When our heart pumps blood to all the organs in the body, the pressure felt on the walls of the blood vessels (arteries) is called blood pressure or blood pressure (BP). The normal pressure of a healthy person is 120/80 mmHg. However, when the blood vessels narrow or thicken, the heart has to pump blood more forcefully. This causes the pressure to increase. Like diabetes, the scientific world calls it the ‘Silent Killer’ because pressure does not show any obvious symptoms in the body. Here are the 5 main scientific reasons behind high BP:
High Sodium Intake: The most important scientific reason for high blood pressure is excessive consumption of sodium in the diet. When sodium increases in the body, it draws more water into the blood (Water Retention). This increases blood volume significantly and puts severe pressure on the blood vessels. Pickles, papadum, packet chips, and bakery sweets are the culprits that increase sodium in the body.
Atherosclerosis: When LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides increase in the blood, they accumulate as plaque on the inner walls of the blood vessels. Over time, the blood vessels narrow and lose their elasticity and become thick. The heart has to work harder to pump blood through these narrowed vessels. This sharply increases blood pressure.
Mental stress and adrenaline hormone (Chronic Stress): Chronic severe mental stress at work or in life produces the hormones adrenaline and cortisol in the body. These hormones increase the heart rate and cause vasoconstriction. Although this may temporarily increase blood pressure, prolonged stress can lead to permanent hypertension.
Obesity & Sedentary Lifestyle: Blood flow slows down in people who sit all the time without exercise and in those who are overweight. When you are obese, the heart has to work harder to pump blood to the body’s cells. Along with this, the ability of blood vessels to dilate naturally in people who do not exercise also increases blood pressure.
Smoking, caffeine, and alcohol habits (Lifestyle Factors): Nicotine in cigarettes, as soon as it enters the blood, severely constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure. Smoking directly damages the walls of blood vessels. Along with this, excessive drinking and drinking a lot of tea and coffee daily stimulate the nervous system and cause blood pressure to increase. People with a family history of high blood pressure and those who are older are more likely to develop this disease.
