Dizziness or lightheadedness
Fainting (syncope)
Lack of concentration
Blurred vision
Nausea
Cold, clammy, pale skin
Rapid, shallow breathing
Fatigue
Depression
Thirst
How To Measure Blood Pressure
Since its symptoms can be hard to recognize, the easiest way to diagnose hypertension is to regularly measure your blood pressure at your doctor’s office and at home. This is especially important for people with a family history of the condition or who live an unhealthy lifestyle.
Blood pressure is determined both by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries (9).
Here are the guideline set by the National Institute of Health to determine your condition (10):
Normal: Lower than 120/80
Prehypertension: 120–139/80–89
Stage 1 high blood pressure: 140–159/90–99
Stage 2 high blood pressure: 160 and above/100 and above
How To Manage High Blood Pressure
Commonly prescribed medication is used to treat the symptoms of hypertension, but often do little to treat the cause. Because the condition is often caused by an unhealthy lifestyle, a healthy diet and regular exercise can effectively prevent and treat high blood pressure.
It’s important to make sure to get plenty of fiber, magnesium, calcium and potassium, folic acid and Omega-3 fatty acids, which can all help reverse the disease and promote cardiovascular health (11).
Natural vasodialators like such as cocoa, coenzyme Q10, L-arginine or garlic can also help dilate your blood vessels to lower your blood pressure.
Lastly, hypertensive patients should avoid avoid sugar, trans fats, high sodium foods, caffeine, stress, inactivity, alcohol and cigarettes, which are all known to contribute to high blood pressure (12).
