The stress of living in the 21st century and the pressure to meet the set standard of living has driven mankind to the verge of emotional and physical fatigue. Our constant urge to own the best of everything has dragged us into a never-ending race for material possessions. What impact does it have on us? Well, the answer to this query lies within ourselves.

It wouldn’t come as a surprise that at a young age of 30, one suffers from high blood pressure. People usually think of stress be the cause of high blood pressure. And, if they take a vacation from their busy life, their blood pressure would be back to normal. This is where we are grossly mistaken. There’s a dire need to educate yourself about the causes of high blood pressure in order to take effective measures to control it. One must pay attention to the fact that high blood pressure is caused by a variety of factors, some of them are hereditary, whereas others are caused due to external agents,
Here’s a list of external causes of high blood pressure, keep reading.

Smoking- Smoking is the root cause of a variety of ailments including high blood pressure. Regular smoking causes the blood vessels to narrow, thereby raising the pressure of the flowing blood. Also, smoking depletes the oxygen content in the blood, thus, forcing the heart to pump blood faster. This results in high blood pressure levels.

Alcohol consumption- Alcohol wreaks havoc in your entire system. It damages the liver, kidneys, and increases your risks of a stroke. Alcohol causes a higher systolic blood pressure in frequent drinkers.

Unhealthy diet- A high fat diet or regular consumption of junk food puts you at a risk of high blood pressure. The high fat content is detrimental to your body. Instead of opting for junk food, you can include fish, avocado, nuts, olive oil, etc. to your diet which are the source of mono-saturated fats, which are healthy fats.

Obesity- If you are overweight or obese, chances are high that you are prone to high blood pressure. It causes resistance in the blood vessels, which in turn results in high blood pressure.

Sedentary lifestyle- A sedentary lifestyle, where you just sit at your desk and work and your lack of exercise is one of the major causes of high blood pressure.

The fast pace of our lives leaves us with a very limited time to get our lives in order. But, one can certainly make some practical choices and alter their lifestyle to avoid being bed-ridden for the rest of their lives.

High blood pressure has become a common health problem today. People are becoming very dependent on machines to get their work done. This reduces daily physical activities, which ultimately leads to health issues. Our bodies are designed to be physically active on a daily basis. However, most of the population spends its time sitting in one place. High blood pressure is a condition which develops due to the lack of physical work. It could lead to other severe health issues like cardiac problems and obesity. You need to ensure that you do not have high blood pressure if you want to live a healthy life. Here are a few tips that could help to lower your blood pressure.

Tips to lower your blood pressure
Even if you live a punctual and disciplined life, you could have high blood pressure due to other diseases. There are several natural ways to maintain normal blood pressure. But if the condition gets worse, you should seek medical help to keep your blood pressure low.

Natural ways
Since prevention is better than cure, it is best to take precaution. You could try these home remedies to maintain a balanced blood pressure.

• Weight loss: Losing excess weight and keeping fit can help a lot in keeping the blood pressure normal.
• Keep exercising: Try to exercise for at least 30-45 minutes on a daily basis.
• Eat healthy: Refrain yourself from eating oily foods. Consume light cheese and potassium rich foods. Also, lower your sodium intake to keep the blood pressure in the normal range.
• Control alcohol consumption: Keep your drinking habits in control to maintain a lower blood pressure.
• Do not smoke: If you have high blood pressure, you should quit smoking immediately.
• Measure Your Blood Pressure At Home: You can keep tabs on your blood pressure on a daily basis by measuring it at home itself. Now many easy-to-use devices are available for monitoring blood pressure.
• Eat less sugar and caffeine: Reducing sugar and caffeine intake also helps. They are known to be the main cause behind high blood pressure.

Medical help
If you think that despite taking all the steps, you are still unable to keep your blood pressure low. You should go and see a doctor immediately. You need to keep a few things in mind while you are seeing a medical expert. Choose a doctor with expertise in the field. Medicines will only help if you are willing to make a lifestyle change too. Follow all the instructions suggested by the doctor. Take the prescribed medicines only.

