High blood pressure is a condition which occurs when the pressure of the blood flow through the arteries increases, resulting in intense pressure. Hypertension occurs when the systolic pressure (pressure at which the heart pumps blood) and the diastolic pressure (pressure at which the heart relaxes) is more than 140 and 90 respectively.

Symptoms of high blood pressure are: 

1. Shortness of breath

If you have high blood pressure, then you may experience regular shortness of breath.

2. Headaches

You may experience headaches on a regular basis.

3. Weakness of the heart muscles

Hypertension results in a weak heart which may not be able to pump blood properly.

4. Narrowing of blood vessels

Narrowing of blood vessels may lead to other complications such as failure of the kidneys, heart, and brain.

5. Vision problems

It may lead to vision problems as blood vessels in the eye may be affected.

The various causes of blood pressure are: 

1. Tobacco
If you smoke on a regular basis, you put yourself at an increased risk of getting affected by blood pressure.

2. Lifestyle
Not exercising regularly, eating a sodium-rich diet are all factors which can increase the chances of hypertension.

3. Age
The chances of getting affected by hypertension increase as you age.

4. Weight
Being excessively obese also increases your risk of getting affected by hypertension.

5. Diabetes
Being diabetic makes you more prone to getting affected by diabetes.

6. Hyperthyroidism
If you have an overactive thyroid gland, then it may result in hypertension.

Hypertension may result in various health complications in the body such as:

1. Aneurysm

This is a disorder of the blood vessels which causes the blood vessels to bulge and weaken.

2. Heart attack

High blood pressure causes the arteries to harden and thicken which may lead to a heart attack.

3. Metabolic syndrome

This syndrome refers to a group of complications such as high bad cholesterol levels and insulin levels in the body.

4. Impaired brain functioning
It may also impair your ability to learn and impact your cognitive skills.

Hypertension and High Blood Pressure

Hypertension or increased blood pressure is one of the modern lifestyle diseases. The changing lifestyles including altered dietary habits and lack of physical activity are the main reasons for the high incidence of hypertension. With this, it brings a host of complications including other chronic diseases like diabetes, kidney failure, risks of stroke and heart attacks.

Alternative medicine proposes quite a number of remedies in addition to just increased physical activity. Read on to know more about how you can eat healthier and control your blood pressure.

Eat walnuts: As most books and media depict, heart disease is directly related to physical reaction towards stress. Regular eating of walnuts helps control this response, thereby controlling blood pressure. It is also a great source of antioxidants and fibre, which adds to its heart-healthy features.

Load up on minerals: Eating a diet rich in calcium, magnesium, and potassium is extremely beneficial for the heart. Sweet potatoes, bananas, dry fruits, dairy products, etc., have shown to reduce blood pressure extremely well in various experiments.

Avoid salt: While the natural sea salt is almost out of use, most of us have switched to the processed variety, which is devoid of all minerals. This is one of the major contributors for increased blood pressure. Studies have shown that reducing salt intake helps in a big way in controlling blood pressure. Most of us are also used to adding extra salt so the food tastes better. This should be avoided. With increased consumption of processed food items, everything from bread to cookies to cheese has salt, which also should be reduced, and if possible, avoided.

Have a colourful meal: Load up your plate with peppers, berries, dry fruits, and organic fruits and vegetables. Pomegranate juice is believed to control angiotensin, converting enzyme, which is responsible for controlling hypertension. They are also rich in antioxidants and help control blood pressure by reducing inflammation.

Know your cholesterol: While cholesterol is generally used with a negative connotation, it is not always true. There is good and bad cholesterol and the bad one should be avoided. Watch out for labels, and ensure you are eating less of the bad cholesterol. Good cholesterol is required for the production of hormones and proper functioning of the body.

Watch your medicines: While it is easy to just pop an ibuprofen when there is a headache or a back ache, it is advisable to watch out. These are best avoided in the long run, as they can induce hypertension and induce heart disease.

In addition, meditation, relaxation, green tea, dark chocolate, red wine, music, and quitting smoking are also shown to be helpful in controlling blood pressure.

