The Silent Killer
High blood pressure (also known as hypertension) is a condition that increases the risk for heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, coronary heart disease, and other serious health problems. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the inside walls of arteries. The harder your heart 
pumps and the narrower your arteries are, the higher your blood pressure rises. Over time, the wear and tear caused by untreated high blood pressure can damage your blood vessels and vital organs.
Symptoms:
Ironically high blood pressure usually causes no symptoms, for this reason it is called the “silent killer”. If you were to experience any symptoms they would consist of dull headaches, dizzy spells, and nose bleeds, as well as some shortness of breath. If you were to experience any symptoms consistently as such listed please contact a health professional immediately.
(From left to right – Normal, Mild, Moderate, and Severe)
Causes:
There are a few aspects in life that may cause high blood pressure. Divided into two categories, the first, primary hypertension consists of Buildup of fatty deposits inside arteries (atherosclerosis), excessive contraction of small arteries (arterioles), and thickening of artery walls. The second category, secondary hypertension, consists of kidney disease, hormonal disorders, heart defect, sleep apnea, pregnancy, drugs and supplements, and obesity.
Prevention:
Your lifestyle choices can go a long way toward preventing high blood pressure. If you don’t have high blood pressure now, adopting healthy habits can reduce your risk of ever getting it. If you already have the condition, the same lifestyle can help lower your blood pressure and decrease your risk of developing serious complications.
- Healthy Diet
- Physical Activity
- Healthy Weight
- Moderate Alcohol
- Smoking Cessations
- Stress Management
- Moderate Caffeine
- Acupuncture
- Massage
If seen by a doctor and diagnosed they may give you medicine to help lower your blood pressure along with recommending diet and exercise. The medicine is not the way to go because being on many different prescriptions or even one for an extensive period of time (such as 5 or more years) may lead to other organ damages. Your liver and kidneys are taking a hit because they are the ones trying to processes these altered test tube chemicals that are foreign to our bodies because they are man-made. Please do your 
research before taking any medications because once your liver and kidneys fail due to the amount of chemicals, you will have a lot more to worry about. A healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a balanced healthy diet is all you need to survive a long and happy life. I’m not even a big fan of the word diet because diets always have an end date and your healthy lifestyle and food choices should not have an end date.
Eat Well. Move Often. Be Happy.
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! <3
This Wednesday is Benji’s last Restorative Yoga Class till he returns from his yoga retreat up in MA. We wish him all the best and can’t wait for his return and gained knowledge! Come on down and wish Benji a joyous time and relax one more time from 7-8pm!
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