High blood pressure or hypertension is a condition of elevated blood pressure is chronically or more than 140/90 mmHg. This condition can be caused by various factors, even though you did not expect. Recently, a study published in the journal Circulation found that a diet containing high salt for several years is one of the factors that can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of high blood pressure.
This conclusion is obtained after the researchers recruited 5,556 people who do not have high blood pressure and measure the concentration of salt in the blood. After seven years, participants with higher levels of sodium in the blood, due to a diet containing high salt, 21 percent more likely to have high blood pressure than participants who most low salinity.
But a diet high in salt, is not the only thing that causes your blood pressure to rise. In fact, according to a report from the Institute of Medicine, a diet high in salt believed only responsible for 20-40 percent of all cases of high blood pressure in the United States.
9 causes of hypertension or high blood pressure
Common cause of stroke risk, one of which is high blood pressure. This happens because, high blood pressure damages the blood vessels are weak then lead to bleeding in the brain. And, you also at risk for stroke if having trouble narrowing of the arteries.
- Heredity factors: Maybe you've heard that if there is a person who has high blood pressure, then their children will suffer from high blood pressure. This opinion is not entirely true. Indeed, genes or heredity is one of the causes of high blood pressure, but if the child can maintain / regulate what foods are eaten daily, the high blood pressure can be prevented. Almost all diseases came from what we eat everyday.
- Age: As the age increases, then the person is more at risk of developing high blood pressure. The reason is, if a person gets older, it also decreases the effectiveness of the body's organs, including the elasticity of blood vessels also decreases, resulting in narrowing of the blood vessels. As a result the blood pressure to rise, it has been proven in many studies.
- Diet: A further factor that has a major effect on hypertension is diet. Foods high in calories, salt, fat, cholesterol, and simple carbohydrates can be a major cause of high blood pressure, although do not have two factors above. If you belong to have this kind of diet, it's time to switch to a healthy lifestyle. Eat healthy foods right in portions, no less and no more.
- Obesity: There are still many people who think that obese is healthy. This opinion is completely wrong and misleading. Obesity or overweight can be one of the causes of high blood pressure in adolescents and women. Additionally obesity can also cause other dangerous diseases. BMI or body mass index, becoming one of the reference standard to determine whether a person is obese or not.
- Stress: Adrenal hormones can increase when we think too hard or stressful. If this happens, the heart has to pump blood faster so that the blood pressure will rise. Usually the blood pressure will be rising at a time only. Stress can also cause a person tends to eat more food or also be otherwise, may not have the appetite
- Gender: Until age of 45, men are more at risk of high blood pressure. At the age of 45 to 64, both men and women have the same risk level. However, even at the age above 64, women are more at risk.
- Caffeine, cigarettes and alcohol: Caffeine and alcohol can lead to high blood pressure. For those of you who like coffee, cigarettes or alcohol, it is better to leave these bad habits and follow a healthy lifestyle.
- Lack of exercises: Less activity can not only expand waistlines, but also at risk for increased blood pressure. This usually occurs in people who work in the office and less time exercising.
- Sleep Apnea: Sleep apnea can also cause high blood pressure. Please contact your doctor if you experience this problem.
Health experts recommend to immediately change the lifestyle for those who have the potential causes of high blood pressure above. Especially for those who have indicated that hypertensive disease. The best and most healthy is through diet, because all begins with what you eat will determine whether you are healthy or sick. Avoid foods cause high blood pressure.