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High blood pressure: a growing danger

Obesity, diabetes and heart diseases have become common in today’s fast-paced lifestyle. But high blood pressure is a silent enemy that is increasing rapidly. Earlier this problem was seen only in the elderly, but now the youth are also falling prey to it. Experts believe that unhealthy lifestyle and constant stress are the main reasons. For this awareness, ‘World Hypertension Day’ is celebrated every year on 17 May.

due to high blood pressure

Sedentary Lifestyle: Nowadays we work sitting at one place for hours and remain busy on mobile phones till late night. Due to this deficiency, pressure on our blood vessels and heart increases. Consumption of junk food, excess salt, processed food and sweets also increases this problem.

Increasing stress levels: Constant stress and lack of sleep is also a major cause of high blood pressure. When the body is under stress, the levels of stress hormones increase, which has a negative effect on heart rate and blood pressure. Apart from this, smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol and caffeine also increases this risk.

Increase in weight: Increasing body weight, especially fat around the stomach, is the main reason for increasing blood pressure. Apart from this, problems like diabetes, thyroid or hormonal imbalance at young age can also affect BP.

The silent threat of high blood pressure

The biggest problem of high blood pressure is that its symptoms are often not obvious, hence it is called ‘silent killer’. We consider ourselves healthy and do not get tested, whereas internally it is causing harm to the body. Sometimes there may be signs like headache, dizziness, fatigue or shortness of breath, but ignoring them can be dangerous.

Ways to protect health

Improving your health is not that difficult. Just keep a few simple things in mind. Walk or exercise for at least 40 minutes daily. Get enough sleep to rest your body and mind. Include fruits, green vegetables and whole grains in your diet.