Definition:
High blood pressure, medically referred to as hypertension can be defined as a condition in which the blood that pushes against the artery walls is with high force or too high with great pressure. High blood is when one or both of the blood pressure readings are higher than normal pressure reading of 120/80mmHg or 130/80mmHg at most of the blood pressure check ups. It is called elevated blood pressure if the pressure reads 120 and 130 and bottom blood pressure values is lower or less than 80. Most of the times the blood pressure changes through out the day due to some factor's. The heart is the organ that pumps blood around the body, the blood supply oxygen to the body's vital organs. If blood pressure is too high for too long it can cause serious damage to the blood vessels which can develops other cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure, heart attack and stroke. High blood pressure does not often cause symptoms but with regular check up it can helps a persons to know how to treat and prevent damage.
What Are Ranges Of Blood Pressure?
- Low: Below 120/80
- Normal: 120/80
Elevated: 120 to 129 less than 80.
Stage 1: High blood pressure range of 130 to 139/80 to 89.
Stage 2: High blood pressure range of 140 and above/90 and above.
High Blood Pressure Can Be Classified Into Four Categories
- Normal.
- Prehypertension (mild).
- Stage 1 (moderate).
- Stage 2 (severe).
What Are The Causes Of High Blood Pressure?
- Being over weight or obese.
- Eating foods high in sodium (salt).
- Eating less of fruits.
- Eating less of vegetables.
- Eating less of fiber.
- Eating too much fats (Cholesterol).
- Consumption of too much alcohol.
- Consumption of too much caffeine.
- Smocking of Tabaco.
- Not doing exercise to burns calories (energy expenditure).
- Not having enough sleep time (8-10 hours daily).
- Lack of physical activities.
What Are The Foods Disallowed In High Blood Pressure?
- Fatty meats.
- Fat diary products.
- Table salt.
- High trans fat foods (butter and margarine).
- Fried foods.
- High sodium foods such as processed and cans food.
- Cans foods with lots of preservatives.
- Processed meats such as roasted meat like barbecue, hotdogs and sausages.
- Saturated fat.
- High calories diet.
- Smoked or cured foods.
- Grape fruits.
- Sugary foods (sugary juices and carbonated drink).
- Caffeinated drink (coffee and some tea).
- Alcohol.
What Are The Foods Allowed In High Blood Pressure?
- Increase vegetables (green leafy) moringa leaves, pumpkin leaves, water leaves, bitter leaves, baobab, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, cucumber, garden eggs, lettuce.
- Increase more fruits such as banana, apples, oranges, bananas, water melons, avocados, paw-paw.
- Fat free or low fat milk and diary products such as yoghurt and cheese.
- Eat more of fish, fish are particularly high in the good fat called omega 3 fatty acids, such as sardine, salmon, tilapia, herring. Avoid fish high in omega 6 fatty acids is not heart friendly (cat fish).
- Poultry such as skinless chicken, turkey can be eaten freely. The skin should be removed because the fat under the chicken skin is bad fat and cancerous.
- Eat more of whole grain foods to gain enough fiber for controlling of bowel movement.
- Foods that are high in saturated fats should be avoided, eat more of good fats (unsaturated).
- Limit or restrict sodium intake.
- Limit sugary foods and drinks.
- Limit red meat and eat more of lean meat.
- Eat beans such as black eyed beans, lentils, kidney beans etc.
- Nuts such as almonds and walnuts.