Benefits of having controlled blood pressure
You are helping your heart and its sensitive blood vessels by keeping a low blood pressure. If you want to live a long and happy life, you need your heart to function properly. Having a normal blood pressure increases your life expectancy several times over. Eat healthily and keep exercising to live a long and healthy life.

When a doctor takes your blood pressure reading, he gives a fraction. This fraction is the blood pressure reading. The number on top is known as systolic pressure and the number on the bottom is the diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure signifies the amount of pressure in the arteries during the contraction of heart muscles. Diastolic pressure signifies the amount of pressure of the heart muscle in between the beats. Both the numbers are important for the determination of the health of your heart.

Normal reading
The normal reading for blood pressure should be 120/80. The systolic pressure must be in the range 90-120 and the diastolic pressure must be in the range 60-80. The American Heart Association considers blood pressure to be normal only when it is in the range. Both the systolic and diastolic readings should be within the above-stated ranges.

Blood pressure readings are usually given in millimeters of mercury. That is, a normal reading would be known as 120/80 mmHg. If you have a normal reading, then you do not need any medical intervention. In order to do so, you must follow a healthy lifestyle. Regular exercise, balanced diet, and weight management can be of great help.

Prehypertension
If your blood pressure reading is more than 120/80 mmHg, then you have to be alert and switch to a healthier lifestyle. You are suffering from prehypertension when the systolic pressure is between the range of 120-139 mmHg and the diastolic pressure is between the ranges of 80- 89 mmHg.

The above-stated numbers are not considered as high blood pressure. But they are beyond the normal range. There is a good chance of prehypertension turning into high blood pressure. You are at a high risk of a stroke and other heart diseases. Pre-hypertension does not require any medication, but you have to start leading a healthy life. A balanced diet, weight loss, and daily exercising will help you bring your blood pressure down to the normal range.

Stage 1 of hypertension
You will be diagnosed with high blood pressure when the systolic pressure is in the range 140-159 mmHg and the diastolic pressure is in the range 90-99 mmHg. This is the stage 1 of hypertension or high blood pressure. Stage 1 of hypertension is usually diagnosed when the blood pressure reading remains high over a long period of time. Your doctor will help you to keep track of your blood pressure reading. He/she will prescribe medications if your blood pressure does not come down after starting a healthy lifestyle.

Stage 2 of hypertension
The second stage of hypertension is when the blood pressure reading shows the systolic pressure as 160 or more and the diastolic pressure is 100 or more. The doctor will prescribe one or two medications to bring down the high blood pressure to the normal level. But you must never rely only on the medications. A change in your daily lifestyle is always recommended to keep your blood pressure in check.

Hypertensive crisis
If the blood pressure reading is more than 180/110 mmHg, then it signifies a serious health issue that needs to be checked immediately. You must go in for an emergency check-up if your blood pressure is that high. It is best to visit the doctor immediately, if you are also experiencing chest pain, sweating, dizziness, blood in urine, and other difficulties.

High blood pressure occurs when the arteries experience tension or high pressure. It is also known as hypertension.

You must have noticed that your blood pressure readings consist of two numbers in the format x/y. X, the numerator denotes the systolic blood pressure. This number reflects the pressure experienced by the arteries as your heart contracts. Y, the denominator denotes the diastolic blood pressure, i.e., the pressure felt by the arteries when the heart relaxes.

Blood pressure that exceeds a reading of 140/90 is known as high blood pressure or hypertension. It is detrimental to your health. High blood pressure also makes you prone to cardiovascular issues.

You must consult your physician if you have high blood pressure. In addition to medicines, here are a few tips for controlling or lowering hypertension!

Exercise to stay fit
Being overweight worsens the blood pressure. Obesity makes you prone to hypertension. It tends to disrupt breathing while you are asleep. Irregular and insufficient breathing causes blood pressure to rise. Obesity also affects blood circulation in the body and poses a threat to long-term health. If you’re overweight, you must exercise regularly to lose those extra pounds and prevent high blood pressure.

Simple exercises such as morning and evening walks, cycling, jogging, free-hand exercises, or easy aerobics can help you tackle hypertension.

Eat a healthy diet
You should have a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and herbs. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is an ideal one to control high blood pressure. Eat 3 healthy meals and 23 nutritious snacks daily to keep hypertension in check.

