High blood pressure, which is often a result of hypertension, is the leading risk factor for a stroke, which in turn leads to severe and long-term disability, including death. Managing your blood-sugar levels is the most critical thing you can do to lessen your risk of a stroke, and you should leave no stone unturned in keeping your blood pressure at optimum levels.

What causes a stroke

A stroke, which is often referred to as a brain attack, takes place when the supply of blood to a particular region of the brain is cut off. The brain cells which are deprived of the oxygen and glucose die, and when the ailment is not caught early, a permanent damage to the brain can follow.

How is high blood pressure related to a stroke

Uncontrolled blood pressure levels can increase the risk of a stroke by about four to six times. With the passage of time, hypertension causes atherosclerosis as well as hardening of major arteries. This often results in blockages of small blood vessels present in the brain. With high blood pressure for a long period of time, the blood vessels of the brain become weak and burst. This way the risk of a stroke is directly related to the high levels of blood pressure.

 What can you do to keep your blood pressure under control

There is a  lot you can do to keep the chance of a stroke at bay. But the first thing you should try doing is keeping your blood pressure level normal. Some simple lifestyle changes can help you to lead a risk-free life and therefore, you should first aim at shedding off those extra pounds along your waistline.

In general, a man with a waistline measuring over 40 inches and a woman with that over 35 inches is at a higher risk of suffering from high blood pressure as well as a stroke. You should exercise regularly for at least half an hour and eat a well-regulated diet loaded with fibre, proteins, potassium and Omega-3 fatty acids. Stay away from junk food and maintain a food diary where you can jot down your honest food habits.

It is very important to lower down your high blood pressure in order to avoid risks of stroke. But if you fail to do so even after following a healthy routine, then it is crucial to consult a doctor who can help you by prescribing medications that are right for your medical condition.

Stroke Due to Hypertension - What Should be done About it?

Blood pressure is the measure of the resistance to the natural flow of blood in the blood vessels. The major, minor and few smaller blood vessels themselves have a thin muscular lining that keeps the vessel supple and aids the flow of nutritious blood within its tube-like structure. The vessel walls resist the free flow causing a reverse pressure that is referred to as Blood Pressure. This pressure strains the heart muscles (Left Ventricle more) to contract strongly to push the nutritious blood into the body circulation system.

Due to numerous factors, there is an increase of resistance within the blood vessels that leads to an increase in blood pressure. At a later stage, this results in lack of adequate blood flow to the end tissues and an accumulation of fluids in the various tissues/organs and a mismanagement of the nutrition-detoxification rhythmic cycle of the body. This takes a long time to develop and unless the last stage hampers body functions, it is not detected. Hence, blood pressure is known as a silent disease.

Systolic and diastolic are the two rhythms corresponding to the expansion and contraction of the heart chambers during pumping of blood into the body. This rhythm creates two distinct pressures within the blood vessels. Systolic is when the heart ventricular chamber contract to pump blood into the body, so the pressure is higher. This indicated the force or strain on the heart to push blood into the circulatory system. Hence, this count is considered significant in evaluating health parameters.

High BP as a disease is declared when three or more readings taken at different times of a day or on consecutive days shows increase in BP. Higher the BP, more strain is exerted by the heart. Since the heart is essentially a muscular organ, the muscles of the heart get affected. Sometimes, the heart muscles increase in mass and size making the heart chambers smaller in volume. This further deteriorates the circulation capability leading to numerous diseases. The strain of pumping nutrition to different body organs is also felt by the heart itself. Lack of nutrition can lead to death of cardiac tissue leading to heart failure. High blood pressure makes the heart walls thicken and becomes stiffer which makes it even more difficult to pump blood. Thickening of the heart muscles is also known as left ventricular hypertrophy and cause heart failure.

A systolic blood pressure reading that is higher than 140 mm Hg or a diastolic blood pressure higher than 90 mm Hg characterizes by high blood pressure. High blood pressure is said to be responsible for 50% of the recorded cases of ischemic strokes and also increases the risk of hemorrhagic strokes.

When heart cannot pump with enough force, there is a mismanagement in the intra-cellular and tissue fluid restoration. This puts a great strain on the kidney function. In due course of time, numerous organs of the body suffer and depending on the body constitution, immunity for rejuvenation and restoration of order, the person suffer from numerous diseases.

Diabetes worsens the situation of BP and adds to the deterioration of heart health, blood vessel health. Poor heart functioning leads to different symptoms like:

Shortness of breath
Swollen ankles or feet
Difficulty lying flat on your back
Bloating and nausea
Irregular pulse
Frequent urge to urinate at night
Fatigue
Due to disturbances in BP and other factors leading to lacking of nutrition to the heart tissue. Heart Disease complications are commonly seen with symptoms as follows:

Radiating or dull pain, especially in the chest, radiating in the arms, especially left arm, neck, back and in the stomach especially in women.

