Mm ba ba de ~ Um bum ba de ~ What?
Under Pressure

Pressure pushing down on me, pressing down on you…– Under Pressure[1]. How much do you know about blood pressure? Did you know that you that you can have high blood pressure (HBP) and not know it?  1 in 3 adults in the U.S, have hypertension[2].  So why is high blood pressure such an issue?  Well because it makes your heart work harder than it has to, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Many are unaware that they have high blood pressure; hence it has often been referred to as the silent killer.

You may have heard it’s important to keep your blood pressure (BP) under control, but you may not know why. If you’re unfamiliar with the importance of controlling this risk factor in your life, let me seize this opportunity.  By gaining an understanding of what happens in the body, what increases the risk of high blood pressure, the dangers of having high blood pressure present, and what aggravates an existing condition, you can be better prepared to manage your health and minimize the chances of facing a life threatening experience.

You’ll Be in My Heart[3]…What happens in the body?
In people with high blood pressure, as the term indicates, the force of blood flow exceeds it’s normal parameters. Over time, the pressure generated stretches artery walls beyond their healthy limits creating any number of health complications.

The dreaded news, everyone fears, is learning that your blood pressure numbers are high. What does that mean? Your blood pressure reading is comprised of two numbers the top number is the systolic and will always be the higher of the two numbers. This number refers to the pressure in the arteries while your heart is beating, representing the rate in which the heart muscle contracts. The diastolic is the bottom and lower number of the two. It defines the rate of pressure in the arteries between heartbeats, fundamentally when your heart is resting and refilling itself with blood. Your blood pressure rises with each heartbeat and falls when your heart relaxes between beats.

BP will constantly change as you exert movement, whether it be subtle or drastic. So whether you’re sleeping or running a marathon your blood pressure will rise and fall throughout the day and night. However, a normal resting heart rate is considered to fall on or under 120/80 and is a good guideline to follow.

“Broken hearts lie all around me – And I don’t see an easy way to get out of this…”[4]
The scary thing about having high blood pressure and not knowing, or worse yet ignoring the condition if you do know, are the dangers it presents. So how high is too high? You earn the rank of hypertensive once your numbers reach or exceed 140/90[5]. Yet, if either of your numbers stretch too high this can set the stage for a calamitous event, as presented if the systolic rises above 180 or the diastolic pressure goes above 110. This constitutes what the American Heart Association considers a hypertensive crisis and that you are indeed in need for emergency medical attention.

Listen to Your Heart[6]…What factors increase the risk of high blood pressure? Who is at risk for HBP?
Many factors can affect blood pressure, including, how much water and salt you have in your body, the condition of your kidneys, nervous system and blood vessels and even your hormone levels.  Aging is another risk factor for high blood pressure for the simple fact that as we get older blood vessels stiffen.  Other things that can put you at a higher risk for developing hypertension are obesity, your ethnicity, your stress level, your level of alcohol consumption, your daily sodium intake, your family’s medical history and whether or not you smoke. If your family tree includes members with a history of high blood pressure or diabetes this puts you in a greater risk category as does if you are a smoker or have more than the occasional drink.
Shot through the Heart[7]…What dangers does having HBP present?

You may not feel that anything is wrong, but high blood pressure can permanently damage your heart, brain, eyes and kidneys before you feel symptomatic. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney failure. The longer it’s left untreated, the more serious its complications can become. But there is also a clear pathway to help you manage high blood pressure and enjoy the many benefits of a healthy heart. As they say, anything that’s worth it, it requires allegiance to a healthy lifestyle.

How Can You Mend a Broken Heart[1] – How can I manage to keep my blood pressure at a healthy rate. What can you do to prevent HBP and…Turn the Beat Around[8]?
Although the Bee Gees were singing about the emotional heart pains, it’s still important to learn how to mend, or more accurately, manage a healthy blood pressure rate to optimize your health, hopefully before it breaks your heart.

If you have already been diagnosed with high blood pressure or if you’re trying to be proactive and prevent becoming hypertensive here are a few things that are recommended to get and keep your blood pressure under control.

Closer to the Heart[9] – First it’s important to have an open dialog with your doctor and set a goal to lower your pressure. Your doctor should be your best guide of how to lower your blood pressure safely. However your involvement is key, and you’ll need to make a commitment to employ the strategy you decide on.

That being said, if you have been prescribed medication it’s imperative that you take it as directed. One important fact that is often under emphasized it that medication to treat hypertension should be taken at the same time every day. This can’t be stressed enough.  The proper timing of antihypertensive drug therapy is particularly important to provide blood pressure control[10] and is highly sensitive to a 24-hour cycle.

Last but not least, diet and exercise are a crucial part of a successful blood pressure reduction strategy. If you’re looking for a drug-free approach to lowering your blood pressure these should be at the top of your list. The National Institutes of Health (NIH)[11], has instituted DASH[12], The Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension eating plan offering a successful strategy for reducing blood pressure. The main point of intervention for this plan is the reduction of the amount of sodium in the daily diet. The plan accounts for how difficult a task this is to actually master, and offers two plans a 2,300-milligram per day plan[13] and a more drastic 1,500-milligram per day plan[14]. Research showed that following the DASH eating plan effectively lowered blood pressure in comparative studies with over 400 participants each. Results revealed that reduction in BP was noted as early as two weeks into the program, while others show corresponding success by the end of the one-month study.