Prioritize on increasing potassium intake and cutting down on sodium levels. Food rich in potassium include fresh fruit and vegetables. Eat adequate quantities of natural food. Avoid processed food as they contain extra sodium. Avoid consuming excessive salt as well. Make sure that your sodium intake does not exceed 1500 milligrams a day.

Eat food rich in vitamin C and vitamin D
For controlling hypertension, it is necessary that excess sodium is removed from the body; vitamin C does this job. Include food rich in vitamin C such as orange juice, lemon water, and citrus fruit in your meals and snacks.

You might be prone to hypertension due to deficiency of vitamin D. Vitamin D has medicinal values. Diversify your meal by including cereals fortified with vitamin D for best results.

Stress management is the key!
Stress often causes blood pressure to rise significantly. You should focus on managing and reducing stress. You should take up relaxation activities like early morning walks, yoga, and meditation. These relaxation methods keep you physically and mentally healthy. Stress management techniques like self-awareness, acupuncture, and deep breathing are also effective.

Avoid alcohol, smoking, and caffeine beverages
Reducing alcohol consumption or eliminating it altogether helps keep high blood pressure in check. If you at all choose to consume alcohol, do so moderately. Make efforts to quit smoking or at least to cut down on the habit to the best extent possible. Don’t consume too much caffeine.

You should regularly keep track of your blood pressure. Stay healthy. Consult your doctor without delay if you begin to experience symptoms of hypertension.

Blood sugar or glucose is the main source of energy in the human body. The amount of blood sugar present in the body is called as blood sugar concentration or blood sugar level.

Glucose is transported from the intestine to the body and is made available to the blood cells with the help of insulin. Lowest blood sugar concentration is present in the morning (before intake of any meal). It increases after meals for an hour or two. If the blood sugar level is deflected from the normal range for longer durations, it can pose many dangers. Hence, it is best to be aware of blood sugar levels and get it checked regularly.

The international unit of measuring blood sugar level is millimolar or mmol/L.

Abnormalities in blood sugar level
Any measurement of blood sugar level that falls outside the normal range leads to abnormality in blood sugar level. These fall into two categories:

High Blood Sugar: When the blood sugar level rises above the normal range, it is called as high blood sugar or hyperglycemia.
Low Blood Sugar: When the blood sugar level decrease below the normal range, it is called as low blood sugar or hypoglycemia.
Both of these conditions are equally harmful. High blood sugar is one of the leading reasons behind heart diseases. While low blood sugar weakens the body and can cause insulin shocks. It can be very dangerous if left untreated.

Normal blood sugar level
Many factors affect a person’s blood sugar concentration.

The normal blood glucose level (tested while fasting) for non-diabetics, should be between 3.9 and 5.5 mmol/L (70 to 100 mg/dL).
The mean normal blood glucose level in humans is about 5.5 mmol/L (100 mg/dL); however, this level fluctuates throughout the day.
Blood sugar levels for those without diabetes and who are not fasting should be below 6.9 mmol/L (125 mg/dL).
The blood glucose range for diabetics should be 5.07.2 mmol/l (90130 mg/dL) before meals and less than 10 mmol/L (180 mg/dL) after meals.
How To Control Blood Sugar Level

Blood Sugar levels need to be controlled to keep a check on diabetes. Regular exercise is necessary to maintain blood sugar level. A check on carbohydrate intake should be there. Drinking proper amount of water is necessary. Most importantly, a strict diet should be followed.

There are foods that can help control the blood sugar level. Kale, spinach, legumes, green tea, nuts, and fiber rich foods should be included in the diet.

In addition to these, a regular check up with the doctor is required. Once diagnosed with diabetes, regular blood tests should be taken to monitor the blood sugar levels.

High blood pressure indicates that your heart goes an extra mile each day to pump blood through your body. Arteries in our heart are made of semi-flexible muscles and the force of high blood pressure will strain the walls. This strain can lead to tiny tears which can lead to the increase in blood clots. The heart attacks and strokes are therefore a result of high blood pressure.