Successful Tips To Control Blood Pressure

Varicose veins are bulging blue veins on the legs that can cause leg swelling, skin blackening and even open wounds called ulcers. It is commonly seen in people aged 35 and above who have to stand a lot. Here are a few tips to prevent these:

1. Avoid standing for long periods: standing for long periods of time causes blood to pool in your leg veins and they begin to bulge out like a balloon. Avoid standing desks at your work. If you have to stand, take a 5-minute break every hour and walk around or sit down.

2. Keep weight in check: overweight people have a higher incidence of varicose veins. Keeping your weight in check would also prevent varicose veins.

3. Exercise 30 minutes a day: exercise, especially brisk walking or jogging, will get the blood in your leg veins to circulate and thus prevent varicose veins.

4. Take the stairs: this simple exercise activates your calf muscles and gets blood to circulate in your veins.

5. Be vigilant: calf cramps, swelling, change in colour of skin over foot and open wounds over the feet are a few signs that you need to look out for. Seek medical help to prevent worsening of this disease.

Follow these simple steps and you would be able to prevent varicose veins and have healthy feet.


5 Tips To Prevent Varicose Veins and Varicose Ulcers

The CAD (Coronary Artery Disease) is a condition where the blood flow in your arteries is impaired. This happens when the blood vessels that supply blood to your heart are damaged. As a result, plaque builds up in the arteries and the blood flow to the heart is decreased.

This will eventually lead to chest pain or angina and other symptoms. If the arteries are blocked completely, you may suffer a heart attack later on. It is one of the leading causes of death and heart attacks all over the world.

What are the causes of CAD?

The CAD may be caused due to an injury to the inner part of the coronary artery. This may be due to the following factors  

High blood pressure and cholesterol

Smoking

An unhealthy or sedentary lifestyle

Diabetes

If the inner wall of the artery is damaged, deposits made of cholesterol and other cellular wastes are collected in the region. The process is called atherosclerosis. If this plaque surface breaks, the platelets in your blood will try to fix the artery. In the process, these platelets are accumulated in the area. Too much accumulation can block the artery.

As the arteries are responsible for providing oxygen-rich blood to your heart, blockage in the region will lead to a heart attack.

Moreover, Coronary Artery Disease may be caused if you have a family history of heart diseases. It is more likely to occur when you are over 65 years of age. Factors such as obesity and high levels of stress can also lead to this condition. 

Symptoms

The common symptom of Coronary Artery Disease is angina or pain in the chest. However, the condition may be accompanied by other symptoms, like  

Tightness, heaviness, burning or a squeezing sensation in the chest

Sweating

Dizziness

Shortness of breath followed by extreme fatigue

Pain in the arms, shoulders or the back

Severe pressure in the shoulders and arms that lead to heart attack

The angina symptoms are commonly misunderstood as symptoms of indigestion. Be aware and seek medical assistance immediately.

Treating CAD with Ayurveda 

The following Ayurvedic herbs are helpful for preventing the deposits of harmful fats in your blood vessels  

Guggulu

Chandraprabha Vati

Combination of herbs like Amlaki, Arjuna, Punarnava, Kutki and Triphala

Another important treatment procedure for the disease, as prescribed by Ayurveda, is meditation. Meditating for about 20 minutes every day will help you relax and calm your nerves. It will help you enhance your mental health and happiness. This will keep your heart healthy.

This prevents the body from forming angiotensin is a hormone that causes your blood vessels to get smaller which increases your blood pressure. This baeltablet helps in Lower angiotensin levels, then help widen your blood vessels and let your blood flow more easily this reduces your blood pressure. This Bell tablet helps in blocking the effects of angiotensin on your heart which helps in lowering your blood pressure and these roots helps in preventing blood clots from forming, some do this from making substances called clotting factors and others keep the clotting factors from working or preventing other chemicals from forming so that clots cannot develop. What is most important is that all these herbs help in dissolving existing plaque. This drug also works as thromboxane it prevents platelet to stick together to form a clot.

You can also opt for Panchkarma therapy that is a rejuvenating experience consisting of massages and steam baths. High cholesterol is effectively treated using this therapy. 

To prevent risks of CAD, you must exercise regularly and avoid consuming foods high in fats and sugar. Reduce the amount of preserved foods. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetable daily. Furthermore, get plenty of sleep and stop consuming alcohol or cigarettes to stay healthy.