Exercise is the other important part of any plan of attack, especially a drug-free option, if your mission is to get your pressure under control. You may wonder how this works. It is a well-known fact that physical activity strengthens muscles including the heart muscle. Exercising regularly can make your heart stronger. If the heart is in better condition, it will work less to pump blood through your system relieving the force on your arteries and in turn lowering your blood pressure. You may question, how effective is this? Is it worth the trouble? Indeed it is. By becoming more active you can lower your systolic blood pressure by an average of 4-9 points, which is comparable to some blood pressure medications. Not to mention that over time the endurance you create will further serve your circulatory system. Depending on how far you have to go to meet your goal, for some, it may be enough to avoid medication.

It takes between one to three months for the benefits of a regular exercise plan to affect your blood pressure numbers. You can sustain the effects as long as you continue to implement your exercise program.

Don’t Go Breakin’ My Heart[1] – What can other factors aggravate an existing condition?
We’ve already covered avoiding sodium, sugar and alcohol. In addition your doctor may recommend you reduce or completely eliminate your caffeine consumption. Caffeine can cause a temporary but sharp rise in blood pressure. Switching to decaf may not initially be as appealing, but it is by far the easier of the substitutions to make.

Foremost on the list is smoking, as it is the primary perpetrator that will exacerbate a blood pressure condition. So consider quitting smoking. If you don’t smoke, by all means don’t start. If you smoke, and have been diagnosed with hypertension you need to stop. You might think that it’s simply the inhalation of the smoke that is detrimental, but as if that wasn’t bad enough the nicotine itself is the heavy culprit. Nicotine can cause spasms in your coronary arteries, which can reduce the blood flow to your heart. It can also trigger irregular heartbeats. If you’ve already experienced a traumatic health event, smoking can be enough to incite the recurrence of a stressful event on the heart. So if you ever wonder if that one last cigarette can’t hurt after smoking for so many years, you may want to rethink your logic.

People who smoke are also more likely to develop angina, and develop heart disease. Essentially nicotine reduces the amount of oxygen that can be carried by red blood cells in the bloodstream.[15] If you’re using a reduced nicotine cigarette substitute, you may want to consider this factor when determining the pace that you are detoxing from your nicotine addiction. I understand it’s important to detox slowly to insure success, just don’t allow yourself to get too comfortable with a higher level justifying it thinking, “well, it’s not as much as I used to use”. Again, you may want to consult your doctor to come up with a steady plan to help you quit successfully.

Everybody’s Got A Hungry Heart[16]…Everybody Needs a Place to Rest
Springstein’s memorable lyrics are indeed insightful. Maintaining a few healthy habits can help keep your blood pressure under control and from becoming a burdensome ogre. Making a few lifestyle changes, that include stress reduction, can prove to be more appealing than the initial burden of changes would seem to offer.

Although everyone would love to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight, it is easier said than done. Yet it is a key element in helping to maintain healthy blood pressure. More importantly is the combination of healthy lifestyle choices that cumulatively will keep the fiendish behemoth at bay.

Other healthy habits that can help keep blood pressure under control include maintaining a healthy dietary plan, as discussed above, that incorporates fruits and vegetables, is low in sodium, low in refined sugars, low in fats & cholesterol and includes taking medications as prescribed.  As previously noted it’s important to manage stress, limit the amount of alcohol you drink[17], and check your blood pressure regularly.

What’s Pulse Got To Do With It[18]?
Nothing actually. It’s a common misconception that your pulse rate is any indication of your blood pressure level. Taking your pulse is for the purpose of measuring your cardiovascular activity and oxygen consumption, but it is not a gauge for your blood pressure. If you measure your pulse while exercising you’ll notice that the greater the intensity and the more energy you exert, the higher your pulse will climb. Another misconception is that your pulse rate returns to normal once you stop exerting yourself. It will gradually return to it’s resting level after you cease any high level of activity. However, it is an indication of how fit you are. Did you know that the greater your fitness level, the sooner your pulse rate is able to return to normal.

In addition to the aforementioned components of a drug-free BP reduction plan, here are a few suggestions of natural solutions for lowering your blood pressure. It should be noted that these should not be a substitution for medication and you should consult with your doctor before implementing any blood pressure reduction strategy.

Lowering high blood pressure is as easy as one, two, tea! Studies demonstrated that drinking 3 cups of a hibiscus tea daily lowered systolic blood pressure by 7 points in 6 weeks on average—results on par with many prescription medications. The phytochemicals in hibiscus are largely responsible for the large reduction in high blood pressure. Hibiscus tea can be served hot or cold. With a little stevia, some say it almost tastes like Kool-Aid! Dried hibiscus is usually available in the spice section of your local health food store, and is also available in various herbal blends. Look for blends that list it near the top of the chart of ingredients—this often indicates a higher concentration per serving.

Juice it up! Epidemiologic evidence suggests that fruit consumption may lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases through blood pressure lowering effects. A study reviewed in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition noted positive effects on diastolic blood pressure numbers were consistent with consumption of citrus fruits, apples, and bananas[19]. Other foods that had a positive impact on BP numbers are carrots, celery, beets and kale. It should be noted that juicing is most effective when the juice is consumed immediately[20].

Lastly there are several supplements that have been found to be helpful in reducing blood pressure. Among them are potassium, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Magnesium, and B-vitamins. All are known to help manage blood pressure as they help promote circulation and enhance blood flow.

So embrace the music,“Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around[21]” and find a way to make the changes that will help you manage your blood pressure to help you live a healthier and hopefully happier life.

Editor’s Note: I’ve included the song titles and references I’ve punned around with from the article into the endnotes. In case you’re trying to place who sang what, I wouldn’t want the songs to linger in your head unanswered.