Making Sense Of Your Blood Pressure

“That really makes my blood pressure rise” is an expression you’ve probably heard before.

But what does it really mean for your blood pressure to go up?

This expression tends to be associated with things that are stressful or frustrating.

You might be wondering what stress has to do with your blood pressure.

And what does it mean when blood pressure gets too high?

As a stress management naturopath, I want to help you understand what it means when your blood pressure goes up, and why keeping those numbers in check is in your best interest.

Keep reading to get the highs and lows of blood pressure.

What Is Blood Pressure?

Simply put, blood pressure is the measurement of the amount of pressure in your arteries.

Blood pressure is shown as two numbers, “xx / yy”.

It’s measured in mmHG, which stands for millimetres of mercury.

The top number (“xx”) is called the systolic number.

The bottom number (“yy”) is called the diastolic number.

The systolic number is a measurement of your blood pressure when your heart beats.

The diastolic number is a measurement of your blood pressure when your heart is at rest between beats.

When this number gets too high, it means your heart is working harder to send your blood through your body.

This extra stress on your heart can lead to heart disease and other health issues.

So, what exactly does this mean for your body?

Let’s take a closer look.

What Is Systolic Blood Pressure?

The top number in your blood pressure measurement is your systolic pressure.

When your heart beats, it applies pressure to the blood in your arteries.

Your systolic pressure is a measure of how much pressure your heart puts on your arteries to move your blood through your body.

What Is Diastolic Blood Pressure?

Your diastolic blood pressure number is the bottom number in your blood pressure measurement.

This is the amount of pressure in your arteries when your heart is at rest.

What Is Healthy Blood Pressure?

Your blood pressure can be affected by a number of factors.

These can include your activity level, weight, how healthy your diet is, and whether you smoke or drink.

However, there are blood pressure ranges that are considered healthy for most people.

A healthy systolic blood pressure for most people is between 90 mmHg and 120 mmHg.

And a healthy diastolic pressure for most people is between 60 mmHg and 80 mmHg.

You might be diagnosed with hypertension if your blood pressure is too high.

Hypertension is usually associated with a systolic number above 140 mmHg.

If your diastolic number is higher than 90 mmHg, this might also indicate high blood pressure.

This is based on your blood pressure readings over time.

A onetime high blood pressure reading isn’t usually a cause for concern.

External factors, like increased stress, can sometimes increase your blood pressure temporarily.

How Does High Blood Pressure Affect The Body?

High blood pressure can negatively affect your entire body.

Often, you’ll see negative effects on your brain, kidneys, eyes, heart, and arteries.

Effects on your brain can include:

• Transient ischemic attack or stroke
• Dementia
• Cognitive impairment

Effects on your kidneys:

• Kidney scarring
• Kidney failure

Effects on your eyes:

• Nerve damage
• Fluid buildup under the retina resulting in impaired or distorted vision
• Damage to blood vessels in the retina

Effects on your heart and arteries:

• Enlarged heart
• Coronary artery disease
• Heart failure
• Narrowed and damaged arteries
• Aneurysm

It can also cause sexual dysfunction, including the inability to maintain an erection and decreased sexual desire.

You may find that high blood pressure also makes it hard to orgasm.

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

There are a number of factors which can contribute to having high blood pressure.

Some of these, such as genetics, ethnicity, and age are outside of your individual control.

Other factors are related to your lifestyle, which means you have the power to change their influence on your body.

Some of these factors include:

• Increased salt or sodium in your diet
• Misusing alcohol
• Having excess body weight
• Not getting enough physical activity
• Having type 1 diabetes
• Having type 2 diabetes
• Experiencing insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome

How Does Low Blood Pressure Affect The Body?

Although we often hear about the dangers of high blood pressure, low blood pressure can also come with risks.

Symptoms of low blood pressure include:

• Dizziness and loss of balance
• Chronic fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Feeling lightheaded
• Fainting
• Cool, clammy skin
• Nausea
• Depression

What Causes Low Blood Pressure?

Just like with high blood pressure, there are some things that will make your blood pressure drop temporarily.

These might include:

• When you eat
• If you move from seated to standing too quickly
• After experiencing a frightening or shocking event

There are also a number of conditions which can lead to a longer period of hypotension.

These include:

• Extreme blood loss
• Poor circulation
• Being pregnant
• Infections of the blood
• Severe allergic reaction
• Hormonal issues or endocrine disorders
• Hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism
• Being on bed rest for an extended period of time
• Dehydration
• Nerve damage affecting bodily functions
• Being in shock

Naturopathic Tips For Healthy Blood Pressure

Letting your blood pressure get too high (or too low) can have detrimental health effects.

When those numbers reach extremes, it can become dangerous.

However, there are a number of lifestyle changes you can make to improve your blood pressure.

These interventions will focus on ways to lower your blood pressure.

We’re focusing on lowering your blood pressure because hypertension is a more common issue than hypotension.

1. Eat A Heart Healthy Diet

One of the biggest things you can control when it comes to blood pressure and other aspects of your health is what you eat.

Diets that focus on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, legumes, and nuts have been shown to help reduce blood pressure.

The DASH diet or Mediterranean diet are both diets that rely heavily on these foods.

In addition, avoiding foods with added sugars, saturated fats, and processed meat can help keep your blood pressure in check.

2. Keep Your Stress Under Control

Having chronic, high levels of stress has been shown to have a negative impact on blood pressure.

Finding ways to control your stress can go a long way to maintaining a healthy blood pressure.

There are both long term and short term strategies for managing your stress.

For moments you’re feeling a spike of stress, strategies like box breathing can be very helpful.

For more long term solutions to manage stress, mindfulness meditation or exercising are both good options.

3. L-Arginine

L-Arginine is an amino acid and supplement often used to provide treatment for heart conditions.

It works by helping your blood vessels relax.

Relaxed blood vessels can help your blood flow more easily and reduce your blood pressure.

4. Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega 3 fatty acids are also known as “healthy fats”.

They are known for supporting heart health.

Omega 3 fatty acids can be found in a variety of foods including many types of fish, chia and flaxseeds, walnuts, and soybeans.

Some studies have suggested that taking omega 3 fatty acids can positively impact your blood pressure in as few as six weeks.

5. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an important nutrient to have in your diet, whether your blood pressure is high or not.

It has a long list of benefits, including helping with iron absorption, improving your immune system, and increasing antioxidant levels.

And you can add “decreasing blood pressure” to that list.

This important nutrient acts as a diuretic, which means it helps the kidneys to remove water and sodium from the body.

When your kidneys remove water and sodium from your body, your blood pressure decreases.

6. Hawthorn Herb

Hawthorn is an herb which comes from the same family of plants as roses.

The plant has bright red berries and white flowers.

It has several benefits associated with heart health, including protecting the lining of blood vessels, improving the widening of blood vessels, and lowering blood pressure.

Book Your Appointment With Dr. Sheila Dyer, ND, Today

Do you worry about your blood pressure?

Are you constantly stressed because of work?

Is there a family history of high blood pressure which you worry puts you at higher risk for developing it?

I’m Dr. Sheila, a naturopathic doctor in Toronto, Ontario and I can help.

I’ll listen to your concerns and work with you to help develop a plan to get your blood pressure back to healthy levels.

If a prevention plan to help keep it from getting out of control in the first place is what you need, we can do that too.

Book your appointment with me today to get started.