When the blood pressure (force) is high, it brushes more roughly against the delicate arterial and blood vessel wall linings, tearing, gouging, and pitting them. This damage triggers inflammation (macrophage cells). It also changes the blood flow, creating little whirlpools where sticky cholesterol can clump up into clots.
The pits and grooves are perfect nooks and crannies where waxy cholesterol can stick, narrowing the arteries and driving up blood pressure.
The cholesterol then hardens, causing stiffening and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). The cholesterol can also burst, causing a blood clot to form.
Clots can block vital blood from reaching the heart, causing a heart attack (myocardial infarction). This means the heart can't get enough oxygen and nutrients and starves. This damages the heart muscle cells.
A stroke happens when the clot breaks away and blocks adequate blood from reaching the brain, and neurons begin to die within minutes.
What Causes High Blood Pressure?
Your lifestyle choices influence blood pressure. For example, sugar and fatty foods cause the narrowing of arteries that drive up blood pressure. Other factors include:
- Smoking
- Being overweight or obese
- Lack of physical activity
- Stress
- Older age
- Genetics
- Family history of high blood pressure
- Chronic kidney disease
- Adrenal and thyroid disorders
- Sleep apnea
- Too much salt in the diet
- More than 1-2 drinks of alcohol consumption per day
What are the Stages of Blood Pressure?
Normal blood pressure is 120 over 80 or 120/80. The higher number is read higher and is called systolic, and the lower is called diastolic. The systolic (higher) reading is when your heart beats, squeezing blood through arteries to the rest of your body. The diastolic (lower) number indicates when the heart rests between beats. The heart fills with blood in preparation for the next beat and receives oxygen and nutrients during this period.
Typically, the systolic (higher) reading is a good indicator for cardiovascular disease in people over 50. That's because as you age, systolic numbers rise steadily due to the increasing stiffness of large arteries from a long-term buildup of plaque. This increases the risk of cardiac and vascular disease with age. The following chart shows the various stages of blood pressure:
Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure
Get Moving
Exercise is one of the pillars of health. Studies show that getting active 3-4 times per week for at least 40 minutes of aerobic exercise (making your heart beat faster) is extremely beneficial.
Lose Excess Weight
Losing weight drops blood pressure like gangbusters. For every pound you lose, you’ll shave off 1 point off your blood pressure numbers.
Eat Healthy Foods
Eat whole foods with grass-fed meat limited to twice a week, wild-caught fatty fish, lots of colorful veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. You can use the Mediterranean way of eating as a healthy guide.
Blood pressure medications, such as ACE inhibitors and Calcium Channel Blockers, mimic the effects of some botanicals. For example, some herbs and spices are excellent at helping lower blood pressure, including:
Sweet Basil - High in eugenol, studies show it may help reduce blood pressure by acting as a natural calcium channel blocker, allowing blood vessels to relax.
Parsley - Animal studies show it reduces systolic and diastolic blood pressure by acting as a calcium channel blocker.
