What are Causes of Hypertension?
High blood pressure means that the force with which the blood presses onto the artery walls is higher than it should be; the most common reason for high blood pressure is arteriosclerosis. Narrowed arteries plugged with fatty deposits are usually linked to poor eating habits, junk fast food, pop drinks with artificial sugar, high stress, insomnia problems and little physical activity. A rich diet in saturated fats, red meat, refined sugar and salt, cholesterol-free commercial vegetable oils such as canola, shortening and margarine as they contain trans-fatty acids is to blame. Another unknown fact is that many people produce in their body too much bad cholesterol LDL that overtakes the good cholesterol HDL and creates plaques inside the arteries and as a result high blood pressure. High density lipoprotein, HDL, is capable of removing cholesterol from the blood to the liver and out through the bile. Low density lipoprotein LDL on the other hand carries cholesterol to the cells and contributes to the development of plaques and arteriosclerosis. [For an alternative yet authoritative version of the theory regarding the causes of atherosclerosis, readers are invited to access articles published by Carolos Monteiro in PH Online.]
Interesting enough the medical profession came up with lowering the levels for high blood pressure and cholesterol and as a result millions of people take prescription drugs for lowering the blood pressure and cholesterol and the pharmaceutical industry loves it!
Hypertension is known as the "silent killer" because it does not produce any symptoms, at least none that most people are aware of, until considerable damage has already been done. Untreated high blood pressure is the leading cause for strokes; the added pressure also damages the artery walls increasing fatty plaque being deposited, leading to scarring and hardening of the vessels creating atherosclerosis. As a result it reduce the flow of oxygen to the kidneys, heart, and eyes, or allows a blood clot to form in a narrowed artery.