What is Blood Pressure
Blood is pushed through the blood vessels by the pumping of the heart. It has to be pushed up from the heart to the brain, and it has to come back to the heart from the feet. The strength of this push is called the pressure of the blood. In other words blood pressure is the pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of the arteries.

Why Blood Pressure Changes
It changes with many other body and emotional changes that takes place from time to time. For instance, if the heartbeat is weak, the blood pressure may fall. If the blood vessels or the arteries become narrow, the blood pressure may rise. It rises with hard exercise, with anger, fear or excitement. It may fall with rest or sleep. The chemicals in the blood and the nerve impulses to the blood vessels control these changes.

Systolic Pressure: It denotes the pressure on the arteries when the heart is contracting i.e. when you inhale. The following table gives the normal and high range of systolic blood pressure:

Diastolic Pressure: It is the pressure on the arteries when the heart is relaxed or when you exhale. The following table gives the normal and high range of diastolic blood pressure

While Measuring
Your Blood Pressure

1. No caffeine (tea/coffee) should be taken at least an hour before blood pressure check.

2. No smoking at least 15 minutes before blood pressure check.

3. No nasal decongestant drops for sinus or eye drops to be applied.

4. Empty urinary bladder

5. Rest for 15 minutes

Remember
If after repeated blood pressure measurement with an instrument called SPHYGMOMANOMETER, your doctor has diagnosed that you are suffering from high blood pressure–hypertension, do not get unduly worried because:

1. Hypertension is very common in today’s life.

2. It is often without any symptoms

3. It is easily detectable

4. It is easily controllable.

For Women only
There is some misconception amongst women that that they cannot conceive if they are suffering from the hypertension. Nothing can be farer from the facts than this belief. Hypertension has nothing to do with a woman’s ability to conceive. However, if a woman is already on hypertensive drugs and she conceives she must immediately consult her doctor as some anti-hypertensive drugs are not prescribed during the period of pregnancy.

SOME DO’S
AND DON’TS

DO’S 

• Get your blood pressure check at regular intervals.

• Live a stress, tension, anxiety and depression free life. Do a cost-benefit analysis of the gains of factors that give you stress, tension, anxiety, and depression, and the cost of getting rid of them. The article: Can We Be Healthy Without Being Happy, in this webhelp may help you in this endeavour.

• Yoga, meditation and relaxation techniques should be practiced, initially under proper guidance.

• Do take adequate sleep and rest

• Daily exercise jogging and swimming for younger persons and brisk walking for elderly person must be done very regularly.

• Watch your blood sugar and cholesterol levels regularly.

DON’TS

• Come out from "My Blood Boils when ........." Syndrome. Every time you boil your blood, you also increase your blood pressure.

• Do not consume more than 5 grams of salt per day. Adherence to this restriction would reduce hypertension by 6-12 mm Hg.

• Stop eating processed food.

• Avoid, as far as possible, fast foods.

• Do not take antacids which contain sodium.

• Do not smoke. Chances of suffering from hypertension are higher among smokers.

• Stop drinking coffee. Even two cups of coffee will raise blood pressure.

• Avoid alcohol as far as possible. If you must, don’t cross 30 ml limit.

• Don’t start or stop taking medicines without consulting your doctor.

Learn to be relaxed
And
Happy