CAD (Blockage In Arteries) - How Can Ayurveda Handle It?

Varicose veins are superficial, swollen, enlarged and twisting veins, often appearing dark purple or blue on the feet and legs. The condition occurs when blood through the veins flow in the wrong direction and starts accumulating.

Although varicose veins is not a serious condition, you should seek treatment if it causes symptoms like swelling and pain in the extremities. In severe cases, where a varicose vein ruptures or develops to form skin ulcers, your doctor may recommend laser treatment.

Can laser treatment cure varicose veins?

Laser surgery can effectively treat varicose veins. The procedure involves using a high-intensity beam of light to reduce enlarged, bulging veins that are observed usually on the calves or thighs.

How does the procedure work?

The heat emitted from the laser damages a vein, which causes scar tissues to form. This scar tissue shrinks and closes the vein. A closed vein gradually loses its source of blood and dies. After some time, usually in a year or two, the vein disappears on its own.

Two types of laser surgery are performed, namely  

  Simple Laser Treatment   This is done on the outer layers of your skin. It can cure small varicose veins and spider veins under the skin surface. Normally, more than one session, scheduled every 6-12 weeks is needed.
  Endovenous Laser Treatment   This particular procedure is used to cure large varicose veins that appear on the legs.
The steps of the procedure are as follows  
  Your healthcare provider will administer local anaesthesia to numb the area. You may be provided with an eyeglass to protect your eyes
  The surgeon will make a small incision on the skin and pass a laser fibre through a catheter into the veins while closely monitoring the vein on a screen
  As he/she pulls out the catheter, the length of the vein will heat up and shrink, and eventually close

This outpatient procedure is less painful than stripping and litigation. It has a shorter recovery period and can be performed under local anaesthesia or mild sedatives.

What to Expect

After the laser treatment, you can walk around without much complication. The recovery period is typically brief. You can expect to return to your daily activities following simple laser surgery. However, you might need to wear a compression stocking for a week or so after the endovenous laser procedure.
You may notice redness, bruising or burns on the skin after the treatment. That is only normal, so you need not worry. Do follow up with your doctor to see if the vein has closed.


Laser Treatment For Varicose Veins!

Every woman wishes for great legs they can flaunt in tiny shorts and skirts whenever they feel like it. The greatest impediment to this freedom, however, is unattractive spider and varicose veins that make legs lose their aesthetic value and limit women from enjoying experimenting with short outfits. Not only do these veins look unattractive on legs, but they are quite painful as well. The good news is that modern medicine has enabled doctors to use the body's own healing mechanisms to amend the problem. Doctors can now employ the use of laser treatments and injections to provide quick relief to patients. What's more, these treatments can be addressed easily in a doctor's office and require short visits, and you can walk comfortably out of the doctor's office on your own.

How it works
Minimally invasive laser treatments and injections are used to collapse and then shrink the affected veins. Thereafter, the veins are then absorbed into the tissue that underlay this, and will bring a clear effect such that all the visible traces will be gone. The surrounding healthy veins will then take control and restore the normal circulation of the body. While there might be some little bruising noticed, it will only last temporarily.

Options available
Today the treatments for these veins are improved and what's more, the process is much more comfortable. This is unlike the past where thick, uncomfortable, elastic compression socks were used to relieve pain and the procedures involved a surgery where veins are stripped out of the leg and patients are put under anesthetics. The options that are available today include endovenous laser ablation where a map around the abnormal vein is created with ultrasound, a catheter inserted into the vein and a laser carefully passed through the catheter generating a controlled amount of heat that will seal the vein and redirect blood to the healthy vessels. There is injection sclerotherapy where a pharmaceutical liquid is injected into the vein that will cause the vessels walls to adhere and then seal shut and the blood instantly gets directed to healthier veins while the treated vein disappears. Laser sclerotherapy is reserved for tiny superficial veins and may not get injected.

While there is no cure for varicose veins, a doctor can prescribe post treatment instructions that will minimize the chances of a patient getting the veins again. Things like managing diet, exercise and good lifestyle choices are among them. Also routine monitoring is the key to preventing future reoccurrences.

Want Beautiful Legs? You Can Opt for Vein Removal Therapy

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