Hypertension...The Silent Killer!

Hypertension...The Silent Killer!

“Hypertension is a risk factor for coronary heart disease and the single most important risk factor for stroke. It causes about 50% of ischaemic strokes and increases the risk of hemorrhagic stroke.” Kepha Nyanumba- Afya Pap nutritionist

Are you on an eternal quest for health? For the most part, we live in better conditions, with more money than previous generations and yet, so many of us are just not healthy. When we suffer from ill health, it is natural that one of the first questions we ask is, “why has this happened to me?” The answer is quite simple– it’s our lifestyle that is exposing us to conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure), cardiovascular disease (heart disease) and type 2 diabetes. Together, these conditions are known as lifestyle diseases, and cause more deaths than all other diseases combined.

Blood pressure refers to the force of blood pushing against blood vessels as it flows through the body. Like air in a tire or water in a hose, blood fills arteries to a certain capacity. Just as too much air pressure can damage a tire or too much water pushing through a garden hose can damage the hose, high blood pressure can threaten healthy blood vessels and lead to life-threatening conditions. The World Health Organization rates hypertension as one of the most important causes of premature death worldwide and the problem is growing.                          

Hypertension is a risk factor for coronary heart disease and the single most important risk factor for stroke. It stresses your body’s blood vessels, causing them to clog or weaken, making them more likely to block from blood clots.

If you have high blood pressure, you'll probably find out about it during a routine checkup or you may have noticed a problem while checking your own blood pressure at home. Some people experience hypertension that may be genetic in origin, or due to your lifestyle (called essential hypertension), while other experience secondary hypertension that is caused other conditions such as problems with your kidneys, certain medicines and some other medical problems. The good news is that despite your family history you can still avoid hypertension, as your lifestyle is within your control. Science has proven that to lower your blood pressure or cut your risk of developing hypertension you should stop smoking, avoid excess alcohol, eat the right foods, exercise and lose weight.

Obesity is one of the main causes of hypertension, and research has shown that almost two-thirds of the people suffering from obesity are at risk. Excess weight makes the heart work harder and is often associated with other heart conditions, but weight loss is a very effective way of managing the condition and relieving unnecessary stress on the heart.

Hypertension should also be managed through diet. Many people with high blood pressure are "salt sensitive," meaning that anything more than the minimal bodily need for salt is too much for them and increases their blood pressure. Deficiencies of minerals such as calcium and magnesium can also contribute to elevated pressure and correcting those deficiencies helps improve blood pressure control. Because of this, dietary approaches to managing high blood pressure encourage you to avoid salt and eat foods that will provide plenty of dietary calcium and magnesium including: nuts, legumes, green vegetables, sea food, liver, egg yolk, cauliflower and daily products. It is important to address hypertension and avoid it before it leads to other cardiovascular risks.