Shortness of breath; change in breathing patterns and heaviness in chest
Dizziness and fainting sometimes
Irregular pulse and palpitations
Sudden onset of excessive sweating
Unexplained fatigue, weakness and depression
Heart Disease can be treated with natural ayurvedic medicaments successfully in more than 80% of patients. Numerous ayurvedic medicines have been clinically evaluated to show positive changes supported with clinical investigation. Since ayurvedic medicines are targeted to reaching the root cause of the disturbances and to reduce the burden of the disease they go beyond the relief of symptoms.

Natural Ayurvedic medicines also participate in the rejuvenation of the heart muscles, the blood vessels, the detoxification of the body and re-balancing of health parameters, Ayurvedic treatment options are gaining great relevance and patient opt for such treatment in greater numbers from all over the world. These treatments are non-invasive and very cost effective. They are good to be taken from prevention to after angioplasty, stent or bye-pass to treat the cause of disease.

Ayurveda is a health science that takes into consideration lifestyle modifications, adequate detoxification, re-balancing body element and strengthening the system from all aspects. Ayurvedic medicines have proved useful in the treatment of Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Vascular disease (leading to atherosclerosis, blockages, wear-tear of blood vessels) and Heart disease. Today, these treatment options are gaining importance and acceptance in our society.

Link Between Heart Diseases and High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure can lead to hypertension, which is known to cause a variety of debilitating side effects or symptoms in the life of the patient. It can also lead to a number of related ailments which can affect the various organs of the body. The eyes are one of the organs that are most susceptible to this kind of spike in the body s blood pressure. Let us learn more about the connection between the two.

Retina: When high blood pressure goes untreated for a prolonged period, it can easily start to affect the blood vessels that can be found in the retina. The retina is the third or the inner most layer of the eye which is sensitive towards light and usually helps in refraction. This is where the light reaches so that one can focus clearly on an image. When the blood pressure of the patient stays high for a prolonged basis, there is significant pressure on the blood vessels in this part of the eye which can lead to an eye disease known as hypertensive retinopathy.

Symptoms: Symptoms of this eye disease include lack of clarity and focus when the eye comes to rest on an object, as well as headaches and other vision problems that typically spring from eye strain that one will go through while trying to focus even harder. It may be seen that the symptoms do not appear in the very early stages of this disease.

Diagnosis: The diagnosis of the condition is usually done by an ophthalmologist who will use an ophthalmoscope in order to project light towards the specific part of the eye so that the back of the eyeballs can be examined. The signs that the doctor will look for during the examination include narrowing of the blood vessels in this part of the eye, inflammation of the macula which is the central portion of the retina, and bleeding in the back of the eye. Also, the doctor will check for spots in the retina with the help of cotton swabs and exudates.

Treatment: The best and only way of treating this condition is by keeping one s blood pressure in control with the help of medication prescribed by the doctor.

Prevention: There are many ways of preventing the onset of this disease, including losing weight so that there is less pressure on the body. Also, one must stick to a healthy diet and exercise regularly after taking recommendations on the appropriate exercises from the doctor. Additionally, it is also important to see a doctor on a regular basis so that there is constant monitoring and regulation of the medicines and the blood pressure.

Blood Pressure - How it Affects Your Eye Sight?

The heart is a muscular organ that functions like a pump by moving blood through a fine, interconnected network of blood vessels. One set of blood vessels collect oxygen-rich blood from various parts of the body and gets it to the heart. It is then sent to all parts of the body through another separate channel of vessels.

The blood also transports various nutrients to the different body parts. Fat molecules or cholesterol is one of them. In fact, with changing diet patterns, there are more of fat molecules. They are heavier than the other particles, and so tend to settle down along the walls. This is known as plaque formation. This attracts more fat molecules to settle down and gradually forms a larger mass of fat cells. It also reduces the diameter of the vessel, thereby lowering the amount of blood that reaches the target organs.

Another effect it has is that it encourages the heart to exert extra pressure to push the blood through the vessels. There are simple ways to reduce blood pressure (BP), and some of these are listed below.

Eat healthy: Avoid processed and/or packaged foods. Increase the intake of fresh foods with lots of grains, vegetables, fruits, and dairy products. Include antioxidants like flaxseed, olive oil and omega-3 fatty acids to improve heart health. Avoid foods rich in calcium, sodium and magnesium. Increase consumption of potassium, which is good for heart.
Exercise regularly: Exercising has multiple benefits, and one of them is to improve heart health. It improves circulation, keeps the heart muscles active and strong and helps them pump blood better throughout the body.
Quit smoking: Smoking has severe effects on the overall health of an individual and heart health in particular. So quitting smoking can be hugely beneficial for the heart. It reduces the rate of plaque build-up and also helps in reversal.
Practise weight management: An increasing waistline is definitely not good for your heart, so watch your weight and keep your body mass index (BMI) in check. Watch what you eat, work out, and get your weight under control.
Follow stress management: The effect that stress has on our health cannot be underrated. Be it yoga, music, meditation, exercise or spending time with family/friends, choose what works best for you and learn to relax and manage stress.
Reduce alcohol consumption: More than two drinks per day can increase blood pressure significantly. So if you can t control, just quit.
Increased blood pressure is more rampant than what it was a few decades back. The age of onset is also reduced, with people in 30s now having hypertension. Making the above lifestyle changes can help lower your BP. Lifestyle diseases are now starting early in child hood. It is important to allow them to eat healthy food and physical activity. Smoking etc starts in school and need to be prohibited.

