Fighting High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure or Hypertension is an abnormal condition that plagues millions of people each and every day. It has been documented that one third of the United States population alone suffers from high blood pressure.

This condition has been given the name "The Silent Killer," because there are usually no signals that a person has this health condition. It has also been found that if this condition is not discovered and treated it will lead to serious future health conditions that may be fatal.

There are many people that do not quite grasp the reasoning behind why they have high blood pressure to begin with. Most people simply understand that it is bad, but truly have no clue as to what or why it is happening to them. It is because of this that so many people with high blood pressure have no immediate desire to correct their problem. I actually know people that have had strokes, and when they get out of the hospital they go right back to doing the same things that gave them the heart attack in the first place. It is important that people with high blood pressure realize that hear transplants are exceptionally rare and it is far safer and easier to take care of the one they have.

There are two major factors that contribute to obtaining High Blood Pressure. The good news about these High Blood Pressure contributors is that they are treatable.

The first and most common leading factor to Hypertension is having high cholesterol. That's right, one problem begets another. High cholesterol is the leading cause of clogged arteries. The best way to describe high cholesterol for most people is through analogy. Imagine funneling the German Autobahn into a single lane of traffic. The traffic will still move but it will be highly congested. The same concept applies to how your blood moves through clogged arteries. It still flows but there is a lot of backed up pressure.

The big question for those that have not been keeping up to date with their doctors visits is, "How do I know if I have Hypertension?" The most simplest of ways of finding out is by just going to see your primary care physician or a doctor. If this is not available to you, however, you can stop by your local pharmacy and use their automated blood pressure meters.

What do all of the numbers mean?

Well, a reading below

120/80 is considered to be a normal blood pressure reading. It is when your blood pressure hovers at or above the 120+/80+ level that you are considered to have pre-hypertension. If your blood pressure reading states that you have pre-hypertension then you should immediately start taking steps to lower it. By not taking steps to lower your blood pressure at this point the chances of having hypertension is the future will only increase significantly.

It will not be until your blood pressure reaches at or above 140/90 mark that you will be classified as having hypertension. It is at this point that you should take serious steps to normalize your blood pressure. At this point you will be running the risk of suffering from other health problems such as heart disease and strokes.

How dose one go about lowering their blood pressure?

High blood pressure can be a scary thing but there are ways of preventing and reducing your likelihood of getting it. The most common way of lowering your blood pressure is to chance your diet. This dose not mean you have to eat cardboard with ketchup. It just means you need to take the initiative in removing food from your current diet that are high in fat and cholesterol. This helps because these are two of the leading contributors of high blood pressure. Great foods to eat when you are trying to get rid of high blood pressure are whole grains, fish, poultry, and of course fruits and vegetables.

• One out of three U.S. adults has high blood pressure.

• High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke, congestive heart failure, heart disease, and kidney disease.

• High blood pressure was listed as a primary or contributing cause of death for 326,000 Americans in 2006.

• 70% of those with high blood pressure and took medication had their high blood pressure controlled.

• Prehypertension raises your risk for high blood pressure.

Although eating healthy is a great way to lower your blood pressure it may not be enough. You may find that you will need to incorporate exercise into your daily routine in order to lower your blood pressure. A great way to incorporate exercise is to join a gym or exercise class.

Zumba is a great way to exercise that will help you lower your blood pressure. It is relaxing and fun. Zumba gets you off your feet and even teaches you exciting and fun dace moves. Zumba is more fun than it is exercise. It has been proven to be a great way of lowering ones cholesterol as well. Which is one of the leading causes of high blood pressure to begin with.

If your are interested in giving Zumba a try visit the link below.

100 Zumba Workouts That You Can Get Online For Free