Symptoms of High Blood Pressure

The signs of serious high blood pressure can go undetected for years. Here's what to look for.

Is your New Year’s Resolution ‘to get in shape’? If it’s been a while since you’ve worked out, take it easy and pay attention to symptoms of high blood pressure.

 

Approximately 65 million Americans have hypertension and about 50 million Americans belong to health clubs. No doubt millions more will join shortly after the New Year and many gym newbies will have high blood pressure.

 

Often referred to as the ‘Number One silent killer’ because symptoms can go unnoticed for years before triggering a massive heart attack or stroke, high blood pressure can lead to the following symptoms while working out:

 

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Shortness of Breath
• Feeling Nauseous
• Double or blurred vision

 

High blood pressure isn’t in itself the leading cause of death in the U.S.; heart disease, cancer and stroke are the top three. But high blood pressure may be responsible, at least in part, for developing these potentially fatal conditions. 

 

It’s for this reason why many doctors acknowledge that hypertension is the Number One killer in the U.S.

 

How the Silent Killer Strikes
Other deadly symptoms of high blood pressure include blocked arteries, kidney failure, heart attack and brain hemorrhage.

 

Obesity is one cause of high blood pressure, so it’s important to exercise but at a low intensity if beginning a weight-loss and exercise program.

 

The responsible way to start an exercise program, if it’s been a long time since your last workout, is to first get clearance from your doctor.

 

This is especially true if you haven’t had your blood pressure tested in a long time. Even if you’re not significantly overweight, you may have high blood pressure.

 

Why do I have to ask my doctor if exercise is right for me?
Most likely, your doctor will encourage your exercise program. Even so, there’s always the possibility that because of high blood pressure, an abnormality may rule out any exercise as a precaution until the problem is diagnosed and addressed.

 

Anybody that’s received the surprising news they need bypass heart surgery can relate. It wouldn’t be good if they went for a stroll on the treadmill.

 

Which came first, the anger or the hypertension? 
It’s human to get angry; anger isn’t necessarily a bad thing to feel. It’s how we relate to it and manage it, though, that can influence blood pressure.

 

Know someone who has bulging veins popping out of their forehead when they get angry? Afraid they’re going to burst at any second? This is the type of person vulnerable to elevated blood pressure levels (normal is about 120 over 80).

 

Prolonged high blood pressure can ultimately lead to premature death.

 

How can I prevent symptoms of high blood pressure?
Obviously, unhealthy lifestyles like smoking and eating junk food, excess sodium and sugar, may lead to high blood pressure. But you can take baby steps in lowering it by practicing some of the following:

 

• Moving Meditation: Take tai chi or qigong classes or workshops. Tight on cash? Watch a YouTube video, though you’ll have better chances of sticking with it if you do it with a group or friend.
• Silent Meditation: Silent yoga or still meditation is an excellent way to manage high blood pressure. By focusing on the breath, you’ll improve blood and oxygen flow. It’s been scientifically demonstrated to do so.
• Eat More Foods Rich in Potassium: Sodium and potassium play off each other in a game of balance, much like a see-saw within our trillions of cells. The so called Sodium/Potassium pump refers to the intracellular fluid proportion of both these minerals. Eat some French fries loaded with salt and there’ll be more sodium and less potassium. Eating more potassium-rich foods in your diet helps lower blood pressure, studies have found.

 

Why Potassium Can Save a Life

When it comes to dietary minerals, calcium gets most of the attractive glory. Consider it the Brad Pitt of nutrition. Sodium, with its unhealthy, high-blood-pressure-inducing, bad-boy image is the Charlie Sheen. But what about potassium? Often misunderstood, neglected and closely related to sodium, it’s the Emilio Estevez (Sheen’s brother) of essential minerals.

What are the best sources of potassium and why is this dietary mineral so important?

Potassium plays several critical roles, including:

• ·         Regulating cell function and electrolyte balance
• ·         Muscle contraction (including the heart)
• ·         Transmitting nerve impulses
• ·         Metabolizing proteins and carbohydrates
• ·         Regulating blood pressure

Most people know that a diet high in processed foods is often loaded with sodium, which can cause high blood pressure. But many people don’t realize that it’s possible to lower blood pressure by reducing sodium intake and increasing another electrolyte salt: potassium.

Research has proved that despite only 20 to 30 percent of Westerners having optimal blood pressure, a diet higher in potassium and lower in common table salt can regulate blood pressure levels as well as possibly preventing strokes. 

You’ll want to shoot for about 4,000 milligrams of potassium per day if you’re concerned about blood pressure and electrolyte balance.

Here are some of the top sources of potassium:

1.    Tomato paste and other tomato products: According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, tomato products, rich in the free-radical compounds, lycopene and Vitamin C, have the highest potassium content, checking in at a whopping 2,657 mg per cup. Chances are, you’re not going to eat a whole cup of tomato paste in one sitting, but eat it frequently (great for a spread on crackers and cheese), and you’ll reap the benefits of a loaded source of potassium in your diet.

2.    Orange juice (unsweetened): Although not the best choice for people concerned with their blood sugar levels, orange juice does have over 1400 mg of potassium in a 6-oz. serving. By comparison one whole orange has less than one-tenth the amount of potassium, but by all means, do not skip out on eating whole foods like oranges. Eat some protein and natural fat to counteract the blood sugar spike that may occur when drinking orange juice.

3.    Beets: One cup of boiled, cooked beets has over 1300 mg of potassium. Ancient Romans used beets as a cure for constipation. Your digestive tract depends on muscular movements to pass food through and we all know by now that potassium helps with muscular function.

4.    Beans: Beans come in many varieties but nearly all contain adequate amounts of potassium. One cup of white beans has nearly 1200 mg of potassium. Make a salad with some beans and beets and you already have over half your recommended daily intake of potassium.

5.    Dates: Like orange juice, dates are relatively high in sugar compared to other fruits, so take caution. But one cup of dates (Noor variety) has 1168 mg of potassium.

Where are bananas on the list?
It’s common perception that bananas contain lots of potassium. But one average banana contains 350 mg. Banana’s close relative, the plantain has more potassium. One medium raw plantain has nearly 900 mg. There are other fruits that have even higher levels of potassium. Dried apricots contain nearly 2000 mg; dried figs contain 1010 mg; avocados have 400 mg. In general, dried fruits contain lots potassium.

What are other good sources of potassium?
If you eat a balanced diet rich in whole food sources of nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruit, along with a moderate amount of humanely-raised animal protein, you should have no problem getting enough potassium in your diet.

Soybeans, almonds, pistachios, parsley, bran and potatoes are also on the potassium A-list.

Those with compromised kidneys, however, need to be avoid eating too much potassium.