High blood pressure is a serious disease which can lead to a variety of other dangerous health concerns, such as stroke and heart disease. When blood vessels are narrowed by cholesterol plaque, it increases the pressure on the walls of the vessels to push blood through. This can lead to a dislodging of the plaque, which can cause strokes.

Unhealthy eating habits can also raise blood pressure. Eating foods high in sodium and other preservatives can put a lot of pressure on the heart to pump blood throughout the body.

Lowering Blood Pressure Naturally

Here are some ways to go about lowering blood pressure naturally:

* Exercise – Exercise relieves stress and increases oxygenation. Increased cardiovascular health can lower your blood pressure. Avoid exercising right before bedtime, though, or you may have a problem getting to sleep.

* Learn to relax – Stress can be a contributing factor to high blood pressure. Learn to reduce your stress levels. Try listening to soft music or employ deep breathing techniques. A good warm bath can also help drain away stress from your day. Finding ways to cope with stress can help you control not only blood pressure, but other health concerns as well.

* Eat potassium-containing foods – Sodium and potassium are two elements that work together in the body. The levels are balanced to keep your electrolytes in check. Eating more potassium can counteract too much sodium. Try bananas, cantaloupe, potatoes, beans and raisins.

* Cut the salt – Too much sodium can raise blood pressure. Look for sodium content before buying processed foods, which contain a lot of salt as a preservative, even including frozen so-called healthy meals. The average person consumes at least two or three times the recommended daily limit of 2,400 milligrams.

* Reduce caffeine – There is caffeine in coffee, tea and soft drinks. Caffeine can increase blood pressure by narrowing the blood vessels. If you already have issues with high blood pressure, adding caffeine can raise it even higher.

* Drink alcohol in moderation – If you don’t already drink, don’t start, but if you enjoy a glass of wine, try red wine. It is helpful for heart health, lowering blood pressure. For women, should not have more than one drink a day, and men no more than two.

If you are having problems with high blood pressure, you can help yourself by making lifestyle changes to lower blood pressure naturally.

You don’t have to be of advanced age to suffer from conditions usually seen in that age group. One such condition is high blood pressure.

The heart pumps blood throughout the body. The blood carries oxygen from the lungs to all of the cells and organs along the circuitous route of the arterial vascular system. Deoxygenated blood is carried via the venous system back to the lungs, where it picks up more oxygen.

To move that blood, there is a certain amount of pressure that needs to be created within the vessels. Normally an acceptable blood pressure reflects two numbers: systolic (upper number), the pressure exerted when the heart is pumping blood, and diastolic (lower number), the pressure exerted when the heart is at rest. Ideally blood pressure needs to be no higher than 140/90, but ideally 120/70.

Higher numbers indicate that something is causing the pressure needed to move a volume of blood to increase. It could be due to a narrowing of the vessels (caused by high cholesterol or plaque build-up), stress, obesity, high salt intake or genetics. This condition is known as high blood pressure, or hypertension.

The Problems of High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure poses a problem for the rest of your body. Here are just a few of the conditions that can arise as a result.

* Artery damage – Increased stress on the arterial walls can result in the tissue being damaged; when any tissue is damaged, an inflammatory response occurs. The walls can thicken and stiffen, leading to a smaller lumen (opening) and a higher blood pressure. If you also have a problem with bad cholesterol plaque, the increased pressure could dislodge it, turning it into emboli, which block the blood flow.

* Heart condition – When you have high blood pressure, the heart has to work harder to push that same volume of blood. As a result, the heart muscle can enlarge; it can also fail, or experience an infarct in a portion of the muscle that can lead to a heart attack.

* Stroke – The cholesterol plaque that breaks off as a result of high blood pressure can travel along the vascular system until it gets stuck in a smaller vessel. This often happens in the lungs or the brain. In the brain it is called a stroke. Both can result in death.

