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Blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood pushing against the arterial walls as it flows through the blood vessels. If the blood pressure stays high over a prolonged period of time it can be very harmful for the body. High blood pressure qualifies as a disease of the blood vessels and not the heart. The normal blood pressure of an adult should be below 120/80 mm Hg. Normally, physicians often follow a range that lies between 120/80 and 140/90. However, a blood pressure reading above 120/80 should still be considered high because blood pressure is an individual and relative factor. So, what holds true for one person may not necessarily to another individual. Most experts recommend that every patient should be treated as an individual and blood pressure management system should be personalized.

Now, let’s discuss the factors that lead to the development of high blood pressure. To understand why we develop high blood pressure it is important to understand the structures that are responsible for the movement of the blood through the body.

The blood vessels (arteries) have a lining on the internal walls which is made of a sheet of cells known as endothelium. This wall of endothelium acts as an interface between the blood vessel wall and the blood that flows through them. These endothelium cells are responsible for the control and regulation of blood pressure and they are extremely sensitive to pressure and the shearing force exerted by fast flowing blood. When exposed to continuous shearing force, these cells get damaged and this in turn causes endothelial dysfunction. This is often considered to be the primary cause of atherosclerosis (arterial blockage).

So needless to say, a healthy endothelium would equate to clearer blood vessels. Apart from this, it is equally necessary to remove oxidative stress, a condition in which unpaired oxygen electrons as well as other free radicals attack and damage normal cells, and reduce inflammation both of which simply add to the problem. Other aspects that contribute to the development of high blood pressure include vascular smooth muscle dysfunction and autoimmune factors.

The viscosity of the blood plays a vital role because the flow of blood is directly affected by how thick or thin it is at any given point in time. Now, there are several factors that will affect the viscosity of blood which can change constantly throughout the day. For instance, there is a change in the viscosity of blood when digested food is absorbed, sent through the liver and eventually distributed to the other organs of the body. Many doctors believe that thinning out the blood will reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes but using drugs to achieve this result is a solution that carries risk factors of its own. On the other hand natural remedies like garlic have proved to be equally potent in achieving similar results without the side effect.

Finally, the macro and micro nutrients that we derive from the food that we eat are also essential factors in this equation. Even though there are several drugs that are being used in blood pressure management, your diet still plays a large part in the battle against high blood pressure. The food items that we eat, the way in which they are cooked, grown and preserved all have an impact on the nutrients that we get from them. It is normal for doctors to ask hypertensive patients to reduce their salt intake. However, research has indicated that this recommendation is almost futile because only 1 out of 1000 patients who have been placed on salt restriction showed a measurable reduction in blood pressure. Instead a healthier alternative approach would be to increase potassium intake to offset the sodium being taken in through processed and preserved food items.

It is also vital to analyze the effect of essential nutrients on your blood pressure levels; primarily the minerals, enzymes and vitamins that are responsible for everyday metabolism. All vitamins including A, B, C, D, E and particularly D3 are important. Apart from these, Vitamin K2 is responsible for keeping calcium out of the smooth muscles layers of the blood vessels and other soft tissue where it should not be. This in turn will have a major impact on the incidents of arteriosclerosis –the hardening of the arteries- which makes them inflexible and is a major factor in pushing blood pressure upwards. Even though there are other factors as well, the above thoughts do generate the possibility of a preventative approach.

So in a nutshell to control your blood pressure you need to:

• Take care of your heart: If it functions like a pump, you can be sure that it’s going to need good maintenance like a pump as well. Many times heart failures can be squarely attributed to a reduction in the number of functional mitochondria. An enzyme known as Ubiquinone plays a part in ensuring the continuous and maximum operation of the mitochondria. Fortunately for us, there are several versions of the enzyme easily available in the nutritional markets. Also, you simply can’t ignore the fact that your heart is after all a muscle and just like exercise helps you to build you biceps and triceps, exercising your heart will strengthen it.
• Take care of the Pipes: To take care of the pipes it is essential to take care of its internal lining, which in case of blood vessels is the endothelium.
• Take Care of Blood Viscosity: The consistency of your blood is in no way static and depending on the direction in which the consistency changes and to what extent, you may have to face some serious effects on your blood pressure. For example, a few hours after eating, as the products of digestion are being absorbed, the viscosity goes up until the liver can remove the excess and store them away. If this condition is transient, the body can deal with it but if it becomes too regular difficulties may arise. The type of food you eat also contributes to the viscosity and a high fat, high carbohydrate diet is not helpful.