Along with the prescribed medication, it is important to first control it by altering your lifestyle. Diet and proper exercise always play a major role in bringing down your blood pressure. These are a few lifestyle changes that you must incorporate.

Lower the salt intake
The chemical component of the salt, that is Sodium, is the main problem for high blood pressure. A little salt is fine in your meal but too much salt intake for your body is bad. It will disrupt the fluid balance and the high volume of liquid in your body will require more force for your heart to pump the blood.

We do use table salt in our food but that isn’t the only culprit behind the rise in our blood pressure. The vast amount of salt that we consume every day comes from the processed food items. There are food items that are found on the shelves as low-fat, low-sodium, and low-sugar. These, in fact, cause more harm than others.

If you are suffering from high blood pressure then you have to stay away from pre-cooked meals, oven-ready roast dinner, and other packaged items. You must focus on eating fresh and healthy home cooked meals every day.

Drink Hibiscus tea
Hibiscus flower is known to naturally bring a balance to the blood pressure. Hibiscus acts as a diuretic that attracts the sodium from blood and thus helps in decreasing the pressure of the walls of the artery.

Hibiscus flowers also have the ability to mimic the ACE inhibitors. The ACE inhibitors are a common drug used for hypertension.

All you have to do is take one to two teaspoons of dry hibiscus flowers in boiling water and allow it to steep for 5 minutes. Drain, add lemon and honey to your taste and drink hot.

Drink fresh coconut water daily
Coconut water is great for the human body. It contains high amounts of magnesium and potassium that help in the regular muscle functioning of the human body. The heart is made up of muscles too. Some studies mention that coconut water helps in regulating the systolic blood pressure of the human body. Coconut water can be the solution to reducing your blood pressure. Morning is the ideal time to drink coconut water.

High blood pressure can be fatal if left unattended to. With a healthy lifestyle, a well-balanced diet and a good exercise regime, you can control your blood pressure levels.

Lose Excess Weight
Blood pressure is directly related to weight gain. It, therefore, makes weight loss one of the most efficient controllers of blood pressure. At the same time, it is essential to keep your waistline in check. A larger waistline leaves you at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure problems. A healthier diet that comprises of green leafy vegetables, soy and potatoes will help in shedding the excess weight.

Exercise
Exercise is extremely important to remain fit and healthy. Regularly exercising for 30 to 60 minutes a day can lower your blood pressure by 4 to 9 mm of mercury. In this case, consistency is key and there are risks of higher blood pressure if you stop exercising. The best kind of exercises are swimming, jogging, cycling and even strength training.

Lower Your Sodium Intake
Sodium intake needs to be carefully monitored. The AHA suggests limiting sodium intake to 1500 mg per day. A higher sodium or salt intake leads to fluid retention which further results in a steep rise in blood pressure. To reduce sodium intake, try avoiding salt whenever possible. Always read food labels and try using alternatives that are low in sodium.

Give Up Smoking
The nicotine in cigarettes raises your blood pressure as well as your heart rate temporarily. If you are a heavy smoker, it can keep your blood pressure constantly elevated. It is therefore essential that you limit your smoking to the bare minimum or quit cold turkey.

Lower Your Stress Levels
When you are under stress, your body produces a sudden surge of hormones. These hormones make your heart beat faster and cause your blood vessels to narrow. This increases your blood pressure temporarily and therefore, it is important to lower stress levels by balancing work and rest. It is also important to know what triggers your stress and avoid it whenever possible.

Ditch The Coffee
A sudden increase in your caffeine consumption could be causing higher blood pressure. It affects different people differently. Reducing your caffeine intake through coffee or caffeinated beverages will directly help in lowering your blood pressure in the long run. Switching to decaffeinated coffee has been proven advantageous in the long run for patients susceptible to high blood pressure.

Lower Your Alcohol Intake
Drinking a lot of alcohol is responsible for raising your blood pressure levels. Although in small amounts, alcohol has been proven to be beneficial for the heart, repeated binge drinking can raise blood pressure to unhealthy levels. It is necessary to monitor your alcohol intake and not drink more than 3 drinks in one sitting. Alcohol further contributes to weight gain in the long term. It could also lead to the ineffectiveness of your blood pressure medicines.