s the lower number (diastolic) that they are concerned about…….

                             If you are concerned about your BP, ask your Doctor to check it, he has the equipment in his room. They use a stethoscope and a sphygmomanometer to measure BP. The cuff will be wrapped around your upper arm, it will tighten to stop blood flow and as pressure is released, the doctor will listen to the sounds that indicate systolic and diastolic pressures.

                         I hope this helps…………..