High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

What is it?

In a person with high blood pressure the heart is pumping too hard or/and blood vessels have become stiffer or narrow over time. Organs like capillaries, nerves, the brain, kidneys and eyes can be negatively affected by a constant high blood pressure.

What causes it?

High blood pressure is caused by several factors. Diet can play a role, other diseases, lifestyle and hereditary factors can contribute to high blood pressure. 

Dietetic treatment

Maintaining an overall normal blood pressure is beneficial in the long term. Changes in the everyday diet and  lifestyle changes might improve blood pressure. Regular exercise has shown to improve blood pressure overall. The DASH diet was developed at Harvard and showed to lower high blood pressure in a study with hundreds of people with high blood pressure. It is worth making changes to a healthier diet even if high blood pressure is treated through medication.