Let's look first at the symptoms. The long-term effect of high blood pressure are serious and can cause heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and retinal damage. Unfortunately, most people do not notice they have high blood pressure until they develop on of the long-term effects!

Every cell in the body needs a constant supply of blood to bring in oxygen and nutrients to remove waste products. Symptoms are masked since everyday fluctuations of blood pressure are usually minor and well compensated for by the body. A gradual rise in blood pressure over month and years is particularly dangerous, as it slips by the body's warning signal which are: nervousness, headaches, dizziness, nosebleeds and flushed cheeks. Stress, anxiety, anger and physical activity cause substantial changes in blood pressure readings.

The force that keeps blood moving comes from the heart, but a complex system of nerve signals, hormones, and other elements regulate the blood flow to each organ by widening or constricting small muscular blood vessels called arterioles, much like a faucet controls the flow how much water. Blood pressure depends on a number of factors, including how much blood is flowing through the arteries, the rate of blood flow, and the resiliency of the arteries' walls. Blood pressure fluctuates from moment to moment and factors influencing it are the time of the day, it is lowest in the morning, and your degree of physical exertion or anxiety and blood pressure tends to go up with age!

High blood pressure means that the force with which the blood presse onto the artery walls is higher than it should be and the most common reason for high blood pressure is arteriosclerosis. Narrowed arteries plugged with fatty deposits are usually linked to poor eating habits, junk fast food, pop drinks with artificial sugar, high stress, insomnia problems and little physical activity. A rich diet in saturated fats, red meat, refined sugar and salt, cholesterol-free commercial vegetable oils such as canola, shortening and margerine as they contain trans-fatty acids is to blame. Another unkown fact is that many people produce in their body too much bad cholesterol LDL that overtakes the good cholesterol HDL and creates plaques inside the arteries and as a result high blood pressure. High density lipoprotein, HDL, is capable of removing cholesterol from the blood to the liver and out through the bile. Low density lipoprotein , LDL, on the other hand carries cholesterol to the cells and contributes to the development of plaques and arteriosclerosis.
Interesting enough the medical profession came up with lowering the levels for high blood pressure and cholesterol and as a result millions of people take prescription drugs for lowering the blood pressure and cholesterol and the pharmaceutical industry loves it!

Hypertension is known as the “silent killer” because it does not produce any symptoms, at least none that most people are aware of, until considerable damage has already been done. Untreated high blood pressure is the leading cause for strokes and the added pressure also damages the artery walls increasing fatty plaque being deposit, leading to scarring and hardening of the vessels creating artherosclerosis. As a result it reduce the flow of oxygen to the kidneys, heart, and eyes, or allow a blood clot to form in a narrowed artery.

Blood pressure is commonly measured with a spygmomanometer ( I am using a type called Tensoval, bought in Germany) and a variety of different commercial types are available. Lately more and more pharmacies and drug stores offer them so you could test your blood pressure yourself for three or you check with your health care practitioner an a regular basis, very important!

Normal blood pressure is usually said to be 120/80 (systolic/diastolic) or less, measured in millimeters of mercury, abbreviated in mm Hg. Both systolic and diastolic readings are very important, but diastolic pressure has traditionally been emphasized because it is less subject to fluctuations. Recent studies, including the ongoing Framingham heart study, have revealed that systolic pressure may be as significant a heart attack predictor as diastolic pressure.

Blood pressure is indicated by two numbers each referring to how in millimeters the pressure of the blood in your arteries can raise a column of mercury (Hg). The first number, the systolic pressure, represents the force of blood during the heartbeat. The second number, the diastolic, indicates the pressure between heartbeats. Here is the schedule:

Category

Optimal

Normal

High Normal Hypertension

Stage 1 (Mild)

Stage 2 (Moderate)

Stage 3 (Severe)

Stage 4 (Very Severe)

Isolated Hypertension

Systolic (mm Hg)

<120

<130

130 – 139

140 – 159

160 – 179

180 – 209

>210

>140

Diastolic (mm Hg)

<80

<85

85 – 89

90 – 99

100 – 109

110 – 119

>120

>90

Exercise regularly, keep your weight at a desirable level, moderate your intake of alcohol (studies have shown that a glass of read wine at a warm meal can prevent blood clotting which I use for over 50 years!), don't smoke (I never did) or quit smoking, moderate daily intake of can sugar and Himalayan crystal salt and avoid poisonous refined sugar and table salt, eat a diet with adequate amounts of calcium, magnesium and potassium.

There are supplements you can use for high blood pressure such as niacin, vitamin B5, C, E, beta-carotine, zinc, selenium, co-enzyme Q10, evening primrose oil, lecithin and also herbal remedies:
ginger, cayenne, taheebo/Pau' deArco, hawthorn, burdock, birch, stinging nettle, dandelion, mistletoe, valerian tincture, liquid kelp, barberry, black cohosh, fever few, ginger, garlic, motherwort, saffron.

And here is a recipe for high blood pressure from the book: “Ageless Remedies from Mother's Kitchen” by Hanna Kroeger, the “grandmother of health:

Klaus Ferlow, HMH, HA, author, innovator, lecturer, writer, researcher, founder of Ferlow Botanicals and NEEM RESEARCH, Honorary Master Herbalist, Dominion Herbal College, professional Herbal Advocate, Canadian Herbalist's Association, board member Health Action Network Society, member Neem Foundation, Bombay (Mumbai), India, National Health Federation and other organizations, co-author of the book “7stepstodentalhealth.com”, author of the book “Neem: Nature's Healing Gift to Humanity” published before the year end 2015, klausferlow1@gmail.com

Copyright 2008@ revised, upgraded 2015, all rights reserved

This article is offered for its educational value only and should not be used in the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of disease. Any attempt to diagnose or treat illness should come under the direction f your health care practitioner.