6 Simple Things That Can Help Lower Your Blood Pressure

Are you looking for effective and natural ways to prevent heart blockage and blood pressure management? You should consider taking Ayurvedic measures, which have been proven to be quite effective in dealing with various issues of the heart. Usually, heart blockages are difficult to deal with and a surgery has to be carried out for recovery. With Ayurvedic remedies, you can solve such issues without the concern of harmful side effects on your body.

Ayurvedic management of heart blockage
For effective prevention and management of heart blockages, you need to create a certain Ayurvedic medicine using basic ingredients.

Mix lemon, ginger, apple vinegar and garlic together and boil on a light flame.
After the quantity gets reduced, leave the mixture to cool.
After this, add some honey in the solution, and store it in a bottle for use. You have to take this medicine every morning after waking up.
Note all the ingredients are chosen for their unique and beneficial features.
Lemon contains more than 19 qualities, and garlic and ginger are good for dealing with gastric issues. Apple cider vinegar is given great importance in Ayurveda, and honey is good for your blood. Hence, this medicine is ideal for treating heart blockages effectively.
Ayurvedic management of blood pressure
High blood pressure or Rakta Gata Vata refers to an elevation in the pressure of blood in your arteries. The increase in pressure is based upon your age, activities, diet, and medical history.

The Ayurvedic remedies for the prevention and control of blood pressure include the following:

Avoid consuming eggs, meat, tea, coffee, pickles and table salt.
Abstain from smoking.
Increase your intake of food items such as lemon, garlic, parsley, grapefruit, cottage cheese, Indian gooseberry, and watermelon.
Engage in regular exercise as it is important for lowering and preventing your chances of high blood pressure.
Laugh a lot and keep away from anxiety and stress factors.
Make a juice of garlic cloves, wheat grass and basil leaves. Have this regularly for reduced chances of high blood pressure.
Mix onion juice with honey and have the mixture every day.
Make a paste using garlic and buttermilk, and drink it regularly.
Grind roasted watermelon seeds, add water to the powder, strain the liquid, and have it twice every day.
It is important for you to visit an Ayurvedic practitioner before starting to take Ayurvedic measures for heart blockage or high blood pressure on your own. This will ensure that you are prescribed the best measures by a qualified and experienced doctor.

Heart Blockage & Blood Pressure - How Ayurveda Can Help You Prevent It?

As much as we take a dip in the bucket of blues and sing happy- sad songs to float and fall for the theorem of love; we are but orderlies to the emotion. We all wish if love had only been a four letter word. It, unfortunately, has multiple folds and crevices than the human mind can ever possibly think of. Nonetheless, staying in love is essential. Loving is as significant as is living; the reason being, it keeps you happy until you falter and with every faltering foothold, you emerge out as a stronger being.

A strange fact about the emotion is its tryst with wholeness. Love doesn t necessarily need an object or receptor under its radar. It could be experienced as a self - sufficient feeling. You may be full of love for a family, for a dear friend, for your lover or you could also be in love with your passion or yourself. Irrespective of perpetual disillusionment, one must try and remain in love.

Let's take a curious peek into these few ways to stay in love:

Put in efforts to look good: In any case,  beauty indeed lies in the eyes of the beholder , but finding yourself pretty is extremely important. One must take care to look good in his or her own eyes. Looking good is directly proportional to the way you feel and hence spending time on yourself helps you to think positively. You see yourself in a better light and are thus, in a position to love better.
Exercise to challenge your daily threshold: Exercising has multi - faceted effects on your overall health. If you exercise on daily basis, you witness your progress with every passing day. This encourages you to improve your flexibility and fitness. Exercising can lead to the release of the happy hormone - serotonin in one s body. Direct exposure to sunlight and consumption of food items rich in carbohydrates can also increase the level of serotonin. Exercising boosts up your confidence and makes you fall in love with your body.
Indulge in sweet things: As you grow up, you stop doing those little things that once gave you immense pleasure. Making a greetings card, baking a cake, making paper boats, going out on walks, teaching young children or doing whatever your heart feels like can actually make you stay in love.
Pursue your passion: A passion gets the best out of you; it rather steps up the limits of your talents. Pursuing one s passion makes one love oneself even more. It keeps you engrossed in your plus points, giving you little scope to brood over depressing factors.
Try having a pet to care for: Feeling responsible for your pet is a great way to discover another side of your personality. A pet gives you the warmth you had been looking for. The bond of love with a pet has had unmatched effects on a person s health.

5 Ways to Stay in Love

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