Important Things You Must Know About Headaches, Hypertension And Stroke

Headaches, hypertension and stroke are health issues commonly affecting people and a renowned medical practitioner has addressed the link between them as well as other important issues to be taken note of.

 

There is a direct link between headaches, high blood pressure (or hypertension) and stroke. If you have high blood pressure and are experiencing constant headaches, chances are that you are well on your way to having a stroke.

Of course, not all headaches are due to high blood pressure, but all high blood pressure causes headaches. Although headaches may be due to several maladies, including tension, migraine, eye strain, dehydration, low blood sugar, sinusitis and common cold, much rarer are headaches due to life-threatening conditions such as meningitis, which is a bacterial infection of the brain covering, encephalitis – an infection of the brain; cerebral aneurysms (an expansion of the blood vessels in the brain), extremely high blood pressure and brain cancer.

Headaches

 

Headaches can also be due to brain injury, while many women also get headaches during or just before their monthly cycle. Pains in the neck or upper back can also be considered as headaches.

The types of headaches that are usually associated with hypertension are the ones you may get in the early mornings on waking up. When you have high blood pressure that is not treated properly, you may have headaches in the mornings, blurred vision and, sometimes, depression. What makes high blood pressure dangerous is that it can lead to a stroke, which is life-threatening; and can lead to death or severe physical and/or mental incapacitation. Only very few lucky and healthy individuals make a full recovery after a stroke.

Hypertension

Hypertension is commonly referred to as high blood pressure, where the blood pressure is chronically high. Hypertension occurs when blood is forced through the arteries at an increased pressure. The arteries are the vessels that carry blood from the heart to all other tissues and organs of the body. If you have high blood pressure, it does not necessarily mean that you are under excessive emotional tension, although emotional tension and stress can temporarily increase your blood pressure. In fact, some people may lead totally stress-free and laidback lives and still have high blood pressure because they have familial hypertension – that is, it runs in the family and is genetic.

Generally, the higher the blood pressure, the greater the risk of damage to several organs of the body, including the heart, kidney, arteries, eyes and brain.

Untreated hypertension affects all organs and can shorten life by up to 10 to 20 years. High blood pressure increases the risk of developing heart and kidney diseases, hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis), eye damage and stroke (brain damage).

By the time your blood pressure is above 140/90, you are considered to be hypertensive. Increase in diastolic pressure, which is the bottom part of the reading, is more important in defining someone as hypertensive. However, patients with diabetes mellitus or kidney disease with blood pressure as high as 130/80 mmHg should be considered in danger and in need of urgent treatment.

Proper diagnosis of high blood pressure is important, so that you can get the needed treatment to normalise the blood pressure and avoid associated complications. For older people over 50 years old, the systolic readings (upper readings) are more important. Systolic hypertension represents a greater risk for people over 50. Unless you have your blood pressure measured, you may never know you have hypertension. There are no symptoms, except that ‘nagging’ headache. That is why it is called the silent killer.

Stroke

A stroke is the sudden reduction of blood flow to a portion of the brain. There are two main types of strokes: ischemic, also known as thrombotic, which is caused by a blood clot in the brain; and haemorrhagic, which is caused by bleeding in the brain.

A stroke of any type is an extreme medical emergency and prompt treatment is imperative if the patient is to survive. Although haemorrhagic strokes account for 15 per cent of all strokes, patients suffering from this type of stroke are more likely to die. Sometimes, it is difficult for non-medical people to recognise that somebody is having a stroke, but immediate help is essential. A person suffering from stroke must get help no longer than three hours after the stroke for his life to be saved. So, it is important for family and friends to know the signs of a stroke by doing the following simple tests:

•     Ask him/her to smile.
•     Ask him to talk. He must say a simple sentence coherently.
•     Ask him to raise both arms.
•     Ask him to stick out his tongue. The tongue should not be twisted.

If he is having trouble doing any of these simple things, then he may be having a stroke.

Steps against stroke

1. If you have persistent headaches, visit your doctor, especially if you are over 40.
2. Once you are diagnosed as hypertensive and you are placed on medications, you must continue taking the medication for life.
3. Hypertension is not a problem; the problem is usually the bad management or careless use of medication. Try to take your medication regularly as prescribed by your doctor.
4. Stroke will usually occur in hypertensive people who forget to take their medication for a very long time and then get into a stressful situation.
5. Regular exercise can help to lower your blood pressure.
6. A good diet with low salt, low carbohydrate and moderate protein without red meat is very good for your health.
7. Do not self-medicate with over the counter drugs to treat your headaches without first checking with your doctor, to rule out more serious illnesses.
8. If you are over 50, you may take one tablet of aspirin daily to avoid blood clots, but take it with a meal to avoid stomach ulcer.
9. Check your blood pressure regularly.
10. Determine your stressors such as food intolerance or toxins
11. Do annual medical check-ups around the month of your birthday.
12. Regular detoxification ensures low blood pressure.

Culled from The Punch.

AVOID THESE 7 HEALTH-DESTROYING FOODS!

