10 Factors That Explains Why You Have High Blood Pressure



High blood pressure can be caused by lots of things. Any kind of changes that happen either from the genes or in the environment, which affects the normal function of the body could have impact on high blood pressure. This kind of changes affects high blood pressure because of changes in salt balance and kidney fluid.

Biology and High Blood Pressure

Researchers till today have not stopped studying the factors that causes high blood pressure and how different changes in the way the body normally functions can cause this health condition.

The following are the various factors that might put someone at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure:

  1. Age

Someone’s risk of developing high blood pressure increases as they age. High blood pressure is more common in men of 45 years of age and above. It is more common for women of 65 years and above to develop high blood pressure.

  1. Race

High blood pressure is more common among blacks. It usually develops in people of this race at an earlier age unlike the whites. Other serious complications that arise as a result of High blood pressure such as stroke, kidney failure and heart attack are also common among the blacks as well.

  1. Family history

People that have high blood pressure running in the families are also at higher risk of developing the health condition. Over the years, lots of research studies have revealed many genes and mutations that have been linked to high blood pressure but these genetic factors have so far only account for 2 to 3% of all cases of this health condition.

  1. Obesity or being overweight

The more weight you have, the more blood you would need in order to supply nutrients and oxygen to some vital parts to your body such as your tissues. Your blood pressure increases according to the volume of blood that you have circulating all through your blood vessels. This is the major driver of how obesity or being overweight put you at higher risk of developing high blood pressure.

  1. Lack Of Physical Activities

People that do not engage in physical activities tend to have higher heart rates. When you hart rate is high, your heart has to work harder in order to meet up with each contraction. When this force becomes too strong, your arteries would have to bear the consequence.

  1. Smoking

Chewing tobacco or smoking has the ability to temporarily elevate your blood pressure instantly. Not only that, the chemicals in tobacco can also spoil your artery walls’ lining. This would make your arteries become narrow and will eventually lead to increase in your blood pressure. The same goes for second-hand smoking or the cheap e-cig juice as well.

  1. Too much salt in your diet

When you make use of too much salt in your meals preparation, it could harm you. Too much salt in your diet might make your body retain fluid. This also leads to a raise in your blood pressure.

  1. Too little potassium in your meal

When you do not have enough potassium in your meal, it could make you develop high blood pressure. This is because potassium helps to balance the amount of salt in your cells. Lack of potassium or when they are not enough can make you accumulate too much salt in your blood.

  1. Too much alcohol

Too much of alcohol may affect your blood pressure. If you take alcohol, it is wise to do so in moderation.

  1. Stress

It is already a common knowledge that stress has nothing good to offer the body. When the level of stress is too high in the body, it could lead to increase in the blood pressure, even though it’s temporarily. High levels of stress can lead to a temporary increase in blood pressure. It even becomes worse when you try to calm down or feel better and resort to alcohol or smoking of tobacco.

  1. Diabetes

Having diabetes does raise your risk of developing high blood pressure. According to studies, 80% of people with type 2 diabetes have high blood pressure. Forget the big diabetes lie out there, it has been established that having diabetes puts you at a higher risk of having all those health complications that comes with high blood pressure such as stroke, heart attack, kidney disease and other health problems. It is recommended that you start living with healthier habits, so as to get this health condition under control or you could start incorporating a list of foods that lower blood sugar levels in your meal.