Causes of High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is also known as “hypertension” and can have many causes.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not a hereditary or genetic condition, which means that once you identify the causes of high blood pressure, there is a good chance of reversing it.

• You can’t have high blood pressure and be healthy at the same time, so if you have been diagnosed with this condition, it is imperative that you do everything possible to bring your body back to health.

Here are 3 causes of high blood pressure you should know:

Stress Causes High Blood Pressure

Anything that triggers the stress response (fight or flight response) will cause high blood pressure. It does this because when the body is under stress, more oxygen needs to be pumped to muscles and tissues. The walls of the arteries constrict in order to make this happen.

• The stress response is the same whether the cause is physical, emotional, mental, or chemical.

What causes the body to trigger the stress response?

• Mental stress like worry, anxiety, and fear
• Lack of sleep
• Emotional stress from loss and strained relationships
• Stimulants like sugar and caffeine
• Physical danger and injury
• Toxins from food, medications, alcohol, and tobacco
• Spinal misalignment
• Pain
• Other health problems

Our bodies were meant to handle stress in the short term. We were not genetically designed to handle chronic stress, however. When the stresses in life never cease, the body will adapt and blood pressure will remain high.

High Insulin Causes High Blood Pressure

An unhealthy diet will cause high blood pressure, especially if you’re eating a lot of processed carbs and sugar because doing so will make your insulin levels spike. As a result, your body will excrete magnesium in your urine.

Since magnesium is responsible (in part) for relaxing constricted muscles, the muscles that tighten blood vessels during stress won’t be able to relax. They will stay constricted making the blood pressure rise and stay that way.

To make matters worse:

• High insulin causes you to retain sodium.
• Sodium makes you retain water.
• Water retention causes high blood pressure.
• High blood pressure and fluid retention leads to heart disease.

All this equals an early grave.

Drug Side Effects Cause High Blood Pressure

The very first piece of advice I give when someone asks me about the causes of high blood pressure is to research the medications they are taking. You would be shocked to know how many drugs have high blood pressure as a side effect.

• It does your health little good if the drug you’re taking for one condition causes another thatalso has to be regulated.

A simple Google search for “side effects of…” and the name of whatever drug you are researching should results in more info than you need. There are many popular medical websites now that have such data, as well.

If you find you are taking any medication that causes high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about changing your prescription, or better yet make the proper lifestyle changes that will bring you back to health. Most degenerative diseases have a cause that is rooted in improper nutrition and lifestyle habits.

Check out our nutrition section for some great articles on cleaning up your diet.

Find the Right Health Provider

Drugs do not fix the causes of high blood pressure which is why most people have to take them for life.

Please understand, however, that once the cause of high blood pressure is found, this condition can often be reversed. If this is your goal, it is imperative that you find a health provider who is familiar with these concepts and will work with you as a partner.

It’s your health. Take control.