Excess Sugar, Loneliness, BPAs; 7 Common Causes High BP
When most people think about the causes of high blood pressure, they assume the most obvious culprits are going to be alcohol abuse, excessive stress, and consuming too much salt. The following 6 surprising things that cause high blood pressure are not as easily recognized as stress, salt, and alcohol, but they should certainly be getting your attention.
Medications
One of the more surprising things that cause high blood pressure is something you are taking each day to actually heal the body. According to a study, over-the-counter and prescribed medications could be putting your blood pressure at severe risk. Taking some drugs on a daily basis increases your blood pressure and is having an overall negative impact on your health.
Too Much Sugar
Most people are aware of the fact that too much sugar can add inches to their waistline, they don’t realize however that the sugar can be the cause of high blood pressure. Many health professionals now believe that sugar is more dangerous to the body that salt, and they conclude that in order to treat patients suffering with high blood pressure they needed to reduce sugar in their diets. Fructose, the sugar added to processed drinks and foods appears to be the major player when it comes to developing hypertension. Reduce consumption of fructose by limiting processed foods from the diet.
Sleep Apnea
Another one of the surprising things that cause high blood pressure is sleep apnea. Many people who suffer from this disorder often let it go diagnosed, so it can lead to restless nights, snoring, and eventually high blood pressure. According to studies, when breathing is interrupted during your sleep, oxygen levels in the body fall. The brain sends signals through the nervous system to start increasing the oxygen flow to the brain and heart, tightening up the blood vessels. These frequent drops in blood oxygen levels can trigger the release of stress hormones, which in turn begin to raise your heart rate and then increase your overall risk for developing high blood pressure. Speak with a doctor about different treatments available to help you get a more restful and sound night sleep.
BPAs
Most people would be surprised to discover the cause of their high blood pressure was a result of the BPAs in the linings of plastic bottles and cans that seeps into those drinks and food. According to study, chronic exposure to these BPAs is associated with high blood pressure and heart disease. Reduce your exposure by using products free of BPAs, eating less canned food, and choosing non-plastic containers, like glass or stainless steel. Avoid microwaving food in plastic containers that are made with the BPAs, chemicals may break down from repeated use at the high temperatures.
Thyroid Issues
One of the lesser know causes of high blood pressure could be something you are dealing with right now and don’t even realize it. According to a study, there is a correlation between hypothyroidism and high blood pressure. Patients who have a thyroid gland that doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone had significantly higher blood pressure readings than those who did not suffer with this issue. Also, when there’s too much hormone produced, called hyperthyroidism, it can result in higher-than-normal blood pressure readings too. Hyperparathyroidism is one type of thyroid issue which can be accountable for a higher blood pressure readings too. This condition affects the regulation of hormones and could result in too much calcium in the blood which elevated blood pressure levels.
Loneliness
Being lonely may actually do more harm to the body than just on your mental capacities. According to a study, feeling lonely not only decreases your happiness and confidence, it can raise stress levels and your blood pressure as well. The study went on to show a direct correlation between high blood pressure and loneliness in people who were over 50 years of age. The signs of increased blood pressure began to appear after the second year, and slowly increased for the next three years. When you have a close circle of family and friends around as you age, you feel more relaxed and your stress and pressure stabilizes.
Now that you are aware of these 6 surprising things that cause high blood pressure, you can start addressing these causes one at a time and start improving your overall health. making small systematic changes will put you back on the road to optimal health.