I wanted to change topics completely for this post, so I Googled what the most common health condition is, and the answer is hypertension, also known as high blood pressure. Up to 45% of the world population has this condition. As you know, I’m not a medical professional; if you are experiencing something, it’s best to get it checked by your GP. This condition is known to be a ‘silent killer ’; unless monitored, it won’t be detected, and when that happens, it can be too late.
How do blood pressure readings look?
It gives you two readings; the one at the top is called the systolic measurement, which is at the same as your heartbeat. The number below is called the diastolic pressure, which measures the pressure between heartbeats. Typically, normal is below 120/80 mm Hg; I say typically since this depends on other health conditions and/or lifestyle.
What are some of the causes of high blood pressure?
- A common cause is diet; if a food has been processed, the likelihood that some amount of salt has been added to it is high. Salt is one of the most commonly used preservatives when preparing food at home or in a factory. Reading food labels is key to having a better view of your intake.
- Other health conditions like diabetes, since it can damage arteries, giving the heart more work to move blood through the body.
- Stress/Medical stress: with medical stress, there is something called white coat hypertension; it means that, due to the stress of being in a medical setting, your blood pressure is sky-high, but when checked at home, it is in the normal range.
- Getting older or hereditary, the condition can be passed from parents or close relatives.
- Being overweight or obese
- Lack of exercise
- Abusing medicine that wasn’t prescribed by a doctor
- Smoking
Some symptoms that can be related:
- Confusion, disorientation or other changes to your thinking
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Edema (swelling)
- Heart palpitations
- Peeing less than usual
- Seizures
- Severe headache
- Signs of stroke, like a sudden facial droop, slurred speech or sudden arm/leg weakness
- Vision changes, like eye pain, vision loss or sudden blurry vision
On a personal note: I had times when I felt I was having a heart attack, and it was an anxiety attack; they tend to feel very similar. The best advice I can give you as a fellow human is to follow your gut feeling.