Beyond the blockage, the brain tissue is not receiving oxygenated blood. Since the brain needs twenty percent more oxygen than the rest of the body, this can lead to decreased functioning such as speech impairment, numbness or paralysis on one side of the body and other problems.

If you are facing a diagnosis of high blood pressure, work to reduce it to normal levels and avoid the dangers.

One food that is often misunderstood as far as cholesterol is concerned is seafood.

A certain amount of cholesterol is needed in the body to help with the integrity of cellular membranes. Cell membranes need to be permeable to some substances that benefit the cells and also to bar other substances.

There are three numbers that make up your total cholesterol number: LDL, HDL and triglycerides. The HDL number represents the “good cholesterol.” This type keeps vessel walls smooth so that plaques don’t stick and decrease the size of the blood vessels.

The LDL number represents “bad cholesterol.” The walls of vessels become affected by sticky plaques made up of a type of cholesterol that can adhere to the inside of the vessels.

High triglyceride levels can increase the adherence of plaques. They are fats in the blood that are acceptable in smaller levels, but in large quantities they can make lumens of vessels smaller. This can increase the risk of stroke and heart attack.

Seafood Misconception

Many people avoid seafood such as shrimp, lobster and other shellfish and seafood because they think it will raise cholesterol levels. In fact, some seafood contains cholesterol, but it is a kind that will benefit you. ALA, an omega-3 fatty acid, is found in fish and other seafood. The body uses omega-3 fatty acids to increase cardiovascular health, reduce stroke, and help with nervous system development.

Here is how each type of seafood can help your body.

* Shrimp – Won’t raise cholesterol levels. If your levels are normal, they will stay that way.

* Crabs, clams – Work to lower LDL levels in the blood.

* Mussels, oysters – Lower LDL and also raise HDL levels to increase good cholesterol.

* Fish – Increases HDL levels.

Moderation

Just like with other foods, eating in moderation is better than overeating. Eating two or three servings of seafood a week can provide you will the amount of good cholesterol that the body needs. The recommended level is about 300 mg per day.

Be careful, though, as the cholesterol profile of seafood will change when other foods such as sauces and butter are introduced. This increases the amount of omega-6 fatty acids which are known to help increase LDL cholesterol stores. Try healthy ways to prepare your seafood for more of the omega-3 fatty acid benefit.

If you love to eat seafood, but have been avoiding it because of cholesterol concerns, now you know that seafood can help your cholesterol levels.

High cholesterol can lead to problems with your heart and also your metabolism. If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, there are precautions you can take to avoid getting excess cholesterol from your diet.

There are three types of cholesterol in the body: bad LDL (low density lipoproteins), good HDL (high density lipoproteins) and triglycerides. Ideally you want your total cholesterol number to be below 150. High levels of LDL and triglycerides can be attributed to heart disease, stroke risk and even diabetes.

In people with high cholesterol, the LDL and/or triglycerides are too high to be safe. LDL plaque can be sticky. They adhere to the vessel walls, narrowing the lumen. The blood is under high pressure to get moved thorough those vessels and supply the body with oxygen. These plaques can break loose and lodge in other areas of the body, creating dangerous embolisms. Thrombosis can also stop blood from flowing to the extremities and can be very painful.

However, you can control your cholesterol with diet and medication. Even with medication, if your cholesterol numbers are still high, it may be due to your diet. Just because you are taking a medication, doesn’t mean that you can then eat anything you wish. And it is it not always a matter of what you do eat; sometimes it is matter of what you are not eating instead.

Here are some tips for eating and shopping that can help you to lower your cholesterol:

* Read the labels – Many of us trust that when the label says “low fat” that it is actually low fat. However, look at the composition of fat that remains. Higher levels of saturated fat are not good for the body. We already get too much of this in fast foods.

Also look at the serving size. If you are eating five crackers and getting eight grams of fat, then your percentage of fat to calories is too high and you should not be eating them. Look at the cholesterol amount. We often skip this because most foods have little to none. However, some foods have a fair amount of it per serving and need to be watched.

