First of all, what is “Blood Pressure?”
Blood pressure is the measure of the stress or force of the blood’s mass on the arteries in the body.
This stress is based on 4 factors:
- The energy created by the pumping action of the heart as it moves blood.
- The elasticity of the walls of the arteries.
- The actual amount (volume) of blood present.
- The thickness and stickiness (viscosity) of the blood.
There are two parts to blood pressure:
The measurement of blood moved away from the heart (Systolic) is the maximum level of pressure created in the arteries occurring near the end of the heart’s left ventricle contractions.
Arteries take this blood away from the heart and carry it through the body.
The measurement of blood moving into the heart (Diastolic) represents the minimum level of artery pressure. This occurs while the left ventricle of the heart is refilling with blood.
This number measures the blood returning to the heart, which is then sent to the lungs, by the right ventricle, where it becomes re-oxygenated before it begins its journey back through the left heart again and is pumped out through the arteries.
The numbers of your blood pressure are regulated by both the amount of blood that the heart pumps with each beat and the resistance to that blood flow out from and then back to the heart.
The more blood pumped per beat, the greater the elasticity of the artery and the lower the amount of heart beats necessary for proper circulation. The lower viscosity (stickiness) of well nourished blood allows this “pumping machine” to perform at peak efficiency. Because of our uniqueness as individuals, each person pumps a slightly different amount of blood under different pressure, but pressure readings allow us to determine simplified normal levels for all to depend on.
The Good, The Bad, and The Not Pretty
We call a high blood pressure reading for systole, diastole (or both) readings “Bad” and the diagnosis of hypertension is given.
Because of recent new guidelines, what used to be a normal reading of 120/80 now is considered a borderline high reading. Those within this range should perceive this as a warning and take action. This is a most important wake up call.
Blood pressure that is too low is hypotension.
Hypertension is far more life-threatening than hypotension but both are referred to as the “silent killers” due to the difficulty in detecting the onset of the diseases.
In the case of both high and low blood pressure, there is a strain on the body from reduced circulation. This added burden directly affects the major organs: the heart, kidney, lungs and all blood vessels. Over time, often immediately, the systems weaken and the likelihood of damage becomes greater.
Think about the following:
Reduced circulation means less blood flow to the tissues. This means that less oxygen and nutrients reach the cells, which in turn interferes with cell function. This then creates degeneration, an impaired immune system and so on.
The “Not Pretty” part of high blood pressure is that this is a rapidly growing problem in the U.S. and is a primary piece in the “cardio-circulatory-disease package” we generally refer to as heart disease. Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women. It leads to heart attacks, strokes, a shorter lifespan, and/or to many other very unpleasant and avoidable problems. Blood pressure and nutrition is the direct route to changing those statistics.
The “good” news about the blood pressure story is that if we are tested early enough and find a developing problem we can keep it from developing into a physical problem.
Many heart disease problems are preventable
We are now able to discover and improve these problems and in many cases eliminate this disease problem altogether. It begins with health choices and lifestyle factors – especially diet. The other “good” part about blood pressure is that the recent medical guidelines of 120/80 being thought of as “pre” hypertension will alert us early on so that we can make life changes and choices immediately. Early detection opens our eyes to “primary prevention.”
An ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure.
Prevention and Resetting Your Health: Blood Pressure Health
Most hypertension responds quickly to 3 basic adjustments:
Reduced stimulation from emotional stress and/or stimulant abuse. Get more rest and recreation.
Increased activity and exercise promotes the strength and elasticity of your cardiovascular system.
Re-balancing how our body uses food by adjusting the intake of particular cellular nutrition such as sodium, chloride, magnesium, potassium, calcium, copper, selenium, cadmium, vitamin D, B2, and B12. The appropriate stimulating cellular nutrition increase blood pressure while calming nutrients reduce blood pressure.
Moving well and feeling good begins here.
For personalized cellular nutrition and Orthomolecular Treatment to support healthy blood pressure contact:
Ask your body what it needs to move well, heal and feel good. We’ll tell you what it says.
Personalized Cellular Nutrition. The Power To Move You.