Every time you go grocery shopping, you're making decisions that will have an impact on your health. While you may be well aware that some items you toss in your grocery cart aren't the healthiest choice on the shelf, you may not realize just how unhealthy they truly are.

One bad food may not have long-term consequences for your health, but a cart full of processed foods loaded with carbs and sugar seriously endangers your health, and even some foods you may think are healthy are anything but good for you.

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Here's a list of seven foods you should never eat:

• Microwave Popcorn:  A report from the FDA found that popcorn bags are linked with a chemical called Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), the same toxic chemical found in many non-stick pots and pans. PFOAs are linked to bladder cancer, thyroid problems, and high cholesterol. Some experts theorize that 20 percent of the PFOA found in our bodies comes from microwave popcorn. The smell of popcorn microwaved in a commercial bag is due to a chemical called diacetyl, a synthetic butter flavoring. It causes a disease called bronchiolitis obliterans, or "popcorn worker's lung," in factory workers who inhale the fumes. Due to public concerns, some manufacturers of popcorn have eliminated diacetyl.

• Processed meats: Hot dogs, bacon, ham, and other processed meats are loaded with unhealthy amounts of fat, salt, and preservatives, but that’s not all. They can also contain nitrites and nitrates, chemical additives used to enhance their taste, boost their color, and keep them from spoiling. Over 90 percent of nitrates tested have been found to cause cancer in various organs of the body, including the breast and stomach.
Bacon, salami, and other cured meats can aggravate respiratory diseases like chronic bronchitis and emphysema to the point of requiring a trip to the emergency room. Nitrates have been found to increase the risk of developing COPD, and to increase the chances of hospitalization from the disease. Nitrates can also trigger headaches in sensitive people.

• Farm raised fish:  According to the Environmental Working Group, most farm-raised fish are fed genetically modified feed. Fish tested were also contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at high levels, and were 16 times more likely to be contaminated than wild-caught fish. In addition, farm-fed fish were found to contain pesticides and other toxins from contaminated water that drains into ponds.
A study published in Science found that farmed salmon had 10 times the level of contaminants as wild salmon. Dr. David Carpenter, author of the study, told PBS that farmed salmon was so contaminated that eating more than one meal a month raised the risk for cancer. Some experts believe that some European farmed salmon should only be eaten once every four months.

• Margarine:  Although margarine was billed for decades as the healthy alternative to butter, many studies confirmed trans-fats in margarine raised cholesterol and damaged blood vessels. The more solid the margarine at room temperature, the more trans-fats it contained. Manufacturers have reformulated their products, but many health experts aren't convinced the products are healthy, as many contain genetically modified and artificial ingredients.

• Soft drinks: Whether sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners, sodas play havoc with your health. Sodas have been linked to the growing epidemics of obesity and diabetes. But sodas have also been linked to cancer: When sodium benzoate, used for mold prevention in many soft drinks, is mixed with vitamin C, it creates a carcinogenic substance called benzene. British researchers also found problems with sodium benzoate — they found it may be able to switch off vital parts of DNA in mitochondria, the "power station" of cells. The result could eventually causes cirrhosis of the liver and other degenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's.

Researchers at India's Tata Memorial Hospital found a "very significant correlation" between soft drinks and an increased risk of esophageal cancer, and other studies have linked soft drinks to the risk of deadly pancreatic cancer.
Sodas are also linked to cardiovascular problems. A study published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association, found that people who drank one or more soft drinks each day were 25 percent more likely to develop high blood triglycerides, and 32 percent more likely to have low levels of "good" cholesterol.

• Artificial sweeteners: "Artificial sweeteners are a disaster," says board-certified family physician Dr. David Brownstein. "They’re known to cause neurologic problems, autoimmune disorders, and probably cancer," he tells Newsmax Health.
We've been told for decades that artificial sweeteners help keep us slim, but recent studies have caused grave doubts. Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio found those who drank diet sodas were more likely to become overweight than those who drank regular sugary sodas. For each can of diet soda consumed each day, the risk of obesity increased by 41 percent. After 10 years, those who drank two or more diet sodas a day increased their risk of obesity by 500 percent.

Artificial sweeteners also don't appear to lower the risk of diabetes. A study published in the journal Nature found that diet sodas change the microbes living in the gut in a way that increases the risk of diabetes, and a study conducted at the University of Minnesota found that a single diet soda daily raised the risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes by 36 percent.
Sodas may be harming women's bones. Researchers at Tufts University found that women who drank sodas, including diet sodas, had lower bone density than women who didn't drink them. The phosphoric acid in sodas leaches calcium from bones.

• Conventionally grown potatoes: Since they are a root vegetables, potatoes absorb all of the chemicals in the soil — herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides. According to the USDA, 37 different pesticides have been found on conventionally grown potatoes. Of them, seven are possible carcinogens, nine are neurotoxins, and 12 are possible hormone disrupters. About 76 percent of all potatoes are contaminated with an herbicide called chlorpropham, which is used to keep potatoes from sprouting.

Courtesy: Diet & LifeStyle Inc.