* Avoid animal protein – While animal products are one of the best sources of protein, they are not the only source. Choose lean poultry, or seafood which is high in healthy fats. There are a lot of saturated fats in red meat, chicken with skin and fatty pork.

* Watch whole milk – Milk contains milk fats. Skim is the ideal to drink since there are no milk fats in it. If you drink milk, a reduced fat milk is better than whole.

* Dairy products – Butter may be okay for cooking or sautéing food, but not as a main ingredient. This includes ice cream, heavy cream and cream cheese.

There are also foods that may not contain high levels of cholesterol, but can raise LDL cholesterol. These foods are high in saturated fat and trans fats and are best avoided.

Are you trying to lower your cholesterol? Read food labels and then, select your fresh foods and meats carefully to avoid adding more cholesterol to your diet.

A recent heath Q and A column in one of the newsletters I get concerned me, because it indicated that caffeine could be used to enhance performance before, during, and after a workout.

I was concerned because it stated you could have the equivalent of 3 cups of coffee prior to exercising. Now, it may be just because I am sensitive to even one mouthful of coffee, but it seems to me that what this would do to your heart rate would be rather alarming.

So yes, if you’re feeling a little sleepy late in the afternoon, instead of taking an over-the-counter stimulant, you can have a caffeinated drink and get a little pick-me-up. A cup of coffee might help with that too, or the essential British cup of tea. You might want to consider, however, if it is the caffeine giving you the pick me up, or just having a break and a hot drink.

If you’re planning on working out, you may wonder about caffeine and exercise. Is it a good idea to mix the two?

Caffeine is a stimulant, pure and simple. It is quickly absorbed into the body and begins to lose effectiveness after one to two hours.

Stimulants increase your heart rate and blood pressure, and release glucose into your blood stream. This may explain the extra energy you feel when you have caffeinated drinks.

Scientists also explain how caffeine increases the level of dopamine in your system, which activates the reward center of your brain. In short, caffeine makes you feel good.

The stimulant effect may make you feel more awake and more energetic for a short time, but will it affect how well you perform if you participate in sports or exercise?

When you think of eating disorders, you think of Karen Carpenter or one of Hollywood’s young starlets.  But, these disorders don’t just affect girls and women.  Men and boys can be just as affected by them.

Eating disorders are not new and neither is their existence in the male population.  The reason you may not have heard about it is the stigma attached to having a problem controlling your food.  According to a Harvard study (2007), as much as 25 percent of those in the study were anorexic males and 40 percent were binge-eating males.  For a condition that has been decidedly “female”, these are high numbers.

The effects of eating disorders are more readily noticed among girls.  Wearing tight-fitting clothing or other outfits that show their shape reveal the skin and bones that mortify parents and friends.  Girls are also more likely to confide in a friend about their “new diet” than guys are.

Men and boys can hide the results of their eating disorders better than women and girls.  Furthermore, changes in their body are quickly attributed to anything but an eating disorder.  Parents don’t even think that an eating disorder can affect their son.

Even the males themselves are not likely to admit that they have an eating disorder.  Being associated with a “girl’s disease” can be seen as unmanly or feminine.  For fear of being called names, they hide their pain and their obsession with food.

The truth about 6 cholesterol myths:

6 Cholesterol Myths

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Left side stroke

This stroke occurs on the left side of the brain and will affect the right side of the body.  Besides paralysis, the person will have trouble with their speech and language.  This is called aphasia.  Their parietal lobe has been affected by the stroke.  They may forget how to speak.

There are other neurological changes that occur.  Behavior is slower and they are more cautious even if they weren’t that way before the stroke.  Vision loss can occur as well, in the right eye.  The muscle strength is weakened on the right side.

Right side stroke

The left side of the body is affected.  There is paralysis and that tell-tale mouth drooping called dysarthria.  Behavior becomes erratic and quick even if they were not that way before the stroke.  There could be blindness in the left eye.

People with right side strokes may experience changes as a result of the occipital lobe being affected.  Their spatial recognition and perception will have deficits because of the stroke.

It can be disconcerting for you to see a loved after a stroke have occurred.  How permanent these effects are depends on the speed of intervention.  It may take a few weeks to a few months or more to see signs of recovery, but they will come.

A stroke is a serious medical condition.  When you or someone you love has suffered a stroke you may not be prepared for what you will find when you see them.  Learn what to expect after a stroke has occurred.

A stroke is caused by a blockage of a blood vessel in the brain.  Lack of blood flow to portions of the brain mean a lack of life-sustaining oxygen to the tissue.  The result is brain death and with it, a change in the way that you act and what you can control within your own body.

A stroke can affect the right or the left side of your body.  What most people are not aware of is that each side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body.  So, a stroke on the right side of the brain will affect the left side of the body and vice versa.

How severe the effects of a stroke can be is determined by how quickly intervention occurs.  The sooner you get proper medical help the more likely the effects are to be reversible over time.  The longer the brain goes without oxygen the greater the area of the brain will die.

With a stroke there will be some paralysis.  The paralysis affects the face, arm and leg.  A person with facial paralysis may drool and will have trouble speaking clearly.  Walking will be difficult because you will have to support the weight of the other side of the body as well.  Rehabilitation will be necessary.

Using apple cider to treat certain ailments is an old folk remedy that people are still using today.  The basis of the remedy has been fashioned into a diet that centers on the use of apple cider vinegar.  This diet makes use of many of the proven health benefits of this vinegar.

Origins of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is made from fermented apple juice.  Once you have created apple cider, you could stop there and enjoy this refreshing fall drink.  But yeast and sugars are added to the apple cider to create a more acidic environment leading to the production of apple cider vinegar.  The vinegar is used as an ingredient in many recipes and as a condiment for foods like cabbage or fish.  It can also be a reducing agent when creating sauces.

Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

For many, many years, people have used apple cider vinegar to treat conditions of the body.  These benefits are still viable today.  Apple cider vinegar contains many minerals and vitamins that the body needs on a daily basis, including vitamin A, C and the B vitamins.  Important minerals like calcium, magnesium and phosphorus are also present.

Apple cider vinegar has been known to lower cholesterol levels.  Because it is made from apples, this liquid contains the fiber found in apples.  Fiber helps remove fat and cholesterol from the system before it is excreted from the body.

This vinegar is also good for intestinal health.  It is a fact of life that we will eat something that doesnít agree with us.  Diarrhea removes harmful substances from the body but also good flora from the intestines.  The pectin in apple cider vinegar can help to replenish the good bacteria as well as protecting the intestines from other harmful substances that led to the diarrhea in the first place.

If you have diabetes or are at risk, swallowing a little apple cider vinegar each day can help your blood sugar.  Blood sugar levels can be out of control in the diabetic person.  Fiber in apple cider vinegar functions in the absorption of excess glucose in your bloodstream to help avoid sugar spikes that lead to problems with diabetes and also food cravings that lead to weight gain.

Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

The diet consists of drinking up to three teaspoons of apple cider vinegar before each meal.  It is said that this process will rev up your metabolism and help you to lose weight.  Apple cider vinegar can control blood sugar levels and this can hinder those bothersome sugar cravings that derail your diet.

One drawback is that ingesting so much of an acidic substance can harm your mouth and throat.  In your mouth, acid can damage the tooth enamel.  This is the outer protective layer on each tooth.  Once it is gone, it doesn’t grow back.  And just like vomiting, excess acid in the throat can burn the lining and cause strictures.

Are you looking at the apple cider vinegar diet?  While you look at the health benefits of this vinegar, consider using in moderation for the health benefits and to avoid any negative effects.